State Market

of the

Fire Alarms

Explore the key drivers behind the North American fire protection systems market growth, regulatory requirement, technological advancements and new communication solutions.

As the fire alarm systems market continues to evolve amid increasing safety regulations and technological advancements, industry confidence remains strong.

According to SDM’s 2024 Industry Forecast, 83 percent of security professionals rated the state of the fire alarm market to be in the range from good to excellent, while 17 percent believe the state of the market is poor or fair.

The forecast also fo­­­und a considerable majority of installing contractors either currently offer/sell/install fire alarm products (62 percent) or plan to in the next one to two years (12 percent). Another 5 percent are discussing offering them in the next three to five years.

Ahead, industry veterans from both the manufacturing and integration sectors provide valuable insights into the latest trends in the fire alarm systems market, highlighting the innovations and developments that are driving the industry’s growth and shaping its future.

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Technological advancements are also propelling the market. Smart technologies and IoT-enabled fire protection systems are becoming more prevalent, offering features like real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and automated responses. These systems not only improve fire detection accuracy but also enhance operational efficiency, making them appealing to businesses focused on minimizing risks and ensuring continuous operations.

Among other sector accelerators, growing construction activities, particularly in commercial and industrial settings, are fueling demand for fire safety systems, sources tell SDM.

“North American industry growth is being driven across several key verticals including data centers, energy storage facilities, hospitality and multi-family construction, as well as warehouse and distribution center new construction and retrofits,” says Sanjeev Kumar, executive director of product management and connected offerings,Edwards, Pompano Beach, Fla.

In the past year, Kumar says Edwards has observed significant macro trends driving increased change and growth in the fire and life safety market. These include:

• A rising demand for intelligent systems with addressability, has enabled more precise alarm identification, reducing false alarms, and improving emergency response times.
• The focus on early smoke detection has grown as organizations recognize the need for timely fire detection. Technologies like Edwards’ ModuLaser Aspirating Smoke Detectors (ASD) are at the forefront, offering advanced safety features.
• Cloud-based connectivity has revolutionized fire safety management, enabling real-time data collection, remote monitoring, preventative maintenance and faster decision-making.

“These trends are driven by the continuous advancement of new technologies being integrated into detection and notification devices, system panels and management tools,” Kumaradds.

Landline cutting and POTS replacement in communications from the premise to the central monitoring station continues to be a positive trend with cellular technology as the method of choice in the fire market, comments George Brody, president, Telguard, Atlanta.

Brody notes the company’s TG-7FM communicator, recently announced for the commercial fire market, features multi-carrier technology, supporting all three major U.S. carriers (AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile). The TG-7FM is designed to ensure continuous coverage, employing a patent-pending selection process during installation. This process intelligently chooses the carrier with the best signal strength and data quality in the area, automatically selecting it as the primary network.

“The fire alarm business continues to perform well in 2024 and the outlook is for another excellent year,” Brody says. “With code-driven requirements necessary for commercial facilities, steady new construction and consistent retrofitting will all play a positive factor in near term growth.”

NAPCO of Amityville, N.Y., also views fire communications as a major opportunity, especially as traditional phone lines become obsolete. The transition away from POTS is driving demand for new communication solutions like NAPCO’s Starlink product, which is performing well in the market across multiple vertical niches, says Duane Warehime, vice president of sales. Additionally, more fire systems now require monitoring, a shift driven by local codes or Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs), even when national codes don’t mandate it. This trend is expanding the need for monitored fire systems, he says.

“The POTS lines are not working, and we’re seeing all the time where they’re being switched over to VoIP,” Warehime says. “Often, carriers will arrive at a facility and make the switch without much notice. They claim to have informed the customer, but either the customer didn’t pay attention or wasn’t notified properly. After the switch, the fire alarm system stops working correctly, and the dealer steps in and upgrades the communications, which can sometimes involve multiple buildings.”

Recently introduced Starlink communicator models include dual SIM cards to operate automatically on either the Verizon or AT&T networks, depending on the best signal strength. “What’s nice about what we’re doing is it has this auto switchover capability,” Warehime adds. “So now, for example, if I have a bad Verizon signal in a moment in time, I’m still going to be able to get through on AT&T and get the signal out. The redundancy is built in, plus having an IP port there you can do dual path.”

Laura Wall, vice president of product management, AES Corp., Peabody, Mass., comments the need for transmitting more data from fire panels continues to evolve and impact the fire market. Also, the shift to an RMR model continues to change and offer dealers and integrators more opportunities to generate revenue.

“POTS lines continue to go away allowing for opportunities to update old systems and move into wireless technologies,” Wall says. “AES [mesh technology] communicators are perfect for those applications and markets where a customer does not want to, or cannot, rely on public infrastructure to transmit alarm signals.”

Because AES customers manage and own their own mesh networks, Wall adds that finding ways to make it easier for them to manage these networks as well as decreasing installation times is a top priority for the company.

“We continue to focus on new products to help them do this. We recently launched our new IntelliNet Network Control Center Software, as well as the Extender wireless antenna which helps our customers do both,” she says.

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Self-testing smoke detectors and similar technologies have the potential to revolutionize fire and life safety system installation, testing and maintenance, driving significant industry disruption, Hoeferle suggests.

“Because technicians can execute inspections from outside the room, self-testing smoke detectors save facility managers and occupants the hassle of unwanted interruptions — and because these detectors can be anywhere from above a conference table to a hotel room to a patient’s room in the ER, curbing disruptions is crucial,” Hoeferle says. “And lastly, self-testing smoke detectors also provide additional safety because it eliminates any human error: With an automated process, you receive a tracked report that clearly delineates each and every detector was tested.”

Although the fire/life-safety marketplace performance has been impacted by industry-wide price increases, Kumar says Edwards’ growth is being driven by continued global expansion and by launching innovative products that bring new capabilities, drive efficiencies and deliver cost-savings to industry stakeholders. Edwards has experienced substantial upgrade and retrofit business as end users transition from the EST3 fire alarm and emergency communications platform to EST4. Kumar also notes a significant uptake in deployments of the ModuLaser, an early smoke detection product. The emphasis on early smoke detection has intensified as organizations recognize the critical importance of detecting fires in their nascent stages, Kumar says.

“ModuLaser features a uniquely flexible, modular and fully scalable design that is equipped with ClassiFire, a patented artificial intelligence technology,” he adds. “ModuLaser is designed to meet the needs of challenging environments, reduce nuisance alarms and make installing and protecting your facility simple, customizable and cost efficient.”

Boosting First Responder Connectivity

Emergency communication enhancement systems (ERCES) are essential for ensuring that first responders can maintain reliable communication inside buildings during emergencies. These systems amplify radio signals to overcome the challenges posed by large structures, dense materials or underground areas that can interfere with radio coverage. Many jurisdictions are now requiring ERCES to meet building codes and fire safety regulations, ensuring critical communication is not disrupted during fire or emergency events.

David Roberts, president of North Little Rock, Ark.-based integration firm Encore Technology Solutions, explains that particular regulatory changes can be expected to fuel growth in the deployment of ERCES projects.

ERCES are required by model fire codes for new buildings, he says. The design, installation, testing and maintenance of these systems are covered by NFPA 1221, and with the adoption of the 2021 International Fire Code and NFPA 1 Fire Code, ERCES are required to be listed in accordance with UL 2524, the standard for in-building emergency responder communication enhancement systems.

According to the NFPA’s website, the 2022 edition of NFPA 1225, Chapter 18 specifically addresses building emergency responder communications enhancement systems. Prior to the 2022 edition of NFPA 1225, requirements for this technology were found in NFPA 1221, Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems.

“I truly believe the aforementioned changes, regarding the new requirements for ERCES, is the biggest disruptor we’ve seen in the life safety industry in recent history,” Roberts says. “We have been fortunate to design/install over 10 ERCES solutions in Arkansas in the last two years and have seen firsthand the opportunity for life safety professionals and integrators to grow and improve the future of our industry.”

“Most importantly,” Roberts adds, “with the enhancements to system communications, these new requirements will further protect two of our most important assets — our property and our people. Secondly, this will be an expansive opportunity to further our client service offerings through both installation and maintenance.”

Hoeferle also notes the rising opportunity to enhance life safety in buildings and facilities with ERCES deployments — a key focus area with AHJs.

“While both UL and NFPA have developed standards for the manufacturing and installation of these systems, wide-scale adoption and enforcement of this technology has not yet been achieved,” Hoeferle says. “Here is another example of how our industry can positively impact the outcomes for first responders by improving the communications coverage inside buildings. It’s important to remember that it’s not just firefighters here — EMS, law enforcement and other emergency agencies also need reliable communications within these facilities and these ERCES systems have the same level of integrity as that of a fire alarm system.”

While NAPCO is not involved in the manufacturing of these systems, Warehime also notes the expanding opportunity for dealers and integrators to participate in ERCES projects.

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