The newly released 2025 edition of NFPA 72 brings several important changes that will directly shape how fire alarm and life-safety professionals in Louisiana design, install, test, and maintain systems. The final installment of the “Fireside Chat” series highlights updates to Chapters 14 and 29—areas that significantly influence day-to-day work for technicians, inspectors, and service companies. For LLSSA members, understanding these updates early will help reduce liability, improve accuracy in the field, and better prepare companies for future enforcement by the Louisiana State Fire Marshal and local authorities.
One of the most notable clarifications is that inspection, testing, and maintenance personnel are no longer expected to confirm whether the original fire alarm system design is adequate. Their role is to evaluate and maintain the system as installed, while design-adequacy reviews remain the responsibility of a qualified engineer when required. For Louisiana contractors, this clarification protects service technicians from inadvertently assuming design liability and reinforces the importance of well-written scopes of work, clearly defined responsibilities, and proper documentation in service contracts. Companies that perform both design and maintenance will want to ensure internal separation of duties and updated training so technicians understand where their responsibilities begin and end.
The 2025 edition also strengthens the role of manufacturer documentation. Technologies such as thermal-image detectors must now be inspected, tested, and maintained strictly according to the manufacturer’s published procedures. This change underscores the need for Louisiana companies to stay current with manufacturer updates, train technicians on device-specific requirements, and ensure field documentation captures all required test criteria. As more advanced detection methods enter the Louisiana market, this standard reinforces that the responsibility for correct maintenance extends beyond NFPA 72 and into the precise requirements of each device’s listing.
Emergency responder communications enhancement systems also receive new testing expectations. Supervisory functions and all ancillary features must be tested to ensure they do not interfere with or impair the fire alarm system. With more ERCES installations appearing in high-rise, healthcare, commercial, and special-use buildings across Louisiana, these additional testing steps will affect service time, technician training, and documentation procedures. Companies will need to adjust scheduling, task lists, and pricing structures to reflect the increased workload required for compliance.
Changes to Chapter 29 affect residential and household systems, particularly those involving fuel-gas detection and combination smoke or CO alarm monitoring devices. NFPA 72 now points to NFPA 715 for fuel-gas detector installation and performance criteria, making it essential for Louisiana installers to understand its requirements when working in homes, apartments, and mixed-use residential settings. Devices that “listen” for the sound of smoke or CO alarms must be specifically listed for that purpose, and they are prohibited from transmitting signals directly to a supervising station. This prevents household add-on devices from being misused as substitutes for true monitored fire alarm systems. Additionally, CO alarms installed in unconditioned spaces must be listed for those temperature and humidity conditions, which may affect device selection in garages, workshops, camps, and other Louisiana environments prone to heat and humidity swings.
For Louisiana’s life safety and property protection industry, these changes represent more than updates to a national standard. They influence local practices, AHJ expectations, training requirements, and the way companies write proposals and service contracts. As the Louisiana State Fire Marshal and local jurisdictions begin referencing or incorporating the new edition into inspections and plan reviews, LLSSA members who prepare early will be better positioned to avoid compliance issues, reduce liability exposure, and demonstrate professionalism to customers and authorities. These revisions also offer an opportunity for companies to strengthen customer communication, educate building owners on upcoming expectations, and emphasize the value of using properly trained, licensed, and code-informed technicians.
By embracing the 2025 edition of NFPA 72 now, Louisiana contractors reinforce their commitment to safety, accuracy, and industry leadership. LLSSA members who adapt quickly will not only remain compliant but will also enhance their competitive edge across the state’s growing life-safety and property protection market.