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There is a joke that gets passed from one fire dealer to the next which says that the only difference between God and a fire marshal is God doesn’t think he is a fire marshal.
Despite the fact that fire marshals have earned a reputation for being unreasonably stringent, NFPA 72 requirements have grown to become equally demanding.
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Breaching more than 1500 pages, the manual itself could break bones, and a fire dealers’ motivation if they aren’t careful. Yes, NFPA is an unavoidable beast that requires conquering, but monitoring centers can help dealers comply with a significant portion of it, simply by signing a contract.
What is NFPA 72? Click to Learn More.
It may seem obvious to some, but changing operating procedures can mean the stark difference between compliance and failure. The first reason dealers should never change operating procedures is because subscriber risk increases dramatically and liabilities follow suit.
Today’s American home occupant has three minutes or less to exit a home safely once a fire starts. So, asking the monitoring center to make contact with a subscriber or one of the contacts before calling dispatch is incredibly risky, especially if a dealer is simply trying to avoid false-dispatch fees.
Watch this video comparing new vs. old home fires
Because of the time-sensitive nature of fire alarms, they are given higher priority levels, resulting in faster response times. Another type of alarm often emitted by fire safety devices is related to carbon monoxide gas.
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The silent and invisible nature of CO2 causes gas-related alarms to be handled the exact same way. Homeowners are always called first and told to exit the home immediately before dispatch is alerted. Carbon monoxide leaks don’t result in the same fiery destruction, so informing subscribers first is a must.
The worst way to ruin a building is by inputting incorrect address information or not having zone information included in the fire detection devices.
Keeping clean data can be difficult, especially when it doesn’t pay the bills like selling new accounts does. However, it is one of the most important aspects of properly serving customers. Clean, consistent data helps authorities know where to go, which areas of a structure are affected, and how to manage the situation best.
Overall, these may seem like no brainers because of how plainly they are stated, but they should never be forgotten. Complying with NFPA 72 requirements is the one true way to provide a legitimate fire safety company, even if there are 1500 pages of rules to follow.
In addition, what you can know at the end of the day, is a qualified monitoring partner will comply with all NFPA 72 regulations by default, helping you and your business be successful and effective.
