3.2.4.4.Description of Fire Alarm Systems

(1) A single-stage fire alarm system shall, upon the operation of any manual station, waterflow detecting device, or fire detector, cause an alarm signal to sound on all audible signal devices in the system. (See Note A-3.2.4.4.(1)) (2) A 2-stage fire alarm system shall (a) cause an alert signal to sound upon the operation of any manual station, waterflow detecting device, or fire detector, (b) except for a Group B, Division 2 occupancy, automatically cause an alarm signal to sound if the alert signal is not acknowledged within 5 min of its initiation, (c) have manual stations, each of which is equipped so that the use of a key or other similar device causes an alarm signal to sound that continues to sound upon removal of the key or similar device from the manual station, and (See Note A-3.2.4.4.(2)(c)) (d) in a building containing a hotel, (i) cause an alarm signal to sound in the initiating fire zone in the hotel, and (ii) cause an alert signal to sound throughout the hotel and such parts of the building as is necessary to alert hotel staff. (See Note A-3.2.4.4.(2)) (3) A 2-stage fire alarm system is permitted to be zone coded so that, upon the operation of any manual station, waterflow detecting device, or fire detector, (a) a coded alert signal is sounded indicating the zone of alarm initiation, (b) the coded alert signal is repeated in its entirety not less than 4 times, and (c) a continuous alert signal is sounded upon completion of the coded signals referred to in Clause (b) and Sentence (4). (4) If a second manual station, waterflow detecting device, or fire detector is operated in a fire alarm system with zone coding as permitted by Sentence (3), in a zone other than that for which the first alert signal was sounded, the coded alert signal for the first zone shall be completed before the coded alert signal for the second zone is repeated not less than 4 times.