In order to direct those responding to a fire alarm activation, particularly the fire brigade, to the area of a fire, all buildings, other than very small buildings, need to be divided into detection zones.
The fire detection zones need to be of a size, small enough for a fire to be located quickly.
Even if the fire alarm system is addressable, detection zone indication needs to be provided, as this often provides a quicker, albeit less specific, indication of the location of a fire than typical addressable fire alarm text displays. Zone indicators also provide a simple “at a glance” overview of the extent of fire or smoke spread.
If the fire alarm is raised by a manual call point, as opposed to an automatic detector, fire detection zone indication might be misleading; on discovery of a fire a person might operate a manual call point that is a considerable distance from the fire incident. The benefits of zoning in a Category M system are, therefore, less significant.
If a fire alarm detector is concealed in a relatively inaccessible area (such as a floor or ceiling void), it is normally
desirable to provide a remote indication of its operation. In an addressable fire alarm system, the provision of an
individual remote indicator might not be necessary provided that the location of each fire detector is clearly indicated at the control and indicating equipment.
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