Which building criteria triggers a fire alarm designed to warn occupants in multifamily or hotel buildings?

• A. Apartment houses three stories or more in height or containing more than 15 apartments, and hotels three stories or more in height, require fire alarms designed to warn occupants.
• B. All apartment buildings require fire alarms.
• C. Hotels require alarms, but not apartment buildings.
• D. Any building with a restaurant requires alarms.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that occupant-warning fire alarms are required in multifamily or hotel buildings when the building is large enough or tall enough to warrant a more robust signaling system for evacuation. The rule states that apartment houses that are three stories or more in height, or that contain more than 15 apartments, and hotels that are three stories or more in height, must have fire alarms designed to warn occupants. This ensures everyone in larger or taller buildings can clearly hear or see when a fire occurs, giving people enough time to evacuate safely.

This is why the option is the best: it matches the specific thresholds that trigger the requirement—height and/or size—rather than applying to all apartment buildings, or excluding apartments altogether, or basing the rule on whether a building has a restaurant.