What Is a Single-Stage Manual Station?

Manual Stations

• Fire alarm manual stations allow anyone to signal a fire by pulling a lever. Building codes require the use of manual stations in commercial and other public buildings. Consult the codes in your jurisdiction for the specifics, but generally, the stations must be mounted in an accessible and conspicuous location. The alarm pulls will connect to the fire alarm control panel through data wiring. The station type must be the same as the control panel type, so a two-stage control panel cannot work with a single-stage manual station, nor can a dual-stage station function on a single-stage control panel.

Fire Alarm Control Panel

• Fire Alarm Control Panels read the automatic and manual station information and translate it into the appropriate action. The action may include audible and visual alarms, notification of the local authorities and fire department, activation of sprinkler systems and smoke-exhaust systems and the deactivation of elevators and other internal systems. Depending on the building, there may be other actions taken by the fire alarm control panel when the alert is triggered.

Single-Stage

• In a single-stage system, all of the actions for the fire alarm control panel are taken when either a manual or automatic station indicates an alarm. No other action is necessary to trigger every action programmed in to the fire alarm control panel. Single-stage manual stations may have a key-lock that allows the alarm to be disarmed and reset from that location.

Dual-Stage

• If a building evacuation is excessively cumbersome, like in a hospital, the fire alarm control panel might be a two-stage system. When a manual or automatic station is triggered, the first stage alarm is triggered. This might be a visual and audible alarm, but evacuation isn't started and the fire department isn't contacted until the fire is confirmed. The confirmation can happen at the control panel or through a key-switch at a manual station. Once the second stage is activated, evacuation proceeds and the fire department is contacted.