CFAA Fire Alarm Tech cheat sheet

NFPA 72 defines the inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM) cycle; testing frequencies are set by table, not by preference - annual for most initiating devices, semiannual for supervising station connections, quarterly for waterflow switches.

Detector spacing follows the listed spacing (S) and the 0.7S rule for smooth ceilings: maximum spacing in feet equals 0.7 times the listed spacing, and the first detector is placed at half that distance from the wall.

A conventional (zone) system reports by circuit; an addressable system reports each device individually by address - troubleshooting and annunciation differ accordingly.

Class A circuits continue to operate with a single open or ground fault; Class B circuits do not - Class B is the common style for notification appliance circuits.

Smoke detector types: ionization responds best to small, fast-flaming particles; photoelectric responds best to smoldering, larger-particle smoke; combination detectors use both.

Heat detectors are rate-of-rise, fixed-temperature, or combination; rate-of-rise responds to rapid temperature change, fixed-temperature to a set threshold.

Supervisory signals (valve closed, low air pressure, low water level) are distinct from alarm and trouble signals and must annunciate differently.

A trouble signal must sound within 200 seconds of the condition and be annunciated at the control unit; alarm signals must be distinguishable from trouble and supervisory signals.

Plan review and acceptance testing follow the sequence: shop drawings, installation, preliminary testing, acceptance test, and record of completion (NFPA 72 Record of Completion).

A logbook entry must be contemporaneous and include date, time, location, system/device ID, task performed, test instrument used (with calibration date), and trainee and supervisor signatures.

Acceptance testing records should document the test method, pass/fail result, and the standard or manufacturer instruction that defines the pass criterion.

ITM records must be retained and made available to the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) on request; NFPA 72 sets retention at one inspection/test/maintenance cycle plus one year for most records.

Device counts in the logbook should reconcile with the as-built drawings and the address list; discrepancies are recorded as findings, not corrected silently.

Each entry references the applicable NFPA 72 chapter/table or manufacturer instruction - an entry with no standard reference is incomplete.

Corrective actions are logged separately from the finding: finding (what failed), cause, corrective action, retest result, and date closed.

Calibration status of test instruments (smoke test aerosol, decibel meter, manometer, multimeter) is recorded with each use; out-of-calibration instruments invalidate results.

Photographic or documentary evidence (panel event log export, printed test report) is attached or referenced by entry number for traceability.

Supervisor sign-off confirms the trainee performed the task under direct or indirect supervision as defined by the jurisdiction's trainee rules.

CE credit is typically expressed as one credit per contact hour of instruction; a 60-minute instructional hour equals one contact hour, and breaks do not count.

CE categories commonly include code update (NFPA 72 revisions), technical (detection, notification, ITM), and ethics/business practice; jurisdictions cap the share allowed from any one category.

Renewal cycles are usually annual or biennial; the CE requirement must be completed within the cycle window, and credits earned before the window generally do not carry forward.

Provider approval matters: courses must be from an approved provider or carry an approved course number, or the credit may be rejected at audit.

Recordkeeping for CE mirrors ITM records: certificate of completion, provider name, course title, date, contact hours, and course number retained for the audit period.

Carryover of excess credits, if allowed at all, is limited by rule - verify the jurisdiction's cap rather than assuming unlimited carryover.

CE credit for self-study or online courses often requires a proctored or scored assessment; attendance alone may not earn credit.

Late or incomplete CE is usually resolved by a grace period or a deficiency notice with a deadline, not automatic license renewal.

The AHJ is the organization or individual legally empowered to enforce the code; the AHJ may adopt NFPA 72 with local amendments that supersede the model code.

Permits are required before installation or alteration; the permit set typically includes shop drawings, device layout, riser diagram, and battery/voltage-drop calculations.

Licensing structure varies: contractor license, individual technician certification, and trainee registration are separate credentials, and scope of work is limited by each.

Inspection authority: the AHJ or its designee performs the acceptance test; the installing contractor performs the test and the AHJ witnesses or approves it.

Adopted code edition governs: work permitted under an older edition may be grandfathered, but new work follows the edition in force at permit issuance.

Notification to the fire department and monitoring company is a jurisdictional requirement before taking a system out of service, and a fire watch may be required.

Local amendments commonly address false-alarm ordinances, permit fees, response to trouble signals, and required central station qualifications.

Reciprocity for CE or certification is jurisdiction-specific; a credential valid in one state does not automatically transfer.

Documentation submittal deadlines (as-builts, record of completion, test reports) are set by the jurisdiction and are conditions of final approval.