ComCen share more PFA data

In our continued approach to improve the service we provide to you and to take advantage of the intelligence available to us, the Communications Centres (ComCen) recently made a change that enables more data from fire alarm panels to be shared with crews responding to calls. This will not work for every PFA but should be supplied with activations from type 5 panels. 

Those appliances who have mobility will see the PFA information appear in the remarks/comments section of the App. Those who don’t have mobility yet will not miss out on the information. ComCen will verbally share this information if the fire alarm panel has provided it. 

• Approximately 10% of the total PFA connections across the country are type 5 panels.
• Fire alarm agents have the ability to improve the detector (point) location descriptions.
• Explanation: – The information provided will follow an agreed format shown here - PFA#, ZONE, POINT (we know this as the Detector) location and description.
  In terms of PFA data language, a detector as we know it, is referred to as the “Point” (we were not able to change this).
• Examples:
  • PANEL INFO: 114586 ZONE: A, POINT: L912, LEVEL 9 NORTHERN CORNER
  • PANEL INFO: 114586 ZONE: A, POINT: L912, STATUS ALARM
  • PANEL INFO: 114586 ZONE: A, POINT: L912, STATUS NORMAL
  • PANEL INFO: 114586 ZONE A, POINT: L913, STATUS ALARM
• Important notes:
  • The second PANEL INFO bullet point above indicates the detector or point is in ALARM (activation) state.
  • The third PANEL INFO bullet point indicates it has gone back to a NORMAL state.
  • The fourth PANEL INFO bullet point indicates an additional detector L913 or point has activated and gone into ALARM.
  • The PANEL INFO messages will arrive in the order the panel sends them and you can have confidence the last message is the most current.

We believe that knowing this information is good situational awareness for the first arriving OIC.