How to Use Common Fire Alarm System Modules and Accessories

Let's say you've got fire panels in every building. They're up to code, and they alert when they're supposed to.

During an actual emergency, though, you need more than just a consumer-grade beep or a blinking light, of course. You need a clear, prioritized alert visible across your facility. You need to know which panel triggered, what zone it's in, and whether it's a drill or a real threat.

Most fire alarm systems weren't built to scale or share data across buildings, departments, or networks. That's why smart integrators turn to Digitize's Prism LX platform - and the powerful suite of modules and accessories that make it work in the real world.

Let's walk through how each component is designed to enhance your visibility, add capacity, and reduce integration headaches.

Distributed Fire Panels Leave You Guessing

In a single-building setup, standalone fire alarm control panels (FACPs) may be enough. But once your infrastructure spans multiple buildings - or has specific use cases like panic alerting - you need centralized control.

Without that, your teams are often stuck calling around, walking to panels, or waiting for reports. This creates:

• Delayed evacuations
• Confused dispatchers
• Missed alarms
• Inconsistent response across zones

The consequences are worse in facilities with legacy systems, where adding new zones or sharing alarm data is time-consuming or impossible.

Legacy Add-Ons Don't Fix the Problem

It's tempting to "bolt on" some enhancements or use manufacturer-specific software to extend your panels. But that creates problems of its own, including:

• Incompatible communication protocols
• Poor visibility across multiple systems
• No support for panic or SCADA triggers
• Manual data entry and auditing
• Complex licensing and recurring fees

These "solutions" often add complexity instead of reducing it.

Setup Modular Alarm Monitoring That Just Works

In the perfect scenario, you'll have a system where:

• Your fire alarm panels, panic buttons, security zones, and remote annunciators all report into a single platform.
• Alarms are automatically prioritized and displayed by location, department, or threat level.
• You can scale from 16 to 2,000 inputs with zero architectural changes.
• Alarm data is shared across your campus or city over Ethernet - not isolated by building.

That's exactly what Digitize modules and accessories enable inside a Prism LX ecosystem.

The Digitize Toolkit: Practical Uses for Each Module

Muxpad II / Muxpad II-RF: Fire Panel Integration Made Simple

The Muxpad II functions by interfacing both conventional and addressable fire alarm control panels with the Prism LX. The Muxpad II does so using a range of communication formats, including RS-232, RS-485, fiber, Ethernet, or radio.

In a typical use case, such as a large transportation hub with legacy panels spread across multiple buildings, the Muxpad II converts fire alarm control panel output into Prism-compatible data. It then transmits that information over the communication medium you select. Since the system supports deployments of up to 500 units, it can be scaled across large or distributed facilities without difficulty.

For field environments where cable trenching is impractical - such as rail yards, airport runways, or similar open-air sites - the Muxpad II-RF provides a practical alternative. Its radio-based communication option allows teams to integrate remote panels reliably without the need for physical cabling.

512 Zone Card Rack: Scale Your Inputs Without Compromising Control

The 512 Zone Card Rack is designed to hold up to sixteen RPI or EOL cards. This enables a single rack to manage as many as 512 supervised direct-wire inputs. This offers an effective way to consolidate large volumes of hardwired alarm points into an organized, centrally managed structure.

A common example is a municipality that needs to monitor hundreds of fire pull stations and security sensors across multiple buildings. By deploying several 512 Zone Card Racks, the system can scale to as many as 2,048 hardwired zones. These all remain fully supervised and report to you through the Prism LX platform.

This hardware is especially useful in legacy retrofit projects (where existing cabling must remain in place). It allows you to modernize your monitoring architecture without replacing infrastructure that is still functional.

Remote Annunciator (23.8"): Visual Alarm Intelligence at a Glance

The 23.8-inch Remote Annunciator operates as a touchscreen terminal that mirrors all Prism LX event data. It presents alarms using color-coded and audio alerts, allows operators to filter events by priority or type, and maintains a comprehensive dispatcher log for operational tracking and documentation.

In practical use, this unit gives fire stations, security desks, and university dispatch centers instant visibility into active alarms without requiring physical access to the central Prism LX head-end. Staff can monitor system activity, acknowledge events, and review historical data from any location where a Remote Annunciator is installed.

Optional capabilities - such as SMS Text-to-Cell notifications and relay control - expand its role beyond simple display functionality. With these add-ons, the device becomes a full operational command interface capable of supporting coordinated response workflows.

Addressable Panic Button: Instant Notification with Visual Confirmation

The Addressable Panic Button operates in coordination with the Prism LX and VersAlarm systems. When activated, its onboard LED begins flashing and then latches into a steady "on" state until it is reset from the head-end. This provides a clear, unambiguous visual confirmation that the alert has been triggered and acknowledged by the monitoring system.

A common application is within school districts that need rapid, dependable emergency signaling in classrooms, administrative offices, and common areas. When a staff member presses the button, the event is immediately logged in the Prism LX and forwarded to designated responders, enabling faster and more coordinated action.

Up to 99 panic buttons can be connected to a single panel using T-tap copper wiring for distances of up to 5,000 feet. This makes the system well-suited for long corridors, multi-building campuses, or secure facilities where extensive wiring runs are required.

AlarmLAN (Standard & Mini): Turn Your LAN into a Life-Safety Backbone

AlarmLAN enables multiple Prism LX units to share alarm data across an Ethernet network, effectively transforming the existing LAN or WAN into a unified life-safety communication backbone. The system allows distributed monitoring points to function as a coordinated whole rather than isolated receivers.

A common example is a university campus with fire alarm hubs located in dormitories, laboratories, administrative buildings, and auditoriums. By installing AlarmLAN, your institution gains system-wide visibility and awareness.

The Standard AlarmLAN option supports full command and control between units, allowing actions such as acknowledgments, clears, and filtering by alarm type or priority.

AlarmLAN also incorporates a fail-safe Auto-Direct feature. If the designated primary Prism LX ever goes offline, the system automatically redirects reporting to a secondary unit. That ensures you get continuous monitoring without operator intervention.

CAPS II: Bring Prism LX into Your Automation System

The CAPS II option allows the Prism LX to transmit alarm, trouble, and secure-condition data directly into SCADA systems or other automation platforms. It gives you this using RS-232 or Ethernet interfaces and relies on a supervised handshake protocol to make sure that all transmitted data is properly received and acknowledged.

In industrial and utility environments, this capability makes it possible to integrate fire and life-safety information into existing plant control dashboards. Your operators can view fire alarm activity alongside production metrics, equipment status, or facility-health indicators without switching between separate monitoring systems.

Additionally, every alarm text string sent through CAPS II can be customized. This makes it easier for your downstream software to parse, categorize, and react to incoming events according to site-specific logic or automation rules.

D-LAN Automation Output: Ethernet-Based Routing Without the Noise

The D-LAN Automation Output option enables the Prism LX to route alarm data to as many as 100 remote devices, such as Remote Annunciators, over an Ethernet network. It uses specifically assigned IP addresses to make sure that each device receives only the information intended for it. In doing that, it's able to prevent unnecessary broadcast traffic and reduce network congestion.

A practical deployment scenario is a military base that requires precise delivery of alerts to different operations rooms. With D-LAN, alarm data is routed according to the origin of the event, so only the appropriate terminals activate. This targeted communication improves your situational awareness while avoiding the confusion that can come from system-wide notifications.

Since the system is IP-based, it integrates smoothly with existing LAN infrastructure. This design minimizes strain on the network and makes the solution easy for IT teams to support and manage.

CGRMS: Visualize Fire, Security, and Access Control in One Dashboard

The Computer Graphics Response Management System (CGRMS) operates as a PC-based graphical interface that consolidates alarms, CCTV feeds, and access-control activity into a single, map-driven environment. Floor plans, icons, and event indicators make it easier for your operators to interpret system activity at a glance.

In municipal command centers, CGRMS allows fire, security, and public safety systems to be monitored from one unified dashboard. When an event occurs, the interface can automatically display the relevant area of the map, trigger associated camera feeds, and present icon-based alerts that reflect the precise sensor involved. This reduces response time and improves situational awareness across departments.

The platform also supports attaching live video streams and replayable recordings to specific sensor events. This capability is valuable during post-incident analysis, as operators can review the exact visual context surrounding alarms for forensic or compliance purposes.

Configurator Cards: The Adapter That Makes It All Work

Configurator Cards allow the Prism LX to adapt its serial ports to a variety of communication formats, including RS-232, RS-485, fiber optics, Ethernet, and audio or data modems. By converting each port to the required interface type, these cards make sure that diverse field equipment can communicate reliably with the monitoring system.

For facilities where multiple communication methods coexist - such as legacy fire alarm panels using radio links and newer systems using Ethernet - Configurator Cards make it possible to standardize all inputs into the Prism LX. This enables simple integration without requiring wholesale replacement of older equipment.

These cards are particularly important during retrofit projects, where serial port availability and compatibility must be confirmed before installation. Verifying which ports are open and which communication formats are needed helps ensure smooth deployment and prevents delays in system commissioning.

Use the Right Tool for the Right Role

Trying to build a centralized fire monitoring system without these tools is like trying to assemble a control center using extension cords and duct tape. Sure, you can technically make it work, but not in a way you'd want to rely on during a crisis.

Digitize's modules aren't just optional add-ons. They're the building blocks of scalable, compliant, real-world fire alarm monitoring. Whether you're trying to avoid code violations or reduce dispatch confusion, the right accessory at the right layer makes all the difference.

Ready to Build a Modular Fire Alarm System?

Start by answering these questions:

• Do you have panels that can't talk to each other?
• Are you still using legacy phone lines or radios?
• Is your alarm visibility delayed, incomplete, or totally missing during off-hours?
• Would a centralized touch interface make dispatch easier?

If the answer to any of those is "yes," it's time to get serious about Prism LX - and the modules that make it flexible.

Call Digitize at 1-800-523-7232 or email info@digitize-inc.com to speak with an engineer.

We'll help you identify the modules that suit your system - and your budget - without forcing a forklift upgrade.

You don't need to rip out what you have. You just need to make your system a bit smarter.