Article by Jim Harrigan – Fire Alarm & Security Operations Manager
We at Oliver Fire Protection are constantly looking for ways to utilize new technology offered by our partners in the industry to improve our customer experience. One area that we strive to strengthen is the ability for our customers to be informed of activity from their fire alarm systems and sprinkler systems in real time right through alerts sent directly to their cell phone via app notifications and e-mail. The latest product offering we are working to achieve this is through one of our biggest partners, Honeywell, and their CLSS (Connected Life Safety System) platform. This enhanced connectivity is through a variety of communication devices offered by Honeywell, which Oliver is working to install with our customer fire alarm control panels.
These communicators being installed alongside or within our customer fire alarm control panels facilitate seamless integration of the fire alarm control panel (and associated sprinkler system if connected) with the cloud-based CLSS platform. These communicators enable real-time monitoring, transmitting control panel activity directly to the facility manager’s cell phone. This proactive approach empowers managers to promptly respond to any reported activity, preventing potential issues and swiftly addressing alarm events to mitigate risks to lives and property.
The advantage of this communication method lies in the direct reporting capability of CLSS, which retrieves events directly from the programmed fire alarm panel. This eliminates the need for external signal routing from the fire panel to a central station, then to a dispatch center, and finally to the local fire department for response. With CLSS connectivity, notifications of alarms at your facility are nearly instantaneous, ensuring prompt response to events as they occur. Furthermore, we offer customizable event notifications, allowing you to select which types of events trigger notifications—whether it’s all alarms, trouble, supervisory events, or solely fire alarm events—preventing non-emergency notifications from reaching your mobile device or email.
As a fire protection provider, this enhanced and accurate reporting also improves our ability to service and repair issues on a fire alarm system. When our technicians are servicing panels connected to CLSS, we can see ahead of time and more accurately what the issue is at a building, along with better informing us of what equipment and manpower we will likely need to make the repairs. This can avoid unwanted returns to repair issues that ultimately can save our customers time and money.
The most accurate and thorough signal reporting is accomplished through the Honeywell CLSS Gateway communicator which connects to our Notifier series fire alarm panels to CLSS and can transmit signals via a dedicated IP connection, Wi-Fi, or cellular connectivity through Verizon or AT&T. These communicators give us the point-by-point reporting that can narrow down the exact time, device, and location that an event occurred.
Honeywell also offers the Pathway communicator which is used to connect our Non-Notifier panels to CLSS and provide similar but often time not as exact reporting of the location and device where an issue occurs. This option still provides real-time connectivity and reporting of the event in the building, so you have the ability to react and respond to an event.
All these communicators also have the ability to connect with and transmit these signals from the control panel to our central station Affiliated monitoring so that the Fire Department is notified when an alarm occurs and send the Fire Department to the location as quickly as possible to react to the event being reported.
Contact your Oliver experts in the Alarm department to learn more about CLSS and how it can be utilized in your building to give you a real time and added layer or protection to protect and prevent loss of life and property.