Documentation, Plans, and Records
What gets submitted
A fire alarm submittal is a package, not a drawing. It typically includes shop drawings (floor plans showing device locations, conduit and wiring routing, panel and annunciator locations, and device counts), a sequence of operations matrix, battery calculations, voltage drop calculations for NACs and SLCs, manufacturer data sheets and listing information, the riser diagram, a specification section, and the anticipated testing plan. The AHJ reviews and approves before installation begins; changes during construction require revised drawings, not field improvisation.
What gets handed over
At completion, the contractor provides a record of completion identifying the system, its components, and the parties, plus as-built drawings, site-specific software (or a copy/escrow where required), operating manuals, and the record of inspection and testing from the acceptance test. The owner is responsible for keeping this documentation for the life of the system and for keeping it current as the system changes. When a system is modified, the documentation must be updated - an undocumented change is a deficiency.
Traps and rules
- The record of completion is not the same as as-built drawings; both are required.
- Battery calculations and voltage drop calculations must reflect installed conditions, including appliances added after design.
- Sequence of operations language is frequently tested: an examiner can describe a signal and ask what should happen, and the answer comes from the matrix.
- Records retention: keep ITM records at least until the next test and for the period the code and AHJ require.
Worked example
An owner replaces eight horn/strobes on an existing NAC and adds a relay for door hold-opens. Required documentation updates: revised as-built drawings, a new voltage drop and battery calculation, an updated sequence of operations, a new record of completion covering the modified system, and re-testing of the affected circuits with a new inspection and testing record.
Rule of thumb
If it isn't on the drawing, in the calculation, or in the record of completion, it didn't happen.