The brain of the entire system. The FACP receives signals from all detectors and devices, processes them against the cause and effect matrix, activates alarms, and triggers automatic protective actions.

On Saudi Aramco projects — only addressable FACP is accepted. Every device must have a unique address. The panel must display the exact location of every alarm and fault in English and Arabic.

Approved brands for Aramco: Honeywell Notifier, Siemens Cerberus, Bosch, Hochiki.

Photoelectric smoke detectors — detect smoke by light scattering. Best for slow smouldering fires. Used in offices, corridors, bedrooms, and storage areas. Maximum coverage 93m² per NFPA 72.

Multi-sensor detectors — combine smoke and heat sensing. Best reliability — lowest false alarm rate. Recommended for general industrial use on Gulf projects.

Do not install smoke detectors in kitchens, boiler rooms, or dusty areas — use heat detectors there instead.

Fixed temperature heat detectors — activate at a set temperature — typically 58°C or 88°C. Used in kitchens, boiler rooms, engine rooms, and dusty areas where smoke detectors would cause false alarms.

Rate of rise heat detectors — activate when temperature rises faster than 8°C per minute. Detect fast fires earlier than fixed temperature.

Maximum coverage per NFPA 72 — 37m² per detector — maximum 6.1m spacing. Much smaller coverage than smoke detectors.

Manual Call Points allow any person to manually activate the fire alarm by breaking glass or pressing a button. The most important human-activated device in the system.

NFPA 72 requirement: Maximum 30 metres travel distance to nearest MCP from any point in the building. Every exit, stairwell, and corridor junction must have an MCP.

On Aramco projects — all MCPs must be addressable — so the FACP identifies exactly which MCP was activated and the exact location.

Sounders and horns — audible alarm alerting occupants. Minimum 75 dB at sleeping areas. Must be 15 dB above ambient noise level. No area should be more than 30 metres from nearest sounder.

Visual strobes — for hearing-impaired occupants and high-noise areas. Minimum 75 candela. All strobes in same room must be synchronised to prevent seizure risk.

Voice evacuation — mandatory in buildings above 4 floors. Pre-recorded messages guide occupants to exits clearly and calmly.

Output modules connect the FACP to external systems — triggering automatic protective actions when fire alarm activates.

FRM-1 Relay Module — provides dry contact output. Used to cut gas supply via solenoid valve and electrical supply via MCCB shunt trip. This is the module used in Aramco kitchen safety systems.

Control Module — provides 24VDC supervised output to activate sounders, suppression systems, and HVAC shutdown.

Isolator Module — prevents a fault on one SLC loop section from affecting the rest of the system.