Updated July 2025
Definitions
Monitor Alarm
A component of the fire alarm system requires attention from UHDS Facilities. An example would be a maintenance alert for a dirty smoke detector.
Trouble Alarm
A component of the fire alarm system requires attention; however the system is still operational. Examples would be a missing head or a map fault.
Supervisory Alarm
The system has identified something that requires immediate attention. An example would be smoke confined to a student room where there is either not enough heat to trigger the sprinkler head, or not enough smoke to activate a hallway smoke alarm.
**Both the Trouble Alarm and Supervisory Alarm annunciate on both the building panel and on the main panel at Public Safety**
Response Protocol:
Monitor Alarm
Residential Education:
Submit a work order through UHDS Facilities Desk with the description listed on the annunciator panel and silence the panel by pressing “Panel Silence”. No further action is needed beyond the work order being submitted. No need to key into a space or contact the Facilities on call if it’s after hours.
Trouble Alarm
Public Safety:
Will contact the UHDS Facilities on call staff member.
Residential Education:
If Res Ed staff notice a trouble alarm no need to contact anyone as these are all being received at Public Safety and they will call Facilities on call as needed. You can silence the panel by pressing “Panel Silence”.
Supervisory Alarm
Public Safety:
Contact the Hall RA on Duty; if no Hall RA on Duty then dispatch contacts the Professional Staff on Duty.
Residential Education:
- Investigate the nature of the alarm (safely).
- Staff may enter a room with another staff member after calling and informing the Professional Staff on Duty.
- Take any measures necessary to mitigate the alarm, being mindful of not spreading smoke or heat into other areas of the building that will cause a building-wide alarm.
- Write an IR documenting the cause of the alarm, response, and mitigation steps.
- Contact Public Safety if that is warranted from what was observed in the room.
Smoke Detectors
- Most smoke detectors within our system are hardwired and some have battery backups (West Hall, The Gem and Orchard Court). Occasionally, a battery will fail, causing the alarm to chirp.
- If a smoke detector is chirping, Residential Education staff should not attempt to change the batteries. UHDS Facilities should be called to fix the battery so that they can ensure the alarm is working correctly and there are not any other causes of a malfunction.
- If during working hours M-F, please contact the UHDS Facilities Desk directly. If it is after hours, please follow the after hours facilities protocol to receive support.
- Given the connection to fire/life safety, and also the nuisance of a chirping alarm, please call in smoke detectors regardless of time of day or day of week.
Notes
- Always evacuate the building in the event of an actual fire or full building fire alarm.
- Always call the fire department to investigate any fire even if the fire is out.
- Alarms that require investigation are Supervisory Alarms. If there is no audible alarm at the location of the alarm in the building, do not disturb the resident.
- Monitor alarms do not report to DPS but Trouble and Supervisory do report to DPS.
- FA System Alarms are color coded. Monitors and Troubles report with an Amber LED. General and Supervisory alarms will report with a Red LED. The color helps identify the type of response needed.
- UHDS detectors with battery back-up are in West Hall, The Gem and Orchard Court only.
- Any action that staff take with the fire panel (with the exception of panel silence) must be done by the direction of the UHDS Facilities on call staff member, Corvallis Fire Department, or the Department of Public Safety.