Fire alarm installations require adherence to standards set forth in the National Electrical Code as established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Additional standards have been devised by certain states and municipalities that meet or exceed NFPA guidelines. Adherence to these standards guarantees that the fire alarm and detection systems designed and installed by Prime Systems will enhance life and property protection by providing reliable service.

Each project is provided with AutoCAD drawings of the system detailing placement of smoke detectors, manual pull stations, and notification devices, wiring and system calculations for a proper functioning system. These drawings are important for fire marshal review & approval.

We can use AutoCad drawings provided by your architect or develop scaled drawings from scratch (this requires several hours or days on site with measuring tools and a laptop). We then layout the system and perform all calculations to ensure that the system will function properly according to the requirements for your project.

If stamped plans are required prior to submitting to the AHJ we can have them reviewed by a certified professional engineer licensed in your state.

Installation is a multi-stage endeavor. We have included the steps necessary to bring a project to completion in this section. The typical design-build project progresses through the following order of events:

1. Needs assessment based on occupancy and square footage.

We first need to determine what type of coverage your building will need. We obtain this information from the building department and fire marshal in your town.

2. Design / Engineering

This stage involves the development of drawings, calculations for length of wire runs, voltage drops, power consumption & limitations, detector spacing and placement, control functions like elevator capture, door closers, ADA requirements, etc.

3. Plan submittal to AHJ, Architect, etc.

Completed plans and data sheets are submitted to the fire department for review and comment. Submittals consist of scaled drawings, product data & specification sheets, calculations specific to the project (to prove it will work).

4. Plan review, adjustments, and final approvals

Any special requirements of the local fire marshal are usually brought out at this stage. The final design and pricing (if affected) are adjusted.

5. Permits

Pull the required permits. Some are issued by the building department, and some are issued by the fire department (both in some cases). Prices are usually based on the dollar value of the project and the rates vary from one town to another.

6. Mobilization

Arrangements are made for access to the building and tenant spaces. Materials are brought on site, and the installation begins. Finished goods are ordered.

7. Rough wiring

Rough wiring simply means that all raceways, cabling, junction and device boxes are installed according to the approved drawings.

8. Rough inspections

Before any devices can be installed the electrical inspector and fire department must check the wiring for adherence to electrical codes and generally accepted installation practices. These include color codes, grounding, support of raceways.

9. Finish work

Once past the rough inspection we proceed with installing the actual devices and perform all required programming and pre-testing of the system.

10. Final test and acceptance

This is performed in the presence of the AHJ / Approving Authority. We test 100% of the system to the satisfaction of said authority. All close-out documents are completed and the system is put into service.

Prime Systems offers all aspects of service as it pertains to your system(s). We have fully equipped vehicles with common parts, peripheral devices and batteries to handle your emergencies. Here are the most common services provided:

Emergency Service

Any unscheduled work falls under this category. We recieve call for false alarms, water damage, power troubles, wiring problems and respond within 4 hours (worst case scenario). Our response time is generally within one or two hours.

24-Hour Service