What is fire alarm transmission to an ARC or an attendant?
Alarm transmission refers to the mechanism that forwards information about a fire detected by the fire control panel to a person capable of acting: calling the emergency zone (hulpverleningszone), triggering evacuation, verifying the origin of the signal. Two configurations exist. The first relies on an attendant present in the building, who receives the alarm on the signalling panel and responds according to a defined procedure. The second relies on an alarm receiving centre (ARC), an external centre that monitors the line continuously and contacts the emergency zone if no one confirms the alarm within a fixed time limit. The standard NBN S 21-100-1 governs the design of these connections, but it does not alone decide which of the two solutions is required: this depends on the building and its safety file.
Does Belgian regulation require permanent remote monitoring?
No, there is no general legal obligation to connect every fire detection system to a 24/7 remote monitoring centre. The Royal Decree of 7 July 1994 establishing basic standards for fire and explosion prevention classifies buildings as low, medium and high risk, and requires detection appropriate to the risk, but it does not set a uniform rule on the mode of alarm transmission. It is the building's fire safety file, examined by the competent emergency zone (hulpverleningszone), that determines whether a human presence on site is sufficient or whether external transmission is necessary. The Code on Well-being at Work (Book III, Title 3) requires the employer to organise an effective response in case of fire, without imposing a specific technical channel.
Is an on-site attendant sufficient in case of fire alarm?
In many buildings permanently occupied during operating hours, a trained attendant who receives the alarm on the signalling panel and immediately alerts the emergency zone meets the requirement for rapid response. This is the typical case for offices, shops or workshops occupied during the day, where continuous human presence ensures that no alarm goes unanswered. The condition is that this attendant is identified, trained in the procedure, and available during the hours when the building operates. As soon as this human presence becomes discontinuous (night, weekend, seasonal closure), the question of transmission to an ARC arises, because a panel sounding in an empty room triggers no action.