In a monitored system, what does a supervisory signal indicate?

• A. A signal indicating the status of the protected component
• B. A fire event triggered by smoke
• C. A power failure indication
• D. An occupancy change signal

Answer: (A)

In a monitored fire alarm system, signals fall into three types: fire events, supervisory signals, and trouble signals. A supervisory signal is sent when a monitored device changes state in a way that could affect protection but isn’t itself a fire. It communicates the status of the protected component, alerting you that something like a valve position or other essential device is not in its normal condition and needs attention. This isn’t a fire event (that would be an alarm), nor is it a power failure indication or an occupancy change signal (those are handled as trouble or other specific alerts). So the supervisory signal best describes the status of the protected component.