“We built a new multi-family residential building and installed an Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems (ERCES). Per the code, we had it connected to a fire alarm panel in order for the appropriate authorities to be notified in the event of a system failure. One day such a failure occurred and it was difficult to understand the alarm and what was needed to resolve it. I called the company that installed the system, but they did not have the visibility into the system to determine the cause of the issue, so we had to engage them for a service call to determine the issue and resolve. I didn’t have an emergency where I needed to engage the Fire Department, but I had constant beeping and alarms registering on our fire alarm control panel. This was an issue for our team and I needed someone to immediately come out and service this critical life-safety system providing coverage for First Responders.” – New Building Owner
Monitoring of ERCES is generally required per applicable building code. The required monitoring however, is usually satisfied when connected to your fire alarm panel and that alarm panel is monitored through a dispatch center. When an alarm is triggered, the dispatch center typically refers to the building owner or owner’s representative for resolution. Responding to failures of ERCES warrants a timely response (typically less than 24-48 hrs) and requires specialized knowledge.
Having your ERCES monitored by a firm that specializes in these solutions will ensure that any system failures are responded to promptly by engineers qualified to quickly diagnose and address them accordingly. This additional level of monitoring complements the fire alarm control panel monitoring and which is in place to satisfy code requirements. It also provides more information and peace of mind that the system is operating properly, and any minor issues can oftentimes be identified before a critical alarm is sent to the fire alarm control panel. The notification/repair requirements are set in place by the code and appropriate AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction).
Pierson Wireless is a wireless solutions firm that specializes in the design, implementation, activation, monitoring and maintenance of ERCES. Our teams are certified by the major OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and we work closely with the AHJs obtaining approvals as well as coordinating integration and on-site compliance testing efforts. Our service provides around the clock monitoring of your solution in parallel with the fire alarm dispatch center. The Pierson Wireless Advantage is that once an alarm is triggered, our engineers are able to remotely diagnose and resolve the situation and/or dispatch a technician to fix issues on-site quickly. If you are interested in gaining the Pierson Wireless Advantage, reach out to solutions@piersonwireless.com and let our team assist in ensuring your critical life-safety ERCES is ready when a situation arises and the solution is needed to support First Responders.
