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FIRE vs FAULT: what each alarm means for your team
Fire alarm panels report different kinds of events. Two matter most to facility and security teams: FIRE and FAULT. They can look similar in a list, but they call for very different responses.
The short version
FIRE
The panel is reporting a fire alarm. Follow your site's emergency procedure straight away.
FAULT
The panel is reporting a problem with the alarm system itself. It is not a fire, but it needs prompt attention from a competent person.
FIRE: the panel is reporting a fire alarm
A FIRE means a smoke detector or a manual call point has triggered the panel. Treat every FIRE as real until your emergency procedure says otherwise. Decisions such as evacuating or calling the emergency services follow your own procedure.
FireWatch Pro shows a FIRE straight away, with the building and the alarm, and puts it at the top. It does not call the emergency services for you.
FAULT: the panel is reporting a problem with the system
A FAULT means the panel has found a problem with the alarm system itself. Examples include a device that has stopped responding, a wiring problem or a power issue.
A FAULT is not a fire. But until it is fixed, part of the system may not detect a fire or sound an alarm as it should. A FAULT should never be left to sit.
- Contact your fire alarm service company or another competent person.
- Note when the FAULT appeared and who is dealing with it.
- Follow up until the panel reports that the problem has cleared.
A third thing to watch for: lost contact
Sometimes the problem is not at the panel at all. If a site stops reporting to FireWatch Pro, you are no longer seeing what that panel is saying. FireWatch Pro marks the site clearly, and no data is never treated as all clear.
How FireWatch Pro shows them
Colour only ever means one thing: red for FIRE, amber for needs attention, green for all clear. Operators can confirm they are responding, so everyone can see the alarm is being handled.
FireWatch Pro is monitoring, not a replacement. It does not replace certified installation, servicing or inspections, a monitoring centre, or the emergency services, and it does not control your fire alarm.
Keep reading
- Multi-site fire alarm monitoringWatch the fire alarm panels in all your buildings from one screen. See FIRE and FAULT as they happen, most urgent first, without ringing around site by site.
- Fire panel monitoringFire panel monitoring that listens to your existing fire alarm panels and shows FIRE, FAULT and lost-contact status remotely. It never controls the panel.
- Remote monitoring vs servicingRemote monitoring shows you what your fire alarm panel is reporting. It does not replace certified installation, servicing or inspections. Here is the difference.
- Fire alarm monitoring in South AfricaFire alarm monitoring software for South African facility owners and security managers. One view of FIRE and FAULT across your sites, alongside certified systems.
See FIRE and FAULT across every site
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FireWatch Pro helps you keep watch. It does not replace your certified fire alarm systems, monitoring centres or emergency services, and it does not control your fire alarm. It is designed to work alongside them. FireWatch Pro does not certify any building or system.