The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) warns a new burglar alarm system that deploys dense smoke to incapacitate an intruder is likely to activate smoke alarms, prompting a fire department response.
The systems are sold on the premise of protecting a property by having a blinding smoke screen quickly fill an area when a burglar alarm is activated. Several national franchise businesses are reportedly installing this type of system.
IAFC President Chief Jim Harmes suggests a scenario where firefighters are dispatched to a structure and upon arrival they unwittingly happen upon a burglary in progress with the potential of having to confront an armed perpetrator.
The International Fire Code specifically prohibits these types of systems, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 101 Life Safety Code has provisions that prohibit anything from impeding egress from a building, according to the Central Station Alarm Association, which also opposes the devices.
“The smoke barriers present an inherent danger to firefighters and law enforcement, and the rationale for their use is fundamentally flawed,” says CSAA President John Murphy.
