How many of us have cursed when responding to a service call at a property where the fire department has reported a faulty smoke detector and found that when you arrived, the panel had been reset? I’m sure that anyone who has been in this field long enough to have experienced FACUs without memory, and many still exist, who did a fair amount of cursing. One company, Fire Alarm Systems Institute, LLC , (FASI) is doing something about that.

FASI was established to train first responder fire fighters in the interface with fire alarm control units (FACU) as well as to help them to be safer and possibly be able to determine the progress of a fire. The program, What is the Fire Alarm Panel Telling Me?, was created by five dedicated fire safety individuals who collectively have experience in firefighter procedures, fire response operations and fire alarm systems and their components. Currently FASI is offering a three-hour, hands-on training program for first responders on how the FACU can help them in performing their duties, and what they should and should not do at the FACU in response to the information gained. Some safety issues including the use of elevators are also presented and discussed.

FASI has portable demonstration boards for the hands-on experience and usually provides the training at the fire department headquarters so the personnel receive the training while on duty. Over 2,500 fire fighters across New England have received training and subsequent certificates.

For more information or to attend a training session to become familiar with the program, contact Bob Hill.

Bob Hill,
Robert Hill & Associates, LLC
110 Haverhill Road, Suite 376
Amesbury, MA 01913
RobertHillAssoc@comcast.net
RobertHillandAssociates.com

Bob Hill is not a PE or an FPE. He is a licensed electrician in Massachusetts and has over fifty years experience in fire alarm systems industry.