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What Does a Pull Station Do?
Good question! Pull stations are those little red things along walls in buildings, malls, and condominium complexes. We have all seen them, but other than making a lot of noise what do they do?
Pull stations alert the building with audibles and/or strobe lights. If your pull station is not a local alarm, then it is connected to a central station. This means in addition to the light and sound alerts for the building itself, that central station is going to alert the fire department and your fire system service company of the emergency. If a pull station is marked “Local Alarm Only,” it will make noise and lights may flash to alert people in the building that something is wrong, but you’re still going to need to dial 911.
Speaking of 911, who and where are you calling? Did you know that when calling 911, you probably aren’t making a local call? These days not many of us have landlines anymore, so when an emergency happens we usually grab our cell phone to dial 911. We may not think about where the call goes or how far away emergency dispatch may be from where you’re physically located. Because of this, it may take precious time for dispatchers to contact the appropriate first responders, placing lives and property in needless danger.
It is always best and safest to know the numbers of your local firehouse and police station. That way when you dial 911, you can tell them your local station number which will reduce response time, and more efficient dispatching.
Having a central station system can also be a time and lifesaver in an emergency, but older buildings may not have the capability or money to change their entire system to a central station. This may be okay as long as the property is being tested and inspected according to Fire Code (NFPA 72) requirements for any deficiencies or problems with the fire alarm system, to make sure it’s operating properly. In such a circumstance, it is best to confirm through written correspondence with your respective Fire Department (Fire Marshal’s office) whether fire system monitoring is or is not required for your specific building age and construction type.
Contact the experts at Performance Systems Integration to learn more about fire alarm monitoring and all of the other fire protection services available to keep your people and property safe.