This paper substantiates the pulse method for determining the time parameter for fire detectors with a thermoresistive sensing element ‒ the time constant. The method is based on using the Joule-Lenz effect, which manifests itself when an electric current pulse passes through the thermoresistive sensing element of fire detectors. Thermal processes in such a sensing element are described by a mathematical model that belongs to the class of equations of mathematical physics. The solution to the differential equation of this class was derived using the Hankel integral transformation and is represented as a series relative to the Bessel functions. The resulting solution is used to construct a mathematical model of a thermoresistive sensing element in the form of a transfer function, which takes the form of the transfer function of the inertial link. To trigger the thermoresistive sensing element of fire detectors, a single pulse of electric current in the shape of a rectangular triangle is used. The integral Laplace transformation was applied to mathematically describe the response of a thermoresistive sensing element to the thermal effect of such a test influence. To obtain information about the time parameter of fire detectors with a thermoresistive sensing element, the ratio of its output signals is used, which are measured in the a priori defined moments. A two-parametric expression was built to determine the time parameter of fire detectors; a verbal interpretation of the pulse method to determine it was provided. The implementation of this method ensures the invariance of the time parameter of fire detectors with a thermoresistive sensing element relative to the amplitude of a single pulse of an electric current, as well as relative to the parameter that is included in its transfer coefficient.