Fire Alarm Plans Designed to NFPA 72
Device layouts, riser diagrams, battery calculations and sequences of operation prepared to NFPA 72 and sealed for fire marshal review.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in your state
- Built to IBC, IRC and local amendments
- Plan-check comments answered
Fire alarm drawings the fire marshal can approve
Fire alarm plans show the fire marshal how a building will detect a fire, warn the people inside and summon help. Reviewers look for a complete device layout, correct notification coverage, a clear sequence of operations, and battery and voltage drop calculations that prove the system will keep working when normal power is lost.
PE Engineer prepares fire alarm drawings for new buildings, tenant improvements, restaurants with hood suppression systems, multifamily buildings, schools, offices, clinics and warehouses. Designs follow NFPA 72 and the fire alarm provisions of the International Fire Code and International Building Code as your jurisdiction has adopted them, and every set is sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where the project is located.
We coordinate the alarm system with everything it monitors and controls: waterflow and valve supervision from the sprinkler system, duct smoke detectors on air handlers, kitchen hood suppression, elevator recall, door hold-open releases and the off-site monitoring connection. The result is one drawing set where every interface is accounted for before installation begins.
What you receive
- Device layout floor plans
- Fire alarm riser diagram
- Sequence of operations matrix
- Battery standby calculations
- Notification circuit voltage drop calcs
- PE stamped PDF set ready to submit
What our fire alarm design covers
Each drawing set is built around the occupancy, the building systems and the expectations of your local fire marshal.
Initiating devices
Smoke and heat detectors, manual pull stations, duct detectors, and sprinkler waterflow and tamper switches, placed for the spacing, ceiling height and room geometry NFPA 72 requires.
Notification appliances
Horn, strobe and speaker layouts with candela ratings and audibility checked room by room, so every occupant is alerted, including people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Control panel and power
Fire alarm control panel, power supplies and remote annunciator locations, with secondary power sized by battery calculations for the standby and alarm durations NFPA 72 requires.
Sequence of operations
An input and output matrix showing what each device does: alarm, supervisory or trouble signal, fan shutdown, door release, elevator recall and notification of the supervising station.
Suppression system interfaces
Monitoring of kitchen hood suppression, clean agent and other special hazard systems, and pre-action valves, with the shutdowns and signals each system must trigger.
Tenant improvement additions
Added and relocated devices for new walls and rooms in an existing building, with a check that the existing panel, circuits and power supplies can carry the additional load.
Your Stamped, Permit-Ready Plans Start With One Upload
Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
What fire alarm plans include
A fire alarm submittal has to show the reviewer what is being installed, where it goes, how it is wired and how it behaves. Our drawings typically include:
- Device layout plans for every floor, showing detectors, pull stations, notification appliances, control modules and the fire alarm control panel.
- A riser diagram showing the panel, signaling line circuits, notification appliance circuits, power supplies, annunciators and the connection to the supervising station.
- A sequence of operations in matrix form, listing every input and the outputs it triggers.
- Battery calculations for the panel and every power supply.
- Voltage drop calculations for each notification circuit.
- Equipment data sheets and listing information for the panel and devices, where the jurisdiction asks for them.
- General notes covering wiring, circuit class, survivability, testing and documentation.
Fire marshals check that every room is covered, that devices are compatible with the panel, and that the system will still function on battery power. A set that answers those questions up front moves through review much faster than one that leaves them for the installer to resolve.
We draw device symbols and circuit labels the way installers and inspectors expect, so the plans stay useful long after the permit is issued, through installation, acceptance testing and future additions.
Device layout and notification coverage
Detection is laid out to the spacing rules in NFPA 72 for the detector type, ceiling height and ceiling shape. Beams, sloped ceilings, high ceilings and airflow from HVAC diffusers all affect where smoke detectors can go and how far apart they can be. Where smoke detectors would cause nuisance alarms, such as in kitchens, garages and dusty mechanical rooms, we use heat detectors or other suitable devices and explain the choice on the drawings.
Notification is designed for both sound and light. Audible appliances must be clearly heard above the normal background noise of each space, and sleeping rooms in hotels, apartments and dormitories need the low-frequency alarm signal NFPA 72 requires. Visible appliances are sized by candela rating and spaced so that strobes are seen throughout the room, and multiple strobes in view are synchronized. Larger buildings and certain occupancies call for an emergency voice alarm communication system, which uses speakers and recorded messages so occupants receive clear instructions instead of only a tone.
Manual pull stations are placed at exits as the code requires, and the locations of the control panel and annunciator are chosen with the fire department, since that is where responding crews will look first. We confirm those locations with the fire marshal when the jurisdiction allows it, which avoids a costly relocation during final inspection.
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- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
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Battery, voltage drop and circuit calculations
A fire alarm system must keep working when normal power fails, so every panel and power supply needs batteries sized for a period of standby operation followed by a period of full alarm. NFPA 72 sets those durations, which differ for systems with and without emergency voice communication. Our battery calculation lists the standby and alarm current of every device on each circuit, applies the required durations, and adds a safety margin so the system still performs as the batteries age.
Notification appliance circuits draw significant current during alarm, and long runs of small wire can drop the voltage below what the farthest appliance needs to operate. We calculate voltage drop on every circuit using the manufacturer’s current draw and the actual wire length and gauge, and we split circuits or add power supplies where needed.
We also check the capacity of each signaling line circuit, the addressable loop that connects detectors and modules, against the panel’s limits, and we specify the circuit class and pathway survivability that the code and the building type call for. The calculations are included in the submittal so the plan reviewer can verify the design without guessing at device counts or wire lengths.
Fire alarm wiring itself follows NEC Article 760, and we coordinate the dedicated branch circuit for the panel with the electrical plans so it is locked and identified as the code requires.
Kitchen hoods, sprinklers and HVAC shutdown
Much of a fire alarm system’s value lies in how it connects to other building systems, and those interfaces are where plan reviewers find the most gaps.
- Sprinkler systems: waterflow switches trigger an alarm, and valve tamper switches send a supervisory signal when a control valve is closed.
- Kitchen hoods: where a building has a fire alarm system, activation of the hood fire suppression system must be monitored by it, in addition to the fuel and power shutdowns the suppression system performs. Our kitchen hood designs show both sides of that connection.
- HVAC: larger air handling systems require duct smoke detectors that shut the unit down to keep smoke from being distributed through the building.
- Elevators and doors: elevator recall, shunt trip where required, and release of magnetic door holders on smoke barrier and corridor doors.
To start your fire alarm plans, send us the architectural floor plans with a reflected ceiling plan, the building occupancy and construction type, details of any sprinkler, hood suppression or special hazard systems, and the make and model of the existing panel for tenant improvement work. Include any fire marshal comments you have already received. Most small tenant improvement alarm packages move quickly once we have that information, and rush service is available.
You likely need this if
- You are building a new commercial or multifamily project
- A tenant improvement adds rooms or walls
- A restaurant hood suppression system needs a tie-in
- A new sprinkler system needs monitoring
- A change of occupancy triggers an alarm system
- The fire marshal asked for battery calculations
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your fire alarm plans drawings.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Codes and standards we design to
Fire alarm designs follow the editions adopted by your jurisdiction, together with local fire department requirements:
- NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
- International Fire Code (IFC) and International Building Code (IBC)
- NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, where adopted
- National Electrical Code (NEC), Article 760
- International Mechanical Code (IMC) for duct smoke detection
- ADA Standards for Accessible Design for visible alarms
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in the state where your project is located. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
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Fire Sprinkler DesignNFPA 13, 13R and 13D sprinkler layouts with hazard classification, hydraulic calculations and riser details, sealed by a licensed PE for permit.Explore More
Kitchen Hood & ExhaustType I and Type II hood, grease duct, exhaust fan, makeup air and fire suppression design to NFPA 96 and the IMC, sealed for permit.Explore More
Electrical PlansElectrical load calculations, panel schedules, one-line diagrams, lighting and power plans prepared to the NEC and sealed by a licensed PE.Explore MoreFrequently asked questions
Does my building require a fire alarm system?
The building and fire codes require fire alarm systems based on occupancy, occupant load, number of stories and other factors, and local amendments often add requirements. A change of use or an addition can trigger a new system. We review your project and tell you what the code requires.
What is a fire alarm battery calculation?
It is a calculation that adds up the standby and alarm current of every device powered by a panel or power supply, applies the durations NFPA 72 requires, and adds a safety margin. The result is the minimum battery size that keeps the system working during a power outage.
Can you add devices to my existing fire alarm system?
Yes. We need the make and model of the existing panel and any as-built drawings. We check device compatibility, circuit capacity and battery capacity, then lay out the new and relocated devices. Your fire alarm contractor programs and connects them.
Does my restaurant hood suppression system need to tie into the fire alarm?
If the building has a fire alarm system, the hood suppression system must be monitored by it so activation sends an alarm signal. We show the interface on both the hood and fire alarm drawings, along with the fuel and electrical shutoffs.
Who installs the fire alarm system?
A licensed fire alarm contractor installs, programs and tests the system. Our drawings provide the permit design. Some jurisdictions also require installer shop drawings, and where a PE seal is required on the design, ours satisfies that requirement.
How long do fire alarm plans take and what do they cost?
We provide a fixed-fee quote after reviewing your plans, usually the same day. Timing depends on building size and the number of interfaces. Rush service is available, and plan-check revisions within the original scope are included at no extra charge.
Get your free fire alarm plans proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state