What is the primary purpose of a fire alarm panel?

The primary purpose of a fire alarm panel is to alert occupants of a building in the event of a fire or smoke detection. This is crucial for ensuring the safety of individuals within the premises, allowing them to evacuate quickly and avoid potential harm. The fire alarm panel receives signals from various detection devices throughout the building, such as smoke or heat detectors, and processes those signals to produce audible and visual alarms that inform occupants of the need to evacuate.

While the other options involve important aspects of fire safety—like monitoring occupancy or initiating fire suppression systems—the central responsibility of a fire alarm panel is communication. It serves as the command center for the fire alarm system, ensuring that everyone in a building is promptly notified of emergencies so they can take appropriate action. Thus, emphasizing the panel's role in alerting occupants is key to understanding its fundamental function.