This is an area where your local building inspectors and your insurers aren't going to let you be creative. While local codes can override, in general, you are going to have to comply with the rules of the National Electrical Code and the National Fire Protection Association. In turn, they generally specify that fire detection systems must be certified by independent testing laboratories, such as Underwriters Laboratories in the US. There are specifications for alarm wiring, although some fire detectors operate through power lines.
On a practical basis, during a lecture on integrated voice and data, I sometimes take a student team design, put a birthday candle on the Call Manager or PBX, and innocently ask, "the Call Manager is on fire. Would someone please call 911?" Let's put it this way -- I don't consider it a safe voice design unless there is some independent way to place emergency calls -- perhaps cellular or POTS phones behind breakable glass at fire exits. You'll find that most hospitals have at least one phone line in nursing units, the ER, etc., that do not go through the PBX or equivalent. Now, use sensors as a supplemental system? Sure, but I'd look at them as a supplement. In a specialized environment (e.g., manufacturing), where there might be threats that standard detectors don't detect, it makes perfect sense to use them as an adjunct. Even there, however, you want to keep life-critical equipment on separate or massively fault tolerant facilities. Fly-by-wire flight control systems on commercial aircraft are at least triply redundant, and may be more so on combat aircraft expected to suffer battle damage. Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=72936&t=72749 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
