Which part of the fire alarm system alerts the building occupants when the system is activated?

• A. Alarm notification device
• B. Fire alarm control unit
• C. Alarm initiation device
• D. Power supply

Answer: (A)

When a fire alarm system activates, the alerts occupants through the alarm notification devices. These are the audible and visual devices—horns, bells, sirens, strobe lights—that people hear and see as a signal to evacuate. The alarm control unit is the central processor that takes input from initiation devices and determines when to trigger the notification devices, but it’s the notification devices themselves that actually produce the alert. Initiation devices, such as smoke detectors or manual pull stations, start the alarm by signaling the control unit. The power supply simply provides the necessary power to all components and doesn’t generate the alert signals by itself.