CFAA Fire Alarm Tech flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Listed spacing (S)

The maximum distance between detectors under a given ceiling height and type, published by the listing agency; spacing is reduced to 0.7S for smooth ceilings in NFPA 72 detector layout.

Addressable system

A system in which each initiating or notification device has a unique address reported individually to the control unit, allowing precise annunciation and faster troubleshooting than zone-based conventional systems.

Class A circuit

A signaling circuit that continues to operate during a single open or ground fault condition because it is wired out and back to the control unit; it provides greater survivability than Class B.

Class B circuit

A signaling circuit that does not continue to operate beyond a single open fault; the fault is annunciated as a trouble but devices beyond the break stop functioning.

Ionization detector

A smoke detector using a small radioactive source to ionize air in a chamber; it responds best to small particles from fast-flaming fires and is less responsive to smoldering smoke.

Photoelectric detector

A smoke detector using light scattering or beam obscuration; it responds best to larger particles from smoldering fires and is commonly used near sleeping areas and in duct applications.

Rate-of-rise detector

A heat detector that responds when temperature increases faster than a set rate, typically around 15 degrees Fahrenheit per minute; it does not respond to slow temperature rise.

Supervisory signal

A signal indicating an off-normal condition of a system component, such as a closed valve or low air pressure, that could impair performance but is not itself an alarm.

Trouble signal annunciation

An audible and visual indication at the control unit that a circuit or component is abnormal; NFPA 72 requires annunciation within 200 seconds of the condition.

Record of Completion

The NFPA 72 document signed at acceptance testing that certifies the system was installed per the approved plans and tested, and records the responsible parties and test results.

Contemporaneous log entry

A record written at the time the task is performed, capturing date, time, location, device, task, instrument, and signatures; later reconstruction weakens its evidentiary value.

Instrument calibration record

Documentation of a test instrument's calibration date and status, recorded with each use; an out-of-calibration instrument invalidates the test results it produced.

Finding versus corrective action

A finding records what failed and where; a corrective action records the cause, the repair performed, the retest result, and the date closed. They are logged as separate fields.

As-built reconciliation

Comparing the device list and address list in the logbook against the as-built drawings; discrepancies are documented as findings rather than silently corrected.

Panel event log export

A printed or electronic export of the control unit's event history used as documentary evidence of alarms, troubles, and tests performed during a logbook entry.

Retention period for ITM records

NFPA 72 requires inspection, testing, and maintenance records be retained for one inspection/test/maintenance cycle plus one year and made available to the authority having jurisdiction.

Supervisor sign-off

A supervisor's signature confirming the trainee performed the logged task under the level of supervision the jurisdiction requires, validating the entry for credit.

Acceptance test documentation

A record of each device test showing the test method, pass or fail result, and the standard or manufacturer instruction that defines the pass criterion.

Contact hour

One 60-minute unit of instruction used to measure continuing education credit; breaks and non-instructional time are excluded from the count.

CE category cap

A jurisdictional limit on how many continuing education credits may come from one category, such as code update, technical, or ethics, within a renewal cycle.

Renewal cycle window

The defined period, usually annual or biennial, within which continuing education must be completed; credits earned outside the window generally do not count.

Approved provider

An organization authorized by the jurisdiction or a recognized body to deliver continuing education; courses from unapproved providers may be rejected at audit.

CE certificate of completion

The record showing provider name, course title, course number, date, and contact hours, retained for the audit period to substantiate claimed continuing education credit.

Carryover of excess credits

The transfer of credits earned beyond the current cycle requirement into the next cycle; permitted only where the jurisdiction's rule allows, often with a cap.

Proctored CE assessment

A supervised or scored examination required for some self-study or online continuing education courses; attendance alone without a passing score may earn no credit.

Deficiency notice

A jurisdiction's written notice that continuing education requirements were not met, usually specifying a deadline to cure the deficiency before license action.

Authority Having Jurisdiction

The organization or individual legally empowered to enforce code requirements, approve plans, witness acceptance tests, and grant final approval for a fire alarm installation.

Local amendment

A jurisdiction's modification to an adopted model code, such as NFPA 72, that supersedes the model text within that jurisdiction and must be checked before design.

Permit submittal package

The documents required before installation, typically shop drawings, device layout, riser diagram, and battery and voltage-drop calculations, submitted for jurisdictional review.

Trainee registration

A jurisdictional credential separate from contractor licensing and technician certification that defines the scope of work a trainee may perform and under what supervision.

Adopted code edition

The specific edition of the model code in force at the time a permit is issued; new work follows that edition, and older permitted work may be grandfathered.

Fire watch requirement

A jurisdictional condition requiring personnel to patrol for fire while a detection or suppression system is out of service, often triggered when notification to the fire department is made.