Alarm receiving centre (ARC)
The monitored centre receiving fire and fault signals from site transmission equipment and initiating the agreed response.
Test end-to-end with the ARC operator on the line — the dialler LED is not a test.
Fire Engineering Glossary
Technical terms spanning standards, manufacturers, commissioning, networking, testing and fault finding.
Technical guidance only. Confirm current project requirements against the applicable standards, legislation, system documentation and site-specific fire strategy.
Showing 10 of 10 matching glossary entries.
Beam detector
An optical detector projecting a beam across a large space, signalling when smoke obscures it; alignment and building movement are its main maintenance issues.
Cause and effect matrix
The site-specific document mapping every alarm input to its required outputs (sounders, dampers, doors, plant, signalling); the reference for commissioning and testing.
An unversioned or missing matrix is a defect worth reporting in its own right.
Dual-path signalling
Alarm transmission over two independent paths (e.g. IP plus radio) so a single path failure does not silence the site; both paths need testing.
Entry/exit route
The programmed path allowing setting and unsetting without triggering an immediate alarm, with timed entry and exit periods.
Fail-safe state
The position equipment adopts on power or signal loss — open or closed varies by design strategy, so confirm the intended state before judging behaviour a fault.
Graded intruder system
An intruder alarm specified to a grade matching the assessed intruder skill and risk, driving supervision, tamper and signalling requirements.
Check insurer requirements before modifying anything on a graded system.
Phased evacuation
An evacuation strategy where areas evacuate in stages rather than simultaneously, driven by the cause-and-effect programme and voice alarm or staged signals.
Sound pressure level (SPL)
The measured loudness of the alarm signal at a location; verified during commissioning against the design targets for the premises and confirmed with a meter, not by ear.
Unwanted fire signal (false alarm)
A fire signal from anything other than a real fire — cooking, steam, dust, works, faults or malicious operation; managed by matching detection type and siting to the environment.