Cunningham Security designs, installs, monitors, and inspects commercial fire alarm systems for properties across Portland, ME—from offices, restaurants, and retail to multifamily, healthcare, and light industrial. Our team includes NICET II and IPSI II trained technicians and we coordinate directly with the City’s Fire Prevention and Permitting teams for drawings, permits, acceptance testing, and ongoing compliance. Expect clean installations, accurate documentation, and dependable 24/7 monitoring tailored to Portland’s more stringent requirements.
Request a Fire Alarm Quote or call (207) 846-3350
Why Choose Cunningham for Portland Fire Alarms
- Local expertise with stricter codes: Portland’s adoption and enforcement of life-safety standards demands careful submittals and complete acceptance tests. We handle the details so your project passes smoothly.
- City coordination: We work hand-in-hand with Fire Prevention & Community Risk Reduction and the City’s Permitting & Inspections team—covering drawings, permits, scheduling, and pre-final/final tests.
- Credentialed technicians: NICET II & IPSI II trained techs perform programming, device layout, sensitivity testing, and inspection reports to the standard your AHJ expects.
- Full lifecycle support: Engineered drawings → installation → acceptance → monitoring → recurring inspections and maintenance.
- Clean installs, clear paperwork: Proper labeling, accurate as-builts, and complete Records of Completion help you pass AHJ reviews without surprises.
What We Install, Monitor & Inspect
- Addressable & conventional fire alarm systems: new builds, retrofits, expansions, and tenant fit-outs.
- Detection & notification: smoke/heat/CO detection, duct detection, pull stations, horns/strobes, strobes with candela settings, voice evacuation where required.
- Supervision & integration: sprinkler supervisory/tamper/flow, elevator recall, door release, HVAC shutdown, generator, and kitchen hood interfaces.
- Monitoring: 24/7 central-station fire monitoring with event reporting, test signals, and service notifications.
- Inspections & testing: periodic inspections per NFPA 72 and local requirements; sensitivity testing; deficiency lists with corrective actions and retests.
- Upgrades & takeovers: modernize head-ends and devices where feasible; replace end-of-life equipment; bring legacy systems into compliance.
Serving Portland & Southern Maine: Our headquarters is in Falmouth—minutes from downtown—so we can move quickly on site walks, submittals, and acceptance testing.
Why Portland Is Different (Permits, AHJ, Testing)
In Portland, life-safety work is reviewed in coordination with the City’s Permitting & Inspections Department and the Fire Department’s Fire Prevention & Community Risk Reduction team. Fire alarm work typically requires a permit, and the City publishes rules for life safety signaling systems and contractor responsibilities. Acceptance testing and commissioning are expected before systems are placed in service.
What that means for you: projects move faster when drawings, device counts, programming notes, and cut sheets match the City’s submittal checklists—and when Records of Completion and test forms are ready for the AHJ at final.
Permits & Acceptance Testing — Who to Contact
City of Portland — Fire Prevention
Phone: (207) 874-8400
Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 am–4:30 pm (closed weekends/holidays)
Permits & Acceptance Testing — City Contacts
Fire Prevention & Community Risk Reduction
Permitting & Inspections
Phone: (207) 874-8703
Address: 389 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Acceptance tests: Prior to placing a system in service, Portland requires coordinated acceptance/commissioning with all fire system contractors and the Fire Department, with documentation provided at the test. (Sprinkler and other fire-protection permits describe this explicitly; alarm projects are coordinated similarly.)
Documentation & NFPA 72 Recordkeeping
- NFPA 72 Record of Completion: We prepare the NFPA 72 System Record of Completion after installation and before final acceptance, noting devices, programming, and locations.
- Test & inspection reports: We deliver signed confidence testing forms and deficiency lists for AHJ and owner records.
- As-builts & device schedules: Updated line diagrams, point lists, and candela settings—so maintenance and future expansions go smoothly.
Brands & System Capabilities
We commonly deploy and service Fire-Lite, Silent Knight, and Potter panels and peripherals—widely supported by AHJs and easy to maintain. Whether you need an addressable voice-evacuation system for a multi-story building or a conventional system for a smaller occupancy, we’ll specify a code-compliant, serviceable path with clear documentation and training.
Our Process
- Site walk & code review: We review occupancy use, existing drawings/devices, and City requirements; we collect permit inputs.
- Engineered design & submittals: Device layout, cut sheets, programming notes, and permit applications go to the City for review.
- Professional installation: Clean cabling/mounting, labeling, and device programming; coordination with other trades.
- Pre-final & final acceptance tests: We coordinate with the AHJ, deliver Records of Completion, test reports, and close out punch-lists.
- Monitoring & inspections: 24/7 central-station monitoring, periodic inspections, sensitivity testing, and documentation per NFPA 72 and City guidance.
Portland Fire Alarm FAQs
Do fire alarm projects in Portland need permits?
Yes—fire alarm work is reviewed with the City’s Permitting & Inspections team and Fire Prevention. We prepare the drawings and forms and coordinate the process for you.
Who schedules acceptance testing?
We coordinate pre-final and final tests with your project team and the Fire Department. You’ll have Records of Completion and test reports ready for the AHJ.
Can you take over our existing system?
Often. We evaluate your panel, wiring, and devices; if they’re in good condition and supportable, we can modernize the head-end and bring the system into compliance.
What brands do you support?
We install and service Fire-Lite, Silent Knight, and Potter systems, among others, and integrate required supervisory functions, voice evac, and third-party interfaces.
Do you offer 24/7 monitoring and inspections?
Yes. We provide UL-listed central-station monitoring and periodic inspections with proper documentation for the AHJ and insurance.
Get Started
Ready to plan your Portland fire alarm project? Request a Fire Alarm Quote or call (207) 846-3350. Our headquarters in Falmouth puts us minutes from downtown Portland for site walks, submittals, and testing.
Portland Office (Headquarters) — 325 US Route 1, Falmouth, ME 04105 •
Directions •
(207) 846-3350
