Q: I have a fire alarm system in my commercial building - does it need to be connected to a monitoring service to call the fire department?
A: Yes - according to the IBC 2003, an approved supervising station in accordance with NFPA 72 shall monitor fire alarm systems.

Q: Is a voice evacuation fire alarm system required in churches instead of the standard horn signals?
A: Since churches fall into the assembly classification under the building code, the occupancy of the building determines if the system is voice or horns.  An occupancy of 1,000 or more requires voice signaling.

Q: How often do I need to test my smoke detectors in my office building? 
A: According to NFPA 72, 1999 smoke detectors need to be tested both visually and functionally.  The frequency for visual testing is twice a year and the functional test is once a year.