Fire Communicators Key to a Robust Life Safety System

System integrators leverage single SKU to reduce installation and service time, increase RMR with Alula’s new BAT-Fire communicator

Fire Communicators Key to a Robust Life Safety System

A fire alarm communicator is critical for any building’s life safety systems. So, what do system integrators and dealers require to protect the lives of their customers while reducing installation and service issues and increasing RMR?

Start with a universal communicator that supports all panels using dial-capture to report Contact ID signals or flexible input/output ports to interface with dialer-less FACPs. Choose a communicator capable of being configured to meet local regulations and the most recent UL and NFPA requirements.

A good fire communicator should have redundancy built-in with dual-path communications (cellular and IP) to ensure backup is available when needed. Being able to turn the cellular radio on or off is a plus.

Then there are considerations for the installing professional’s business. A universal communicator with dual Tip/Ring Dial Capture reduces installation time. Simply connect and configure it with the panel and the system is ready to go.

Save time validating battery calculations with a communicator that is powered from the panel. Select a communicator that consumes the least current.  This will avoid the need for a different power supply or a higher capacity backup battery.

Rolling a truck to investigate every system issue is expensive, so look for a communicator that provides the ability to remotely diagnose problems before you send out a technician. Knowing what the problem is before you head to the job site might help you know what equipment to take, who to send, and if you’re lucky, save you the trip altogether. And very importantly, choose a communicator that is 5G-ready. Upgrading communicators every time the cellular network treadmill completes another revolution is time consuming and costly. Select a communicator that offers CAT-M1 technology so that you can skip the 4G sunset.

RMR is a critical component of every integrator’s business. A communicator can contribute with added income. For example, a communicator with programmable inputs or outputs enables monitoring of auxiliary building systems such as HVAC and sprinkler flow control – good sources of RMR.

“These factors went into the design of the new BAT-Fire communicator from Alula. Bringing BAT-Fire to the market wasn’t a rush job,” said Dave Mayne, Alula’s Senior Vice President, Product and Marketing.

“We took our time designing BAT-Fire to meet the needs of a proven, mature and established market,” Mayne said. “BAT-Fire offers features that help reduce the total cost of ownership and reduce the complexity of fire communicator installations.”

Learn more about BAT-Fire and the rest of Alula’s complete solutions for SMBs and homes.

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