Which statement about conventional fire alarm control panels is true?

• A. They use a centralized digital bus to address devices individually
• B. They lack any zone functionality
• C. They classify devices by zones rather than individual addresses
• D. They require wireless communication for all devices

Answer: (C)

Conventional fire alarm control panels organize devices into zones rather than giving each device a unique address. In these systems, detectors and devices are wired to zone circuits, and the panel signals alarms, troubles, or other events by zone. Because the panel only identifies which zone is active, not the exact device within that zone, devices are effectively grouped by zones instead of being individually addressable.

This is why the statement describing devices being classified by zones rather than individual addresses is the correct one. It highlights the fundamental difference from addressable systems, where a centralized digital bus assigns a specific address to each device.

The other ideas don’t fit because conventional panels are built around zones and wired circuits, not a universal requirement for wireless communication, and they do involve zone functionality. The notion of addressing devices individually or relying on wireless-only communication would align more with alternative system types or configurations, not the standard conventional approach.