As a fire alarm part supplier, one of the biggest challenges we faced last year due to COVID and Winter weather was a significant delay in shipping. Fire alarm part manufacturers and their shippers are already warning of a fulfillment and shipping supply crisis starting this fall and into winter. Though already 18 months into […]

Many recalled units will have the TruSense logo or “AMBER=FAULT” printed on the front, according to Kidde’s website. BIG RECALL NEWS!! Kidde is recalling about 226,000 smoke alarms and combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms over concerns that they can fail to alert people to a fire. Kidde, whose owned byThe Carrier Global, and the […]

This stop-start cycle impacted the industry throughout the supply chain. A manufacturing backlog built up that even today has not caught up with demand. The impact of COVID-19 has spared no business, family, or person. Since it first showed up in the United States in early 2020, the impact on the fire safety business has […]

As standard operations and the pace of production starts to revert to normal, both employers and employees must consider the possibility of physical deconditioning. Manufacturing jobs are often physically demanding. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many employees with “non-essential” jobs spent months either not working or working reduced hours. As standard operations and the pace […]

There is NO replacement detector for the FP-11 The end of an era is upon us. The MXL fire safety system is officially being discontinued as of May 29, 2020. While final FP-11 smoke detector orders were taken in December 2019 the official end date has arrived. First announced back in January 2013, Siemens developed […]

In early April, we received notification that major fire alarm manufacturers who build and assemble their products in Mexico have been shut down by the government due to COVID-19 exposure in their production plants. Out of an abundance of caution there is currently no announced reopen date. In early April, we received notification that major […]

The power of fire should not be underestimated. In 2017, one home fire occurred every 88 seconds in the United States, and about half of the insurance claims relating to fire were made by homeowners. That same year, 77% of all fire-related deaths occurred in the home. In Canada, 19,062 structural fires were reported in […]

The fire alarm system industry is at the brink of a black swan event. The impact this will have on the availability and cost of legacy smoke alarm and detector products is something rarely seen twice in one’s career. Now is the time to prepare and stock up on your fire part needs. The fire […]

Smoke detectors have two critical functions, to warn people of a potential fire hazard and to save lives. To be effective, smoke detectors need to be installed correctly and detect smoke from common home and business products. Smoke detectors have two critical functions, to warn people of a potential fire hazard and to save lives. […]

Back then, it was common to use bells to signal an alarm. As technology changed, it was found that the bells emitted too much electrical noise back into the system and it caused problems with transistors and integrated circuits. For years, there has been concern about the waking ability of fire alarm audible notification appliances. […]

On December 5th, 2019, UL decided to extend the UL 217 & 268 smoke detector standards compliance date from May 2020 until June 2021. Read what this means to you, your fire safety system, and your bottom line. On December 5th, 2019, UL released a customer bulletin announcing that the UL 217 Standard for Smoke […]

The smell of freshly baked cookies and the sight of twinkling lights throughout your neighborhood can only mean one thing – the holiday season is here. Decorating your home, opening stockings by the fire, lighting the menorah, or toasting to the New Year with friends and family are festivities many people look forward to every […]

The smell of freshly baked cookies and the sight of twinkling lights throughout your neighborhood can only mean one thing – the holiday season is here. Decorating your home, opening stockings by the fire, lighting the menorah, or toasting to the New Year with friends and family are festivities many people look forward to every […]

The smell of freshly baked cookies and the sight of twinkling lights throughout your neighborhood can only mean one thing – the holiday season is here. Decorating your home, opening stockings by the fire, lighting the menorah, or toasting to the New Year with friends and family are festivities many people look forward to every […]

The smell of freshly baked cookies and the sight of twinkling lights throughout your neighborhood can only mean one thing – the holiday season is here. Decorating your home, opening stockings by the fire, lighting the menorah, or toasting to the New Year with friends and family are festivities many people look forward to every […]

Has your commercial fire alarm system experienced a series of false alarms in recent months? This can be a major costly problem. Here are some of the reasons why your commercial fire alarm might be having false alarms all the time. Has your commercial fire alarm system experienced a series of false alarms in recent […]

Given this timetable, Siemens has already begun to push their MXL migration strategy – but is doing a partial or full retrofit of your MXL fire safety system a must? In case you haven’t heard, Siemens has discontinued their beloved MXL fire safety system. While different components of the MXL system will be discontinued at […]

If a fire were to start in your building today, how would your commercial fire alarm system respond to it? If a fire were to start in your building today, how would your commercial fire alarm system respond to it? You should feel completely confident in your fire alarm system’s ability to spring into action […]

Accelerated speed of today’s home fires prompts NFPA to focus on escape planning and practice during Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, 2019 Today’s home fires burn faster than ever, making escape planning all the more critical to home fire safety. Studies show that in the past, people had approximately 17 minutes to escape a typical […]

With the new UL 2020 standards less then a year away, which manufactures have new UL compliant smoke detectors on the market and who doesn’t? With releasing the new UL 2020 standards, UL announced the most significant changes to smoke detector and alarm standards since 1976. Starting May 2020, to earn your UL certification, smoke […]

A prime concern for facility managers is the maintenance and upgrade of their fire safety systems. Here are things to keep in mind as you make the decision to maintain or upgrade your system. The 1980’s saw a significant expansion of commercial real estate within the United States. Now, nearly twenty-five years after construction of […]

Honeywell recalls first UL 2020 compliant smoke detectors. What does this mean for the future of UL 2020 standards? On June 19th 2019, Honeywell, the parent company to fire brands such as NOTIFIER, Honeywell Gamewell-FCI, Honeywell Farenhyt, Honeywell Silent Knight and Fire-Lite Alarms recalled two “IV” series smoke detectors: the Gamewell-FCI ASD-PL3 and the NOTIFIER […]

What are my options if I have an old fire alarm system? What are the costs? What if I have a really old fire alarm system? What are my options? You probably have multiple options. The first step is to bring in the contractor currently servicing the system, another fire alarm system supplier or a […]

The current development towards more energy efficient and so-called green buildings makes room for new products and technical appliances. This rapid development can have implications on fire safety. Through a series of research projects RISE aims to shed light upon this topic. Focus on energy consumption During recent years we have seen a growing focus […]

In response to the new UL 2020 standards, Edwards announces new optical smoke detector. New detector can determine if the smoke is from a real fire or a nuance source.   [pld_post_list]

The Kidde alarms with TruSense sensors can differentiate between threatening fast-flaming or smoldering fires and some of the most common home nuisance alarms. Residential smoke alarms are reaching new, advanced levels of detection and discrimination, and are being designed to help save more lives. Kidde, continuing its legacy of fire safety innovation, is the first […]

So, even a 10 year NEW never been used smoke detector still in the box are in our view is new. With the upcoming new UL smoke alarm and detector standards (UL 217 and UL 268 7th Edition) taking affect in May 2020, we have many clients and facility managers wondering what to do about […]

Voice is Choice for Emergency Response Behavioural studies of emergencies indicate voice messages increase response time. Voice is Choice for Emergency Response. Well documented research into human behaviour in emergency situations shows that 75 percent of people react immediately to clear authoritative voice messages in the event of fire. Education is one sector where voice […]

Existing fire systems may need retrofits for a number of reasons. Learn key tips to retrofitting to keep costs down and your system working. The 1980’s saw a significant expansion of commercial real estate within the United States. Now, nearly twenty-five years after construction of many of these buildings, significant retrofit activity is often required […]

A great flame rising between the two towers with whirlwinds of sparks […] Below that fire, below the gloomy balustrade […] two spouts with monster throats were vomiting forth unceasingly […] jets of liquid lead […] like water springing from the thousand holes of a watering-can. No. Not dateline Paris 2019 but Paris 1831, an […]

New 2020 UL standards means new smoke detectors, but does it mean in fire alarm control panels as well? With the new UL 217 and UL 268 (7th Edition) standards quickly approaching, facility managers are starting to learn more about what this significant change would mean for the buildings and fire safety systems they manage. […]

Thinking of renting out your place? Protect yourself and your home with these critical steps. Airbnb and other peer-to-peer hospitality services and vacation rentals are not regulated the same way as hotels. Requirements vary across jurisdictions. This checklist can guide you on how to be your own safety advocate before you commit to a rental […]

“Time is running out! Act fast and get in a line at the new UL testing facility before you run out of time to certify your new fire safety products! With about a year to go before the UL 2020 standards take affect, manufactures are lining up to test their new products at the new […]

The UL 2020 standards are creating smarter and safer smoke detectors. They can now distinguish between actual fires and false alarms such as burning food and steam. Expect more 2020 UL compliant products to be announced as the deadline approaches. The life safety industry is in the midst of one of the biggest changes in […]

Watch how having your door closed can help you stay safe from a fire’s smoke, heat, and flames. Officials are issuing an urgent alert when it comes to home fires – sleep with your bedroom door closed. Turns out, this simple decision dramatically increases your chance of survival if your house were to catch fire. […]

While smoke alarms are installed in almost 100% of homes, approximately 30% of alarms don’t work due to aging, removal of batteries, or failure of the homeowner to replace dead batteries. In 1915, people living in homes or apartments could expect that if their home caught fire, they’d have a one in ten chance of […]

Learn what are the main causes for home fires and how to prevent them. SPOILER – “don’t leaving stove unattended, have working smoke detectors, and fire sprinklers” NFPA Cooking Safety Tips Before we promote a key solution to America’s home fire problem (e.g., fire sprinklers), we must first convince decision makers why they’re needed in […]

However, given the new UL 2020 smoke detector standards (UL 217/UL 268) is this the beginning of the end for Simplex 4098-9714? In the fire alarm world, one of the most well known and installed smoke detectors is the Simplex 4098-9714 TrueAlarm Photoelectric Sensor. This smoke detector provides a 360 degree smoke entry so it […]

One of the biggest fire prevention steps is to ensure smoke detectors are installed and working properly. A helpful reminder for tenants on the common apartment fires and how to prevent them. This covers prevention tips ranging from installing and checking smoke detectors to tenant tips about cooking, heaters, candles, and electrical fires. One of […]

Learn and steps and timeframe for installing or repairing your fire system. This timeline is key when parts, such as the Simplex 4098-9714, need to be replaced. The most common question our project managers get is: “How soon can you get started?” In today’s world of wanting everything complete yesterday, there are legal walls to […]

These safety standards more specifically address what type of smoke detector can be near cooking appliances. With the new UL 2020 standards coming, states are now also passing fire safety bills to address nuisance smoke detector alarms. These safety standards more specifically address what type of smoke detector can be near cooking appliances. The new […]

Even though the Simplex 4098-9701 addressable smoke detector hasn’t been manufactured for over 20 years, it’s still one of our best selling Simplex smoke detector heads. Read what lessons we’ve learned on what happens to supply and price when a product is discontinued. How can these insights help us as we expect the UL 2020 […]

Hochiki announces major product changes including the end of life of all single sensor technology products. UL 2020 standards hit again. This time Hochiki announces major product changes including the end of life of all single sensor technology products. They will be offering 5 new detectors and a beam detector. Their first offerings which comply […]

A good article on how to prepare your current system for these drastic changes. Another reminder that new UL codes, testing standards, and products are coming by May of 2020. Read Full Blog   [pld_post_list]

It’s also helpful to put extra smoke detectors in all bedrooms so the alarm is at its loudest. A new study shows that 80% of kids 2-14 years old won’t wake up due to a fire alarm in the home. To help with this make sure your family has discussed a fire safety plan and […]

For extra safety, consider adding an additional alarm to the room your tree is in if it doesn’t already have one. Dry trees burn very fast and are a huge fire hazard to your family and property. The most important thing to remember is to keep your Christmas tree watered. Also check that your smoke […]

However, as of May 29, 2020 Siemens has announced that the FP-11 will no longer be produced. A significant problem with smoke detectors is their potential for false alarms and associated fire departments fines. For more than 15 years, the Siemens FP-11 Intelligent Fire Detector has been a great solution to this costly problem. This […]

The less expensive detectors utilize ionization technology leaving you less time to escape. Smoke alarms detect fires in different ways. These varying approaches impact when you’re alerted and the amount of time you have to reach safety. The less expensive detectors utilize ionization technology leaving you less time to escape. Photoelectric alarms alert you earlier […]

Solar is hot commodity—but can pose fire risks While solar panels can be a great source of alternative energy for your home or business, they can also be a fire hazard if not properly installed and maintained. Read more to learn what to watch out for to stay safe while being green. Read Full Blog […]

There’s no going back now. Make sure to have your transition plan in place and stock up on any parts you might need before they are discontinued by the manufacturer. Edwards new multi-criteria smoke detector is the first to meet the new UL 2020 fire safety standards. This is a line in the sand for […]

Good Morning America demonstrating how new smart smoke detectors will only alert you of a life threatening fire. No more pulling out the detector battery while you cook. Good Morning America demonstrating how new smart smoke detectors will only alert you of a life threatening fire. No more pulling out the detector battery while you […]

This article has been updated in response to UL extending the deadline for UL 217 & 268 compliance by a year. Click HERE to read an updated version of this article. Also, Click HERE to read the latest on which products have been discontinued in response to this significant UL code change and if this […]