This week we're answering a couple of questions we've been surprised to receive recently, along with sharing some general updates from around AFAM.

​We've just published a new technical training video covering the features of the AFAM AlarmTech App and how to get the most from it.

This is the first in a series of three training videos designed to help technicians get up to speed quickly and make full use of the app's capabilities.

A service agent recently asked whether we still offer an in-box option for our monitoring equipment.

The question caught us by surprise at first. We spend a lot of time talking about the benefits of installing monitoring equipment directly inside the fire alarm panel, and in doing so we probably don't mention the in-box option as often as we should.

The short answer is yes — we absolutely still offer an in-box CTU solution, and it remains the preferred option for many installations.

We generally recommend an in-box CTU when:

• More than two fire alarm systems need to be monitored by a single CTU. In these situations, the power requirements typically dictate the use of a dedicated enclosure with one of our standard power supplies and a 12V 7Ah backup battery.
• Monitoring is being transferred from another provider and the fire alarm panel is not capable of providing IoT detector-level information. In these cases, replacing the existing monitoring enclosure with an AFAM in-box solution is often the most practical approach.

Another question we receive from time to time is how many fire alarm systems or SGDs a CTU can support.

An in-box CTU can support up to eight independent fire alarm systems, provided those systems are configured for multi-drop communications.

If you're unsure whether an in-panel or in-box solution is best for your application, please get in touch with our team. We're always happy to help recommend the most suitable monitoring configuration.

When replacing a competitor's monitoring equipment, we offer a range of enclosure sizes designed to closely match existing installations.

This makes upgrades simpler and often results in a more aesthetically pleasing outcome. It's surprisingly common to discover that a wall has been repainted around an existing enclosure, leaving a noticeable colour difference behind it. Matching the original enclosure size where possible helps avoid this issue.

Our enclosures are manufactured in New Zealand from folded sheet metal before being powder coated and oven baked to provide a durable, long-lasting finish.

For what appears to be a simple metal box, they're surprisingly expensive to produce. While cheaper offshore alternatives are available, we've chosen to continue supporting New Zealand manufacturers wherever practical. It's a decision we're proud to make and one that aligns with our commitment to local industry.

As part of our upcoming CTU release, we'll also be making several improvements to our enclosure design. We'll share more details closer to launch.

​In our last newsletter, we shared a brochure we’ve put together mainly for property owners and managers, highlighting the benefits of smart fire alarm monitoring. We’ve also made sure it’s something Business Development Managers and Account Managers from fire alarm service providers can use as an easy way to talk their customers through those benefits.

You can find the brochure in the resources section of our website—just click on the image below to take a look.

Over the coming fortnight, members of our team will be visiting Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Wellington.

If you'd like to arrange a meeting, coffee, book a demonstration, or discuss how AFAM can improve visibility across your fire alarm portfolio, we'd be pleased to hear from you.

We're currently looking for a Production & Technical Support Specialist to join our Christchurch team on a fixed-term contract while one of our team members is on maternity leave.

If you'd like to join a great team working on innovative fire alarm technology, you can view the position here:

​In our next newsletter we'll share more product updates, introduce a couple of new features, and provide further details on some exciting developments currently in the works.

This week we're taking a closer look at our new Site Map Portal, recent enhancements to floor plan views, the latest AlarmTech App release, and a few other updates from around the business.

As mentioned in our previous update, we've released a new portal type called the Site Map Portal.

Designed for operational teams managing multi-building facilities such as hospitals, universities, shopping centres, and industrial sites, the Site Map Portal provides a real-time overview of fire alarm system status across an entire property.

When an alarm occurs, the affected building is immediately highlighted, with visual and audible alerts ensuring staff are notified straight away. This can be particularly valuable where additional emergency procedures need to be implemented, such as relocating occupants, shutting down equipment, or coordinating site-wide responses. In the background our fully automatic fire alarm monitoring system will already have informed FENZ and they’ll be mounting a response so the portal operates in addition to our standard monitoring services.

Like all AFAM portals, the Site Map Portal is entirely web-based, meaning there's nothing to install and it can be accessed from any modern device with a web browser.

The screenshots below show the portal in operation. When an alarm is received, the banner flashes and an audible warning sounds until the event is acknowledged. We'll create a video of it in action soon.

We've made several enhancements to our floor plan displays to make them easier to interpret and use.

Devices continue to be displayed using circular icons, while modules are now shown using square or rectangular icons, making it much easier to distinguish between the two at a glance.

​Colours indicate the current status of both devices and modules:

• Fire – Red
• Defect – Orange
• Isolate – Blue
• Test – Purple
• Normal – Green

We've also improved the way devices and modules are rendered, providing a clearer experience on mobile phones and tablets.

We've recently received a large number of floor plans from buildings around New Zealand and are currently processing them for inclusion in our platform.

Our goal is to provide as many building owners, facility managers, and service agents as possible with access to live detector-level information. Where we're monitoring the site, an analogue addressable panel is installed, and detector-level data is available, we'd love to add your floor plans and make them accessible through our portals.

As a reminder, there is no charge for this service. If you can provide suitable drawings, as-builts, or floor plans, we'll do the work required to load and configure them.

Having immediate access to live detector locations and status information can significantly improve decision-making during faults, maintenance activities, and emergency events.

The latest Apple version of the AFAM AlarmTech App has now been released and will automatically update on supported devices. If you'd like immediate access to the new features, simply update the app through the App Store.

This release brings feature parity with the Android version and includes:

• New controls for managing notification and alert types
• A powerful rules engine that can trigger alerts based on specific words or phrases
• Improved user interface and usability
• Performance improvements and bug fixes

The rules engine is particularly useful for prioritising notifications from key customer sites or identifying specific defect conditions that require immediate attention.

This release also introduces support for Critical Alerts, allowing important notifications to be delivered even when a device is muted or in Do Not Disturb mode. Depending on your device settings, you may need to enable this feature manually. If you need assistance, our support team will be happy to help.

​We've recently published a new video providing a high-level overview of the AlarmTech App and its key features.

Over the past two weeks our team has visited Dunedin, Gore, Hamilton, Invercargill, Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch.

Over the coming fortnight we'll be in Tauranga, Hamilton, Auckland, Christchurch, and potentially Wellington.

If you'd like to meet with us, arrange a demonstration, or discuss how AFAM can improve visibility of your fire alarm systems, we'd be pleased to hear from you.

​In our next newsletter, we’ll share more updates with you and a couple of new features.