Alarm System Installation Standards

Every alarm system installed after September 1, 1993 must be either U.L. Certificated or meet the below installation standards.

• All alarm system equipment must be U.L. listed, F.M., I.R.I. or equivalent equipment, used only for the purpose intended by the manufacturer and installed per manufacturer’s specification.
• Every alarm system must have standby power sufficient to operate the system in a non-alarm status (without being the cause of an alarm activation) for a minimum of four hours.
• Every alarm system must use only American National Standards Institute (ANSI)\Security Industry Association (SIA) CP-01 listed alarm control panels on all new installations and panel replacements or upgrades.
• Every alarm system must be grounded under NEC (National Electrical Code) and manufacturers’ standards.
• Any door or window contact installed for the purpose of activating the alarm system must be hermetically sealed.
• Any wire splice must be “hot” soldered and taped, or “B” connected according to manufacturers’ specifications. “B” connectors must not be crimped with other than a tool recommended by the manufacturer.
• Any residential alarm system with an audible alarm must have a sufficient number of sound generating devices to alert or awaken all normal hearing occupants within the alarm user’s premises that an alarm has been activated.
• Every alarm system using a digital communicator must have a proper phone interface device as required by FCC accessible to the alarm user and mounted within 24” of the control panel.
• Any hold-up alarm (requiring push button activation) must use simultaneous 2 button activation or a keyed manual reset after activation.
• All audio detection devices must be either volumetric sound detectors with operator analysis or detectors that require two different inputs within one-half second (or less) to generate an alarm.
• Every residential alarm system control panel must have either:
  • push on/pull off connectors to the battery and a description of the transformer location permanently affixed to the inside of the control panel; or
  • an on/off switch that disconnects the battery and the transformer from the central processing unit inside the control panel.
• Transformers must be affixed to an electrical outlet.
• All alarm system wiring must meet NEC standards and be a minimum of 22 gauge or meet manufacturer’s specifications (whichever is the higher standard). Wiring run through plenum ceilings must be plenum rated.
• Any alarm system that has a touchpad or other device designed to allow the user to activate the alarm (when in the disarm mode) must be configured as follows:

  AUDIBLE (a) Panic (b) Fire (c) Medical/Emergency;     SILENT (d) Duress (e) Hold up

• Any alarm system reporting to a monitoring center must identify the zone or sensor location of any activation within the system. All alarm systems reporting by zones with multiple sensors must identify a room, suite number, or open area and the open area must not be larger than 2500 square feet.
• Alarm Systems shall not be capable of sending one plus duress alarms. The Alarm Installation or Servicing Company shall remove the one plus duress alarm feature from Alarm Systems whenever an alarm technician is at the Alarm Site or otherwise accessing the panel for reprogramming purposes.

An alarm business that installs an alarm system must have at each alarm installation site at least one employee, to supervise the installation of any alarm system, who has passed and maintains a minimum Level 1 certification by NBFAA or equivalent training.

Any alarm business that installs an alarm system must provide the alarm user with an Installation Certificate. The alarm business must certify that:

• the alarm system has been installed as required by County law and these regulations;
• the person designated by the alarm user as responsible for alarm system operation has received training sufficient to prepare the alarm user to operate the system without false alarms caused by improper operation; and
• the alarm user has been informed that they must register with the FARS or designee before police dispatch may be requested by an alarm business.