The National Incident Management System (NIMS) breaks fire alarms in the following categories:
Fire – Any instance of open flame or other burning in a place not
intended to contain the burning or in an uncontrolled manner.
False Alarm – Alarm accidently caused by non-fire event.
Examples: construction activities, dirty air handler filters, burnt
food products, un-identified cause, other similar events.
Nuisance Alarm – Alarm intentionally caused by non-fire event.
Examples: activating a pull station as a prank, use of a smoke bomb,
activating a fire sprinkler with a lighter, other similar events.
Fire Drill – Intentional activation of alarm.
Examples: a test of the system or of the evacuation plan.
Emergency
Evacuation – Intentional activation of alarm to
Examples: for a bomb threat, gas leak, other similar event.
Trouble -A trouble reported by the fire panel that did not result in the alarm being activated.
Examples: Dirty smoke, ground fault, other similar events
Priority 2-A Priority 2 reported by the fire panel that did not result in the alarm being activated.
Examples: In room smoke, security alarm, other similar events
Supervisory-A Supervisory reported by the fire panel that did not result in the alarm being activated.
Examples: Freezer low temperature warning, generator running, other similar events