The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed over 300 codes and standards to support the rapidly changing needs of the fire and life safety industry.
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code®, is perhaps one of the most wide-ranging, designed to “meet society's changing fire detection, signaling, and emergency communications demands.”
Development of building solutions
Updated every three years, the 2025 edition of NFPA 72 took effect on September 18, 2024
Updated every three years, the 2025 edition of NFPA 72 took effect on September 18, 2024, and contains several key updates around technology, cybersecurity, and integration to support the continued development of connected building solutions.
Staying ahead of these updates will ensure your building not only meets current needs but is able to adapt for future challenges.
Cybersecurity and Remote Access
While the 2022 edition of NFPA 72 introduced a variety of cybersecurity updates, it did not specify how they should be achieved. In the 2025 edition, Chapter 11 addresses this and outlines requirements to protect fire alarm and signaling systems from cyber-attacks across configuration, implementation, security, and access.
This is particularly of interest when it comes to continued use of remote access processes across building systems, which allow a variety of maintenance to be done partially offsite, such as programming and resetting support.
This includes the installation of patch updates, for example, much like those we have on our phones and laptops.
Cybersecurity guidelines
Reliability is of the utmost importance, meaning a technician needs to be on-site
With life safety systems, however, you can’t simply push a button to start an update and move on.
Reliability is of the utmost importance, meaning a technician needs to be on-site, while another installs patch updates remotely to ensure continuity of service and troubleshoot if needed.
In an increasingly hybrid world, clear cybersecurity guidelines for remote access allow service providers to take advantage of such capabilities without fear of infiltration by threat actors.
Advanced Technology Enhancements
The incorporation of acoustic leak detection, thermal imaging, and a new notification mode in the 2025 edition of NFPA 72 offer both new applications for existing life safety technologies and advantages for increased accessibility.
While acoustic leak detection is not a new technology, its use in the fire industry is a relatively recent application. These detectors identify the sound produced by a pressurized gas release or water leak in a pipe or its threads. In some cases, they can pinpoint the exact location of the leak.
Integration with fire alarm systems
Introduction of acoustic leak detection in NFPA 72 provides fire professionals with an understanding
The introduction of acoustic leak detection in NFPA 72 provides fire professionals with an understanding of how to install, maintain, and test detectors, supporting integration with fire alarm systems for a more integrated life safety system across facilities.
Thermal imaging, in a similar manner, can detect quickly developing fire threats by identifying changes in heat range.
While traditional fire detection methods remain essential, thermal imaging enhances early threat detection and can identify risks, such as the self-combustion of lithium-ion batteries, which can occur in a matter of seconds, even before conventional sensors would trigger an alarm.
New notification operation mode
NFPA 72 also introduces a new notification operation mode, Restricted Audible Mode Operation (RAMO), which “recognizes the need for notification options in areas where loud sounds might be detrimental to typical occupants of the notification zones.”
This can include spaces such as schools or healthcare facilities occupied by people with autism spectrum disorder, neurodiverse individuals, or others sensitive to stimuli like sound and light.
With the approval of the authority having jurisdiction, facility managers can reduce the level of audio from fire alarm systems to better accommodate occupants, increase facility accessibility and experiences.
Streamlined System Integration
Architects and engineers can now plan for expansive areas without the constraints of challenges
A significant update in the 2025 edition clarifies the allowance of smoke detectors on ceilings up to 40 feet high, impacting school design, hotel lobbies and other large spaces. While a seemingly minor change, this modification enhances design flexibility and fire alarm system effectiveness.
Architects and engineers can now plan for expansive areas without the constraints of computer modeling or challenges posed by structural elements like beams or ventilation systems, ultimately improving safety and efficiency.
Guidelines for auxiliary service providers
The addition of guidelines for auxiliary service providers (ASPs) and communications technologies is another noteworthy integration update, ensuring that fire protection signals are processed effectively and aligning safety systems with evolving technology trends.
Historically, fire alarm systems have not been able to directly contact fire departments to minimize the prevalence of false alarms; instead, supervising stations have served as the middle party to vet fire alarm activations from ASPs.
In the last 10-15 years, this process has become largely electronic (via text or email) as opposed to picking up the phone, and continued technological advancements have created several new methods for service providers to send fire alarm system signals to supervising stations.
Introduction of guidelines for ASPs
Intro of policies for ASPs has given jurisdictions the flexibility to execute new technologies
This shift is largely due to a trickle-down effect from the residential technology market, where smart technology and IoT devices have become the norm, influencing technological development in the commercial realm.
While some municipalities may want to take advantage of new technologies to streamline the fire response process where possible, many fire departments are still relying on older technologies and may not have the resources available to implement major tech upgrades.
The introduction of guidelines for ASPs has provided jurisdictions with the flexibility to implement new, progressive technologies where viable, while protecting the ability of others to maintain their current processes for fire alarm notifications and action by emergency response agencies.
Looking Ahead
As fire and life safety professionals navigate rapid technological developments, staying current with the latest NFPA codes and standards remains essential to ensuring safety and maintaining seamless service across the built environment. The 2025 edition of NFPA 72 introduces important updates that reflect the evolving capabilities of modern fire alarm and signaling systems.
With these advancements, facility managers have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with the new requirements to ensure their systems are not only code-compliant, but also more secure, scalable and seamlessly connected to other building technologies.
While the 2025 edition has only been in effect for a short time, the next revision cycle for 2028 is already on the horizon, making now the ideal moment for industry pioneers to evaluate the standard’s implementation and identify areas for continued improvement.
