The cost of commercial fire alarms for businesses may be significant if false. Each community determines its rules and rates for false alarms. Some cities have a set fee, while others have progressive scales to penalize repeat offenders
The Center for Problem-Oriented Policing estimates that building owners pay over $100 million annually for false alarms. These costs include penalty fees, business interruption losses, and productivity losses.
Common Causes of False Fire Alarms
Understanding the common causes of false alarms is essential for preventing false alarms in commercial buildings.
Common causes for a false alarm include:
Dust or debris in detectors
Outdated or improperly installed systems
Human error, such as mishandling alarm settings
Environmental triggers like steam or humidity.
How to Prevent False Fire Alarms in Businesses
False fire alarms disrupt operations and lead to costly fines and penalties, which can damage a business’s reputation. Implementing best practices for preventing false fire alarms in businesses includes regular maintenance, employee training, system upgrades, and professional monitoring services.
Dissuading Bad Actors
For standard alarm pulls, a physical deterrent may help by encasing the alarm pull in a clear protective cover, which is easy to open but requires more intent to trigger the alarm than a simple pull. Additionally, video surveillance and the ability of the monitoring service staff to communicate with the person triggering the alarm can verify the alarm as real and discourage bad actors who realize their actions are being recorded on video.
Fire Alarm Maintenance
Proactive and regular fire alarm system maintenance helps prevent false alarms. This process includes regularly scheduled maintenance to conduct inspections, clean detectors, and replace batteries.
Employee Alarm Safety Training
Employee fire safety training includes teaching employees proper system handling techniques, control settings, and recognizing non-emergency triggers.
Fire Alarm System Upgrades
Because of the high cost of false alarms for businesses and the legal need for business fire alarm compliance, business owners should invest in advanced systems with smart and AI-enabled features to reduce false alarms.
For example, advanced sensors can determine the difference between smoke, steam, natural gas leaks, dust, or other airborne contaminants. Some sensors determine temperature variations caused by fires and identify particulates in the air caused by burning materials. These systems can trigger localized fire suppression responses, such as sprinkler systems and dispersing fire retardants, before calling 9-1-1.
24/7 Professional Monitoring Services
The best practices include using a professional monitoring service to verify alarms before requesting an emergency dispatch from the fire department. Alarm alerts first go to the monitoring service, which has predetermined response protocols that might include verifying true fire alarms by sensors and reviewing video surveillance. These 24/7 monitoring systems can reduce false alarms while at the same time giving a business owner confidence that the company’s premises and workers are properly protected.
Let’s Simplify Your Security
Our long-standing presence in the community and continuous adaptation to technological advancements allow us to provide you with high-quality security services. Our commitment to excellence means that we not only provide security solutions but also prioritize your peace of mind.
We can assist you with installing or improving your commercial security system, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of safety and efficiency. Contact us to start the conversation about conducting a security audit and installing or improving your commercial security system.
