Fire alarm design - Zones

Fire alarm design should take into account the recommendations applicable to fire detection zones that contain non-addressable automatic fire detectors. The following recommendations are applicable.
a) The floor area of a single fire alarm zone should not exceed 2 000 m2.
b) The search distance (the distance that has to be travelled by anyone responding to a fire alarm signal after entry to the zone in order for the location of the fire to be determined visually,should not
exceed 60 m.
Having entered the zone, the person responding to the alarm signal need not reach the seat of the fire within the recommended search distance; it is only necessary to become aware of the location of the fire.
In measuring search distance, the worst case, in which the fire is located at the furthest concealed area from any likely
point of entry to the zone, should be considered.
Automatic fire detectors within any enclosed stairwell, liftwell or other enclosed flue-like structure should be considered as a separate detection zone. Manual call points located at final exits to open air
from stairwells may be incorporated within these detection zones ,but may alternatively, be incorporated within the detection zone.