Fire Alarm Requirements

The following requirements have been established for the submittal of plans and specifications for all fire alarm systems being installed within Boardman Township. Submittals not conforming to these minimum requirements will be deemed as incomplete and will be returned.

These requirements apply to all new required or non-required fire alarm system installations and all changes to existing required or non-required fire alarm systems in either new or existing buildings.

All fire alarm systems shall be designed and submitted by an individual meeting the requirements of Ohio Building Code 106.2.1 and the Ohio Revised Code 3781.105. This section requires these individuals to be a registered design professional (architect or engineer) or hold a current NICET Level III or Level IV certification.

The fire alarm system is to be designed, installed, and maintained in accordance with the current Ohio Fire Code referenced edition of NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code and NFPA 70, National Electrical Code.

Submittal Requirements

All drawings for review are to be submitted to the Mahoning County Building Inspections Department (MCBI) and are to comply with Ohio Building Code 907.1.1 and the MCBI. In addition to OBC and MCBI requirements, the Boardman Fire Prevention Bureau has the following local requirements:

  • If the building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, it shall have a horn/strobe mounted on the exterior of the building approximately 10 to 15 feet above the Fire Department Connection. This device setting shall be a minimum of 110 candela and 85 decibels and activate during sprinkler system water flow only.
  • If the building contains a hood suppression system, it shall be connected to the fire alarm system as required by OBC 904.3.5.
  • At the completion of the project, a copy of “as built” drawings shall be provided to the owner/occupant with written operating instructions and maintenance and testing information for fire alarm system. Such documentation shall be maintained on-site and accessible to the AHJ and the fire alarm system service provider at all times.
  • All notification devices shall be set with the three-pulse temporal pattern evacuation signal, and all smoke detectors shall be tested with canned smoke.
  • After acceptance testing has been completed and witnessed by a representative of the Boardman Fire Prevention Bureau, a completed NFPA Certificate of Compliance shall be provided by the installing company to the Fire Prevention Bureau and to the owner/occupant.
  • A permit shall be obtained prior to commencement of work. Failure to obtain a permit prior to commencement of work or failure to pass the acceptance test shall result in the need to obtain an additional permit at a cost of 50 percent of the original permit fee. Permit fees as of June 1, 2008 are $75.00 for each FACP and $1.50 for each device.