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When is CI Cable Used For Hospital Notification Circuits?

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NFPA 72 Chapter 23.10.2 states: “Fire alarm systems used for partial evacuation and relocation shall be designed and installed so that attack by fire within a notification zone shall not impair control and operation of the notification appliances outside that notification zone.” Most, if not all hospitals use partial evacuation or relocation when a fire occurs on a floor.

If a hospital’s written fire response plan relocates occupants to smoke zones on the same floor, then CI cable must be used for notification circuits until they reach their particular smoke zone. Those circuits are usually dedicated to those zones. However, if smoke zones are not used to re-locate occupants from a zone in alarm on that same floor, then NFPA 72 Chapter 23.10.2 allows the NAC circuits serving that floor to be converted back to non-CI once they reach the floor. Therefore, if the NAC circuits originate on that floor, you wouldn’t need CI for the NAC circuits since the whole floor is the evacuation zone.

However, if the method of triggering the NAC panel originates from a different floor, then the circuit that controls the trigger would need to be installed with 2 hour survivability. For example, if you’re using an addressable module to trigger & monitor the NAC panel, the SLC must also originate from the same floor or else it would have to be run in CI before it gets to the floor. The cost of doing that would be astronomical, so if you’re using that method, make sure your SLC starts on the floor or is dedicated to the floor & is in CI until it gets to the floor to avoid violating NFPA 72. Remote data gathering panels per floor work well since they can operate in stand alone mode if you lose network communications.
Gamewell-FCI fire alarm equipment can accommodate any notification scenario utilizing fiber, ethernet, CI cable or THHN. Contact Affiliated Fire Systems for more information on getting your life safety needs met in the most efficient way possible.

Gene Rowe,SET
NICET #129579, Fire Alarm Systems, Level IV
Director of Business Development

Filed Under: 2 Hour Cabling, Code Requirements, Electrical Installation, Fire Alarm Design, Health Care, Installation Requirements, Life Safety Articles, Notification Requirements Tagged With: , , ,
About Gene Rowe

Gene Rowe serves as the Director of Business Development for Affiliated Customer Service. He brings 30 years of fire alarm and emergency voice systems experience to the table with both an operational and marketing viewpoint. A US Army veteran, NICET IV certified, an executive board member of the IL-AFAA and a member of the NFPA, he began his career establishing operational expertise as a technician, developed graphic skills with CAD design as a general engineer, gained a ‘big picture’ mindset by moving to project management and finally a marketing perspective directing business development efforts. By interfacing with a broad range of diverse organizations such as the AFAA, CAA, AIA, CEA and the IFIA, he combines concerns of the owner, designer of record, contractor, distributor and approving authority to bring a unique perspective to Affiliated.

An avid marathon runner, he resides in west suburban Chicago with his wife and two sons. He's served the community as a Cub Scout Leader, as well as coaching multiple levels of travel and park district basketball, baseball and football teams. Professionally, he serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Illinois chapter of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (IL-AFAA).

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