Narrative:

Continued problems for last 2 yrs with last 2 months an increase in false fire alarms. On jul/xa/99, the fire alarm monitor was disabled in the tower. Airways facilities was called for overtime so they could monitor the system. I believe the situation is unsafe due to the frequency of the false alarms. If there was an actual fire people would not believe it is a real one. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised false equipment fire alarms have been recurrent, on an intermittent basis, since feb/97, when the new facility was commissioned. FAA technicians have, and continue to investigate when an alarm activates, aural as well as circuitry alarm. The reporter advises that the installing contractor has not been able to resolve the false alarm issue, though frequently called on site. The reporter has heard in discussion with FAA technicians, that a building lightning strike prior to commissioning may have something to do with the problem. Technicians have been focusing their attention to the equipment room (located between the tower cabin attendant floor and the controller's break room, the floor below), but without resolution.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MCI CTLR CONCERNED WITH INTERMITTENT, FALSE TWR FIRE ALARMS.

Narrative: CONTINUED PROBS FOR LAST 2 YRS WITH LAST 2 MONTHS AN INCREASE IN FALSE FIRE ALARMS. ON JUL/XA/99, THE FIRE ALARM MONITOR WAS DISABLED IN THE TWR. AIRWAYS FACILITIES WAS CALLED FOR OVERTIME SO THEY COULD MONITOR THE SYS. I BELIEVE THE SIT IS UNSAFE DUE TO THE FREQ OF THE FALSE ALARMS. IF THERE WAS AN ACTUAL FIRE PEOPLE WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT IS A REAL ONE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED FALSE EQUIP FIRE ALARMS HAVE BEEN RECURRENT, ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS, SINCE FEB/97, WHEN THE NEW FACILITY WAS COMMISSIONED. FAA TECHNICIANS HAVE, AND CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE WHEN AN ALARM ACTIVATES, AURAL AS WELL AS CIRCUITRY ALARM. THE RPTR ADVISES THAT THE INSTALLING CONTRACTOR HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE FALSE ALARM ISSUE, THOUGH FREQUENTLY CALLED ON SITE. THE RPTR HAS HEARD IN DISCUSSION WITH FAA TECHNICIANS, THAT A BUILDING LIGHTNING STRIKE PRIOR TO COMMISSIONING MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PROB. TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN FOCUSING THEIR ATTN TO THE EQUIP ROOM (LOCATED BTWN THE TWR CAB FLOOR AND THE CTLR'S BREAK ROOM, THE FLOOR BELOW), BUT WITHOUT RESOLUTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.