32A-124 57 King A-Z alarm 2014-04-03FIRE ALARM CONSTRUCTION NARRATIVE
A2Z SCIENCE AND NATURE STORE
57 KING STREET NORTHAMPTON, MA. April 3, 2014
In accordance with the Massachusetts Building Code, Eighth Edition, 780 CMR Section 901.2.1, the following information is presented.
1.a. Basis (Methodology) of Design:
Section 1 – Building Description:
a) The project consists of an existing single story retail store with a 2 story residence, The store is approximately 8,765 sq.ft. The 2 story residential space is approximately 3,340 aggregate.
b) The residential building height is +/- 30’-0”
c) The building has a total of 2 floors above grade.
d) There is no floor below grade. e) The type of occupancy is Type “M” (Mercantile) and “R2 (Residential). f) The type of construction in the store is steel joist. The residence is 2X joist construction.
g) There will be no hazardous materials stored on the site that we are aware of.
h) The space will not include any high piled storage.
i) Emergency Response Vehicles and Personnel can access the site directly by approaching from the front of the building. j) The residential area only is protected with a Fire Sprinkler system
Section 2 – Applicable Laws, Regulations and Standard:
The following regulatory codes and standards are applicable to this project: a) 780 CMR (2014) Section 907
b) NFPA 13 (2013) Installation of Sprinkler System
c) NFPA 72 (2010) National Fire Alarm Code
d) 521 CMR – Architectural Access Board e) M.G.L. – Chapter 148, Section 26G
Section 3 - Design Responsibility for Fire Protection Systems:
The Fire Protection Engineer (or P.E. with demonstrated fire protection design experience) fully designs (complete layout and calculations) and specifies the fire protection system or systems to
be installed, reviews and approves the Installing Contractor’s shop drawings. The PE is
considered the Engineer of Record and certifies system installation for Code Compliance at
completion. The fire protection engineer of record for this job is Scott Henderson (Mass. FPE
license #46553).
Fire System Narrative 57 King Street
Northampton, MA. Section 4 – Fire Alarm Systems to be Installed: a) Primary Fire Alarm Equipment: Fire alarm control panel to be addressable, equipped with a full function annunciator and
remote annunciator, and located where shown on the fire alarm drawings.
Fire alarm shall use at minimum MC-FPLP wire for all alarm wiring applications as directed by the Northampton Fire Department.
Prior to purchase/installation of any fire alarm system, equipment manufacturer/make/model
shall be verified with the Northampton Fire Department for communication compatibility.
b) Fire Alarm Initiating Devices: All fire alarm signals shall be transmitted to the City of Northampton Fire Alarm Receiver
before being transmitted to any secondary monitoring company. A central monitoring station
will be provided to not only monitor alarm signals, but will also receive supervisory and
trouble signals. The sprinkler system flow switche will be monitored through the fire alarm control panel
(FACP) and Remote Annunciator (ANN). Upon activation of a waterflow switch, an alarm
signal will be generated at the FACP & ANN, all notification devices will activate in this
building. The Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station will be notified by direct dial from the FACP primary and back-up telephone lines. All HVAC units will be shut down.
Manual pull stations will be installed at each exit generating an alarm signal at the FACP &
ANN upon activation, and all notification devices will activate in this space. The Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station will be notified by direct dial from the FACP primary and back-up telephone lines. All HVAC units will be shut down.
The retail store area smoke detectors to be provided at the fire panel and various locations as
per the fire alarm shop drawings. Area smoke detectors will generate an alarm signal at the FACP & ANN upon activation, notification devices will activate in this building. The Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station will be notified by direct
dial from the FACP primary back-up telephone lines. All HVAC units will be shut down.
The residential area smoke detectors to be provided at the fire panel and various locations as per the fire alarm shop drawings. The fire panel area smoke detector will generate an alarm signal at the FACP & ANN upon activation, notification devices will activate in this
building. The Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station will be
notified by direct dial from the FACP primary back-up telephone lines. All HVAC units will
be shut down. The remaining smoke detectors throughout the residence will sound a local alarm and will not generate a signal at the FACP.
Area heat detectors to be provided at various locations as per the fire alarm shop drawings.
Area heat detectors will generate an alarm signal at the FACP & ANN upon activation,
notification devices will activate in this space. The Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station will be notified by direct dial from the FACP primary and back-up telephone lines. All HVAC units will be shut down.
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Fire System Narrative 57 King Street
Northampton, MA. General trouble signals (open short or ground on SLC and NAC circuits, open short or ground on an IDC circuit, low battery, AC power fail, loss of smoke detector power, etc.)
will generate a signal to the FACP & ANN. The central monitoring station will be notified by
direct dial from the FACP primary and back-up telephone lines.
c) Notification Devices and Functions: Horns/strobes to be distributed throughout to meet the visual and audibility requirements of
NFPA 72.
Exterior weatherproof strobe with red lens to be installed outside the store front, above the fire key knox box. The strobe shall activate upon all fire alarm activation.
Audio/visual devices will sound upon any alarm signal. When alarms are silenced by the fire
department, strobes shall continue to flash until the fire alarm panel is reset.
Trouble signals will not activate the interior/exterior horn/strobes but will be reported to the central monitoring station via direct connect dial as noted elsewhere.
Remote test stations shall be labeled with "red text" for the devices they serve.
d) Fire Alarm System Auxiliary Functions: Upon a general fire alarm condition, all HVAC units will be shut down.
e) Fire Extinguishers:
Fire extinguishers are provided throughout the facility in accordance with NFPA 10. f) Smoke control/management systems:
The building does not require a smoke control or exhaust system.
g) Emergency power equipment: All emergency lighting and exit signs will be powered via integral NiCad batteries. These fixtures will illuminate upon loss of normal (utility) power.
h) Hazardous material monitoring equipment:
No additional monitoring is provided for materials stored on site. i) Seismic consideration:
All installations shall comply with 780 CMR Chapter 16, NFPA 13, and NFPA 72.
Section 5 – Features used in the Design Methodology: a) Building occupant notification of a fire alarm is accomplished via new audio/visual
(horn/light) appliances. These appliances will sound automatically based on an alarm
condition initiated by smoke/heat detectors, dual action manual pull stations, sprinkler flow,
sprinkler tamper, or duct smoke detectors.
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Fire System Narrative 57 King Street
Northampton, MA. b) All responding Emergency Personnel will be directed to the fire alarm control panel (FACP) by the flashing red beacon on the exterior of the building. This panel will advise Emergency Personnel of the location of the fire and the device that initiated the alarm condition. A knox
box will be located at the front entry.
c) All construction work will be performed in a manner that is safe and in compliance with applicable Codes.
d) All testing shall be conducted in accordance with NFPA 72 and NFPA 13. This will include
testing of 100% of fire alarm components. Any device/appliance found to be faulty shall be
replaced. All testing will be coordinated with the Northampton Fire Department prior to initiation of testing.
1.b. Sequence of Operation
Section 1:
The fire alarm system shall operate automatically to sound all interior building evacuation alarms and flash all alarm strobes within the building upon activation from pull stations, detectors,
or sprinkler water flow devices. Upon initiation of any manual or automatic
alarm device, the Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station shall be
notified via the DACT connection. The fire panel area smoke detector will generate an alarm signal at the FACP & ANN upon
activation, notification devices will activate in this building. The remaining smoke detectors
throughout the residence will sound a local alarm and will not generate a signal at the FACP.
The residential area only is equipped with a new fire sprinkler system. When a fire starts, the fusible links at the sprinkler heads are melted, allowing water to flow from
the system. A flow or pressure switch triggers an alarm within the building. The fire alarm panel
will notify the Fire Department and the central monitoring station.
An alarm condition will notify the Northampton Fire Department and the central monitoring station via the DACT connection.
A tamper (supervisory) and trouble condition will notify the central monitoring station via the
DACT connection. 1.c. Testing Criteria
Section 1 – Testing Criteria
Personnel: a) The General Contractor in association with the Electrical and Fire Protection Contractor will
coordinate the actual test dates. This date will be based upon completion of installation of all
components.
b) Upon completion of a successful pre-test, the Contractor shall notify the Professional in Charge that all systems are ready for a final test. The Contractor will provide the professional
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Fire System Narrative 57 King Street
Northampton, MA. with documentation that all equipment was 100% tested and that the system is ready for a final acceptance test. As part of the pre-test, the Contractor shall ensure that the static graphic panel has been updated and approved by the Northampton Fire Department to reflect all
changes performed under this contract.
c) Upon receipt of the aforementioned confirmation letter, the Professional in Charge will direct the Construction Manager to proceed with notifying all interested parties (Contractor, Distributors, Code Officials) that all Life Safety systems have passed a pre-test and are ready
for a final test. The Construction Manager will then proceed to coordinate a mutually
agreeable time for all parties to witness the final test. Construction Affidavits will be issued
to the Northampton Fire Department for fire alarm and sprinkler system at the time of testing. Section 2 – Equipment and Tools:
a) All equipment required to perform a 100% test of the fire protection and detection systems
will be furnished by the Contractor. This equipment shall be available at the time of the test.
A listing of the equipment that is to be supplied will be forwarded to all “Final Test participants” prior to the test occurring so as to allow for comments.
Typical equipment supplied would include the following:
Manufacturer’s instructions
Specifiers’ special instructions Approved Narrative Report, sequence of operation section Sound meters
Smoke detector aerosol tester
Flow measuring devices
Gauges Voltage meters Magnets
Communication radios
Fire Department equipment
Special tools Notification announcements
Section 3 – Approval Requirements:
a) Upon viewing a successful test of all fire protection and fire detection equipment, the Code
Official(s) shall “sign off” on the Building Department Inspection Card. This act will confirm the Code Official has witnessed the test and accepts the building as satisfactorily complete.
b) In the event a piece of equipment fails during the final test, the affected Contractor will make
a reasonable effort to replace the defective equipment immediately so the test may continue.
In the event this action is not possible, the Contractor shall procure the piece of equipment as soon as possible. The Contractor will be responsible for rescheduling the test with all attendees.
c) Upon successful completion of all tests, the Contractors and Distributors will provide
documentation attesting to the fact that they have performed, witnessed and successfully completed a test of all Life Safety systems. The Professional in Charge will provide construction affidavits which acknowledge tests have been witnessed in addition to periodic
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Fire System Narrative 57 King Street
Northampton, MA. site visits and that recommendation is made to the Local Official that a Certificate of Occupancy be provided.
d) In accordance with 780 CMR Chapter 901.5.1, all documentation listed in paragraphs 1, 2
and 3 shall be furnished to the building official and the head of the Fire Department.
Section 4 – Licenses, Permits and Submittals: a) Fire Alarm Contractor will have a Massachusetts State Fire Alarm License. The Fire Alarm
Contractor will obtain a Fire Permit from the Northampton Fire Department prior to starting
work on the fire alarm system. Fire Alarm Contractor will obtain an Electrical Permit from
the City of Northampton Building Department prior to starting work on the fire alarm system. Fire Alarm shop drawings will be submitted to the City of Northampton for review.
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