What is the maximum time allowed between the activation of an initiating device in alarm condition and the time the alarm condition is displayed and recorded at the supervising station?

• A. 60 seconds
• B. 90 seconds
• C. 120 seconds
• D. 180 seconds

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how quickly a supervised system must make an alarm visible and logged at the central station after an initiating device is triggered. Once the initiating device goes into alarm, the signal must be processed, transmitted, and shown on the supervising station’s display within a fixed maximum time. That limit is 90 seconds. This accounts for the time the initiating device sends its signal to the fire alarm control panel, the panel formats the alarm transmission, and the communications link to the central monitoring station delivers the alert, where the operator records and displays the event.

Why this fits best: 90 seconds is the established upper bound that balances reliable, timely notification with the realities of signal processing and transmission. Times like 60 seconds are often too optimistic given many paths a signal can take, while 120 or 180 seconds would introduce unnecessary delays in dispatch and record-keeping.