Fire alarm answers for the field
Tools, lookups, and code paths built for real jobsite questions.
Find code by room, look up devices, practice panel operations, run calculations, and download field guides without digging through scattered notes.
Built by a fire alarm tech • Field-minded • NICET-friendly • Always verify with adopted code and the AHJ
Start Here in the Field
Pick the question you are trying to answer right now.
What code applies to this room?
Use Code Navigator to work from application → occupancy → room → device.
Open Code Navigator →Is a fire alarm required?
Answer occupancy, occupant load, sprinkler, monitoring, and special-feature questions to screen common trigger points.
Open Requirement Wizard →Why is this trouble active?
Use troubleshooting trees for ground faults, NAC troubles, battery troubles, missing devices, duct detectors, and communication failures.
Open Troubleshooting Trees →Need clean report wording?
Build service notes, inspection deficiencies, and proposal wording from common fire alarm conditions.
Open Field Forms →What is this device?
Browse device categories, model references, common use cases, and field notes.
Search Devices →What panel am I standing at?
Use panel cheat sheets for common buttons, acknowledge, silence, reset, walk test reminders, and panel-specific cautions.
Open Panel Cheat Sheets →How do I operate the panel?
Practice acknowledge, silence, reset, event navigation, and point operations.
Start Simulator →Need a quick calculation?
Battery sizing, voltage drop, NAC planning, wire fill, resistor, and ground fault tools.
Open Calculators →Need a field guide?
Download practical PDFs for batteries, pull stations, Contact ID, elevator recall, and more.
View Downloads →What can replace this model?
Search an old model number and get a conservative same-family replacement direction, compatibility warning, and field checklist.
Open Replacement Assistant →Most Used Tools
These are the core tools to keep one click away.
Code Navigator
Learn fire alarm code visually by selecting a building type, occupancy, room, and device.
Interactive code screenRequirement Wizard
Screen whether a fire alarm system is likely required based on occupancy, occupant load, sprinkler status, monitoring, and special features.
Field troubleshootingTroubleshooting Trees
Walk through common fire alarm troubles with decision paths, field notes, and copyable job summaries.
Report wordingField Forms
Generate cleaner deficiency notes, service ticket language, proposal starters, and customer-facing wording.
High trafficDevice Lookup
Find device types, models, common applications, installation notes, and field references.
Obsolete partsReplacement Assistant
Search old model numbers, verify same-family replacement direction, and avoid risky cross-brand substitutions.
TrainingPanel Simulator
Practice panel-style navigation, acknowledge, silence, reset, and event review.
Panel referencePanel Cheat Sheets
Quick field reminders for common panels, button functions, trouble review, silence/reset workflow, and walk test cautions.
Field toolsCalculators
Battery sizing, voltage drop, wire fill, NAC planning, speaker load, and ground fault help.
Most Downloaded Field Guides
Quick PDFs for technicians, programmers, inspectors, and managers.
Fire Alarm Requirements Guide
Start here when you need to understand when fire alarm, detection, notification, and monitoring may apply.
CalculationsBattery Calculation Guide
Battery sizing reminders and common field mistakes.
MonitoringContact ID Field Guide
Signal descriptions and central station communication reference.
PanelsFire-Lite Cheat Sheet
Fast panel-operation help for common Fire-Lite tasks.
DevicesManual Pull Stations
Placement, mounting, inspection, and common field notes.
Special systemsElevator Recall Guide
Recall, hat light, shunt trip, and coordination reminders.
Popular Jobsite Workflows
Turn common field problems into a clear next step.
Fire Alarm Requirement Screen
Check common IBC/IFC 907 trigger points before diving into the full guide or project documents.
Troubleshoot an Active Trouble
Use decision trees for ground faults, NAC troubles, battery troubles, missing devices, duct detectors, and communication failures.
Panel Button Cheat Sheet
Look up a common panel family before acknowledging, silencing, resetting, disabling, or starting a walk test.
Write a Clean Deficiency Note
Build professional wording for service tickets, inspection reports, and proposal follow-up without starting from scratch.
Find a Safer Replacement Direction
Use the model replacement assistant when a detector, module, pull station, or notification appliance is obsolete or hard to source.
Fire Pump Monitoring
Controller signals, phase reversal, pump running, valve tamper, and testing sequence.
Elevator Recall
Lobby smoke, machine room detection, shunt trip, hat light, and recall testing.
Kitchen Hood Interface
Manual release, fuel shutdown, fan control, alarm interface, reset, and documentation.
Battery / Voltage Drop
Run the common calculations before ordering parts, submitting, or troubleshooting.
Smoke Control
Fans, dampers, firefighter smoke control panel, status feedback, and testing.
Ask a Field Question
Use the forum for troubleshooting, code interpretation, replacements, and panel questions.
Training & Study Paths
Use the site differently depending on what you are trying to learn.
New tech path
- Start with Device Lookup to learn what each device does.
- Use Code Navigator to see where devices appear in real buildings.
- Practice panel operations in the Panel Simulator.
- Download field guides before service calls or inspections.
NICET / advancement path
Combine calculators, Code Navigator, downloadable guides, and the LMS to build code familiarity and field confidence.
Open LMSWhy FireAlarmGuy
FireAlarmGuy is built for working technicians, programmers, inspectors, managers, and anyone studying to move up. The goal is simple: make useful fire alarm information easier to find and faster to use.
That means less fluff, more field value: calculators, troubleshooting references, simulator training, code-navigation tools, and guides that are actually practical on a job.
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