Gamewell-FCI Develops Fire Alarm Upgrade Kit for Legacy Systems

  • Aug 14, 2012

Gamewell-FCI  by Honeywell (NYSE: HON) has developed a cost-effective kit for upgrading FCI 7200 Series fire alarm control panels to the latest, code-compliant technology of an E3 Series(r) fire alarm and emergency communications system.

The ease of installation provided by the 7200 Retrofit Kit, combined with the expandable capacity and backward compatibility inherent in E3 Series systems, can enable facilities to upgrade legacy systems to provide more sophisticated and reliable fire protection. The Retrofit Kit greatly minimizes costs by allowing the electrical components of a new E3 Series system to be installed within the existing 7200 panel's backbox, in addition to utilizing the existing detectors, strobes, speakers and other System Sensor devices.

"When changing out just the panel, we typically need two techs and an electrician onsite to mark wires, disconnect the panel, pull-off the cabinet, and then start the process of installing the new one," says Duane Hannasch of Fire Alarm Control Systems, Inc. in San Antonio, Tex., a Gamewell-FCI ESD (Engineered Systems Distributor). "Depending on the size of the job, this new kit could easily save the customer $500 to $1,500 or more, just in labor to switch out one panel."

The 7200 Series was introduced to the US market in the early 1980s and ceased production in 2005. Gamewell-FCI approximates more than 15,000 units were installed over its last eight years of production.

"It's a lot easier to expand the system and add more devices and capabilities when you're working with a scalable system like the E3 Series," says Hannasch. "And if you're re-using the wire and devices already there, it's easy to change out devices and add new features as budgets allow."

While many facilities are searching for a means to keep fire alarms compliant with codes and ADA (American's with Disabilities Act) requirements, others seek newer capabilities, such as gas detection and mass notification.

"Buildings with 7200s already in them have innumerable options when it comes to utilizing the latest technology to reduce false alarms, add voice evac and emergency communications capabilities, and improve the looks or aesthetics of the system," exclaims Gamewell-FCI Product Marketing Manager, Brian Carlson.

Numerous facility types across the US are ideal candidates for FCI 7200 upgrades utilizing the new Retrofit Kit. Gamewell-FCI ESD Advanced Safety Systems outside of Boston, Mass., has identified several potential sites that are looking to upgrade.

 "We have a number of hospitals and schools that can be easily upgraded, but the customer that needs it the most here is a temple that's looking to expand," says Mike Beatrice of Advanced Safety Systems. "They're maxed-out on capacity, which is common on these systems. And the voice evac is currently a separate system. Once upgraded, everything will be integrated into one system that can be added onto in stages."

Recent tragedies, such as the Colorado theatre shooting, have apparently placed more pressure on facility owners to consider adding or improving systems for sending emergency communications to people in and around a facility, according to Carlson.

"We're no longer seeing just larger facilities looking to communicate with occupants during an emergency. Smaller buildings of assembly need the same features, but in a tighter package," Carlson states. "This retrofit kit allows those older 7200 systems to jump light years ahead in technology to serve as both a fire alarm and emergency communications system within the same cabinet,"

 

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.