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Architects, Engineers, and Building Officials (AEBO)

 

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Large building fires and subsequent code changes (PDF, 502 KB)

NFPA 72 and 21st century phone networks: Not your grandfather’s (or even your father’s) phone network
by Roy Perry

With the rapid adoption of new phone technologies, authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), such as fire marshals, are increasingly being asked what determines when a particular voice service may be used for fire alarm monitoring. NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm Code®, addresses dial-up communications in Section 8.6.3.2. It currently specifies the use of the “public switched telephone network” (PSTN), as defined in Subsection 3.3.200.1.

Unfortunately, this definition has become outdated, and provides little guidance for AHJs. The term “PSTN” once implied a certain technology and a certain set of regulations. There was only one phone company and only one type of telephone service: plain old telephone service, or POTS.

Today, the landscape is very different. There are now myriad telephone providers that use a wide variety of different technologies. As a result, the application of these new technologies using current code requirements has become ambiguous.

The code does include provisions for new technologies in Section 8.6.4, Other Technologies, which can be applied to Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications. Since Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is based on IP, the thinking is that VoIP could be governed by Section 8.6.4. However, Section 8.6.4 could not be applied to a phone service, since it would require a phone call every 5 minutes in order to meet the supervision requirements of Section 8.6.4. Revisions to the code are needed to provide for the use of dial-up communications using newer technologies while providing a level of reliability equivalent to that provided by traditional PSTN.

To develop code requirements, AHJs, alarm companies, and NFPA 72 committee members identified the key requirements for telephone lines needed to support fire alarm systems. They include clear accountability for the telephone service; functionally equivalent PSTN service interface; integrity of alarm signals transmission; ability for the alarm panel to “seize” the telephone line; and operation during power outages.

CableLabs and ADT submitted identical proposals, ROPs 72-59 and 72-60, to NFPA during the code-revision process for NFPA 72. These proposals updated the definition of PSTN to set common conditions for all telephone line providers. Although the committee originally accepted these proposals for commercial applications, they were rejected during the comment phase of the code-making process. (Note that an allowance was also introduced and accepted for residential applications by a separate committee.)

NFPA 72 is up for adoption at NPA’s annual conference, during which it is intended that an amendment be introduced to accept the original proposal. It is important that the Association accept an amendment to provide clear criteria that allow for the use of the latest voice technologies. This will remove the current ambiguities facing AHJs, alarm companies, and phone service providers.

Free standards seminars
The AEBO Standards Seminar is intended for architects, engineers, and building officials who have not participated in NFPA meetings or on technical committees or for those who just want to brush up on the code- and standard-develoment process. The seminar reviews NFPA's and AEBO's organization and structure and introduces a number of NFPA documents commonly used with the model building codes in building construction. It also covers procedures used to develop NFPA codes and standards, walks through the 113-week development schedule, and illustrates how to submit code change proposals and comment on proposed changes at committee meetings. The seminar wraps up with a question-and-answer session.

Any interested group can request the seminar, and organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, local building officials' organizations, and engineering societies will find it invaluable. All you have to do is provide the location and the attendees, and NFPA will provide the materials and a presenter to run the program. If you are interested in hosting a Standards Seminar, please contact Section Executive Secretary Allan Fraser for details.

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