Who’s Required

over 75 feet tall/ 7 floors and higher

The ARCS is considered as an integral part of the Fire Alarm system. Any major building renovation or general reconstruction of an existing building that requires modifications or redesign of the Fire Alarm system in the building will trigger the FDNY to require the installation of the ARCS so the existing buildings will comply with the new code. Our Engineering Department provides technical, engineering, surveying, and hands-on support to all our customers. We offer filing services to help you generate and track all necessary plans and documents for design, filing and the final sign off. We work closely with your designated lead to install a new system, or to upgrade an existing one. Our full range of services makes sure that you are in compliance and up to code with NYC regulations. Our inspection services include pre-testing, submitting applications and documentation to obtain inspection dates and walking through the actual inspection with the FDNY inspectors. We create a maintenance schedule according to the building’s system and we set up a maintenance program that works for your business, all while providing 24/7 central station monitoring and after-hours services in order to respond to emergency signals. AGTechnologies’ is also available to inspect and recertify the existing system for you.

An ARC system is a Distributed Antenna System (DAS), wireless two-way (2 way) building communication system for Fire Department NYC use. It only receives and transmits Fire Department portable radio frequencies within the building. An ARC system typically consists of a transceiver (base station) or Radio Amplifier Unit (RAU) as called by FDNY, connected to a building-wide antenna system, with a radio console-Dedicated Radio Console (DRC) in the building lobby Section 917.1.2 of the New York City Building Code and Section FC 511 of the New York City Fire Code together require that ARC systems be installed, acceptance tested, operated, and maintained under the Fire Code and the rules of the Fire Department. The system must cover entire building footage and must be in full compliance with FDNY’s requirements as 95% coverage at -93 dBm (unit of level used to indicate that a power ratio is expressed in decibels with reference to one milliwatt) in general building areas and 100% at -93 dBm in critical building areas. Critical areas, such as the fire/emergency command center, fire pump room(s), exit stairs, exit passageways, elevator lobbies, standpipe cabinets, sprinkler sectional valve locations, and other areas deemed critical by the authority having jurisdiction at the time of the plan review by the Fire Department. General building areas will have 95 percent of the floor area, radio coverage, under the rules promulgated by the Fire Department. All ARCS infrastructure (RAU, DRC, all cables, and any related circuits) must be 2 hours of fire-rated protected.