Gourt Home::Gourt :: Fire alarm pull station
A fire alarm pull station is an active fire protection device, usually wall-mounted, that, when activated, initiates an alarm on a fire alarm system. It is similar in its function to manual call points found in Europe. In its simplest form, the user activates the alarm by pulling the handle down, which completes a circuit and locks the handle in the activated position, and sending an alarm to the fire alarm control panel. Fire alarm pull station are often reset using a key, which allows the handle to go back up to its normal position.
Many fire alarm pull stations are single action and only require the user the pull down. Other fire alarm pull stations are dual-action, and as such require the user to perform a second task before pulling down, such as lifting up or pushing in a panel on the station. The Fire-Lite BG-10 and the Cerberus Pyrotronics (Siemens) MS-501 are examples of this design. Perhaps the most recognizable pull station is the T-bar style pull. The style is so named because the handle is shaped like the letter "T". This style was first manufactured by Simplex, and is now manufactured by many other companies.
Resetting a fire alarm pull station after it has been operated normally requires building personnel or emergency responders to open the station using a key, which often is either a hex key (allen key) or a more traditional key. Opening the station normally causes the handle to go back to its original position, allowing the alarm to be reset from the fire alarm control panel after the station has been closed.
With increasing frequency, especially in college dormitories and high schools, students commonly pull fire alarms as pranks. Since this is a misuse of the fire department's time and resources, and initiates a needless evacuation of the building, it is often a felony offense. These false alarms can lead to apathy among occupants if they occur repeatedly, causing them to dismiss the importance of alarms or ignore them completely.
See also
"Fire alarm pull station"