What fire alarm drafting usually covers
NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, sets requirements for fire alarm system documentation as well as installation. What a submittal must contain depends on the adopted edition, local amendments and the AHJ's own checklist. Common drafting work includes:
- Floor plans with initiating devices, notification appliances, control modules and panels
- Notification appliance circuit and signaling line circuit routing and labeling
- Riser diagram showing panels, power supplies, circuits and interconnections
- Battery standby calculations in your format, using data sheets you provide
- Voltage drop calculations for notification circuits
- Sequence of operations matrix as written by the designer
- Device schedule, legend and equipment data sheet index
Who makes the layout decisions
Device spacing, audibility and visibility coverage, and the sequence of operations are design decisions. Many jurisdictions require fire alarm submittals from a licensed engineer or a designer with specific credentials, such as NICET certification in fire alarm systems, and some states license fire alarm contractors separately. A drafter can place devices according to the designer's markups and flag rooms that look uncovered against the inputs, but the designer of record makes the calls and signs the submittal.
What you provide
- Architectural floor plans and reflected ceiling plans
- Designer markups or a device layout sketch
- Panel, power supply and device data sheets
- The sequence of operations
- Interfaces: sprinkler flow and tamper, elevator recall, HVAC shutdown, door holders
- Battery and circuit calculation templates you use
- Specification sections and AHJ checklist
- Your title block, symbols and CAD standards
Coordination with sprinkler and pump work
Fire alarm drawings depend on the sprinkler and fire pump design: waterflow switches, valve supervisory switches, fire pump controller signals and any releasing systems all need to appear on both sides. When the same provider drafts the sprinkler and alarm sets, cross-checking those points is simpler, but each set still needs its own designer review.
Tenant improvements and existing systems
Much fire alarm work is an add-on to an existing system. Drafting for tenant improvements needs as-built information on the existing panel, circuits and spare capacity. If that information is missing, say so in the scope: a drafter can show the new work, but someone has to confirm what is actually installed.
Common questions
Can you draft for any panel manufacturer?
Drafting works from the data sheets you supply, so the panel brand matters less than having current product data and your calculation format.
Do you program panels?
No. Panel programming, field wiring, testing and commissioning are done on site by the installing contractor.
Can you prepare record documents at closeout?
Yes. Updated device plans and risers from field markups are a common closeout task. NFPA 72 has its own record documentation requirements; your designer should confirm what the project needs.
Need device plans or a riser diagram turned around? Send the plans and your designer's markups.
Send drawings for a quote