What Do Fire Inspectors Look for During Final Inspection?
Lt. Greg Hedrick, Olive Branch, MS, Fire Dept.
SecurityInfoWatch.com
One of the most often asked questions among fire alarm installers working for the first time in a new jurisdiction is, "What is the fire inspector looking for during final inspection?" This question is also often asked amongst installers working in a large jurisdiction with multiple fire inspectors, some of whom they may have not had the privilege to work with before. I can understand that at times this might be uncomfortable or stressful, but hopefully I can help put you at ease with a few suggestions.
First of all we look for the system to be installed per the plan submittal that we received during the plan review period. In fact, from my experience, it is becoming more common during the final inspection for the inspector to bring a copy of the same plan submittal that you or your company submitted to the inspector for approval before installing the system. If the installation does not match the submittal or if there are discrepancies with unapproved locations of devices, then right there at the beginning of the inspection, you'll have already done a good job of getting under your inspector's skin.
Why do I say this? It goes right back to NFPA 4.5.1.1, which states: "The authority having jurisdiction shall be notified prior to installation or alteration of equipment or wiring. At the authority having jurisdiction's request, complete information regarding the system or system alterations, including specifications, shop drawings, battery calculations, and notification appliance circuit voltage drop calculations shall be submitted for approval."
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