Detection and signaling

Detection and signaling technologies are at the vanguard of SMART and connected solutions to building life safety problems.  Our research informs the performance of these systems and characterizes the environments that they respond to.

To learn about older reports, you can search the NFPA Library & Archives catalog, or contact the library at +1 617 984-7445. You can also browse NFPA workshop and symposium proceedings on this topic.

Latest report

Smoke Detector Spacing for High Ceiling Spaces

The Research Foundation initiated this project to review available literature and standards and perform a gap analysis related to the impact of ceiling height and detector spacing on smoke detection performance to inform the NFPA 72 Technical Committee.

Download the report.

Smoke Alarms

• Smoke Detector Spacing for High Ceiling Spaces (2017)
• Smoke Alarms in U.S. Home Fires (2015)
• Smoke Alarm Nuisance Source Characterization: Experimental Results (2015)
• Validation of Modeling Tools for Detection Design in High Air Flow Environments - Phase 2 (2014)
• Smoke Alarm Nuisance Source Characterization - Phase 1 (2014)

Fire Alarm Notification

• Fire Alarms and At Risk Populations (2017)
• Fire Alarms and People with ASD: A Literature Summary (2014)
• Guidance Document: Emergency Communication Strategies for Buildings (2014)
• Risk-Based Decision Support in Managing Unwanted Alarms (2013)
• Parameters for Indirect Viewing of Visual Signals Used in Emergency Notification (2013)
• Developing Emergency Communication Strategies for Buildings - Year 2 (2012) Report Note: This is a NIST report.

Carbon Monoxide

• Carbon monoxide toxicology: overview of altitude effects (2016)
• Carbon monoxide diffusion through porous walls (2015)