Journeyman Fire Alarm Installers Test City and County of Denver

The Law Everyone that is involved in the installation of fire alarm systems in the City and County of Denver must have either a Journeyman Fire Alarm Installers license or be registered as an apprentice fire alarm installer. The City and County of Denver will issue a license and neck strap and they do require that the license be visibly worn and displayed while working on the fire alarm system. The current ration of journeyman to apprentices is not set. The requirement is that on person on the site must be a licensed journeyman installer and everyone else must be at least a registered apprentice.

The Test The test consists of 75 total questions and you are given a 2 hour time limit to complete the test. The test is given at the Main Fire House on the third floor. Enter at the east entrance on Colfax, and ring the buzzer. They will let you in and you can go on up to the third floor. Go to the end of the hall and check in with the receptionist. She will take your id and have you sit in a large room at table and then close to start time they will hand out your tests and materials.

The Test The test is a paper test and it is broken up into to two parts. The first part is 50 questions and they are all multiple choice. The second part is 25 questions and they are all true false. The first part of the test is primarily from the NFPA 72 The National Fire Alarm Code with a few questions from the NEC. The second part of the test is based on the International Fire Code and the Denver Building Amendments to the International Fire Code.

The Test They will give you a National Fire Code, an International Fire Code, A copy of the Denver Building Amendments and a copy of Article 760 and 300 of the National Electric Code. You will need the National Fire Alarm Code and the NEC for the first 50 questions You will need the International Fire Code and the Denver Building Amendments for the last 25 true/false questions.

The Content of the Test The National Fire alarm code portion of the test seems to focus on five primary areas of the National Fire Alarm Code. Fundamentals of Fire Alarms Systems Chapter 10, specifically power supplies, back up power supplies, signals and alarms Initiating Devices Chapter 17 Protected Premises Fire Alarm Systems Chapter 23 Notification Appliances Chapter 18 Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Chapter 14

The Denver Building Amendments This portion of the test concentrates on three primary portions of the International Fire Code and the Denver Building Amendments. High Rise Buildings Section 403 of the International Building Code Fire Alarm and Detection Systems Section 907 of the International Fire Code Smoke Control Systems Section 909 of the International Fire Code

Remember The amendments you are given are to all of the 2012 International series of codes. So know how to get to the three sections you need to focus on . 907 of the International Fire Code 909 of the International Fire Code For sections 907 and 909 you can use the index in the International Fire Code.

NFPA 72 The National Fire Alarm Code The first part of the test. All questions are multiple choice. Beware: They will give you a 2007 NFPA 72 but the questions are based on the 2004 NFPA 72.

Chapter Three The definitions section of NFPA 72 is critical to understanding and using the National Fire Alarm Code. We will review some of the key definitions.

Key Sections 3.3.95 Types of Systems 3.3.59 Detectors 3.3.160 Notification Appliance 3.3.161 Notification Appliance Circuit (NAC) 3.3.240 Signal 3.3.252 Smoke Detection 3.3.92 Fire Alarm Control Unit

Other Key Sections

Some Other Key Sections 907.2 Where Required 907.2.13 High Rise Buildings 907.2.23 Battery Rooms 907.4.3 Elevator Emergency Operation 907.5.2.4 Signs 907.7.3 Zones and Annuciators 907.7.6 Preaction Systems 909.21.3 Atriums 909.21.4 Smoke Control for High Rises

The IFC The Second Part of the Test is all True False and All from the IFC and Denver Building Amendments

Building Types The International Fire Code divides all buildings into groups. Please turn to your Building Groups Handout as we review You will need to have a basic understanding of the building types in order to understand the rules of the IFC This listing is not found in the IFC it is only in the IBC of which you will not have a copy

Types of Buildings Classification of Building Types 2012 International Building Code Classification Description A-1 Assembly uses, usually with fixed seating, intended for the production and viewing of the performing arts or motion pictures A-2 Assembly uses intended for food and or drink consumption A-3 Assembly uses intended for worship, recreation or amusement and other assembly uses not classified elsewhere in Group A. A-4 Assembly uses intended for viewing of indoor sporting events and activities with spectator seating. A-5 Assembly uses intended for participation in or viewing outdoor activities. B Business Group: Includes the uses of building or structures for office, professional, or service type transactions, including storage of records and accounts.

Types of Buildings E Educational group: Includes the use of a building or structure by size or more persons at any one time fir educational purposes through the 12th grade. Religious education room and religious auditoriums classified as A type structures. F Factory Group: Includes the use of a building or structure for assembling, disassembling, fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, repair, or processing operations F-1 Moderate Hazard are F type buildings not classified as Low Hazard. F-2 Low Hazard: uses that involve the fabrication or manufacturing of noncombustible materials which during finishing packing, or processing do not involve a significant fire hazard. H High Hazard: includes the use of a building that involves the manufacturing, processing, generation or storage of materials that constitute a physical or health hazard in quantities in excess of those allowed in control areas

Types of Buildings I Institutional Group: includes the use of a building in which people are cared for or live in a supervised environment, having physical limitations because of health or age are harbored for medical treatment or other care or treatment or in which people are detained for penal or correctional purposes or in which the liberty of the occupants is limited. I-1 Residential board and care facilities, assisted living facilities, halfway houses, group homes, congregate care facilities, alcohol and drug centers I-2 Hospitals, nursing homes, mental hospitals, Detoxification facilities I-3 Prisons, jails, reformatories, detention centers, correctional centers, prerelease centers I-4 Day care facilities M Mercantile Group: Department stores, drug stores, markets, motor fuel dispensing facilities, Retail and wholesale stores

Types of Buildings R Residential Group R-1 Boarding houses, Hotels, Motels R-2 Apartment houses, boarding houses (not transient), Convents, Dormitories, Fraternity and Sorority houses, Hotels and Motels (not transient) Monasteries, Vacation Timeshare properties R-3 Residential occupancies where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature and not classified as R-1, R-2, R-4 or I such as single family homes and duplex units. R-4 Residential occupancies arranged for occupancy as residential care/assisted living facilities including more than five but not more than 16 occupants including staff.

Types of Buildings S Storage Group: buildings used for storage of items other than hazardous materials. U Utility and Miscellaneous Group: Basically buildings that are used and do not fall under any of the other classifications. Barns, Carports, Fences more than 6 ft high, Private garages, etc.

DBA Every code cycle the Denver Fire Department uses a system of modification to amend the International Fire Code. This results in the Denver Building Amendments. This is typically a 300 + page document but we only need to concern ourselves with the amendments to the IFC portion You have a copy of that and will be given a copy for the test

The amendments only contain the changed portion and no index They will be listed in numerical order as you can see MOST OF THE SECOND PART QUESTIONS WILL COME FROM THE DBA THEY WILL ALL BE TRUE OR FALSE QUESTIONS

Specific Questions From the Building Amendments True or False Activation of a single smoke detector in a special amusement building shall immediately activate an audible and visual alarm at the building at a constantly attended location from which emergency action can be initiated.

True 907.2.12.1

True or False Buildings with a floor used for human occupancy located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall be provided with a smoke control system.

True 907.2.13

Lets look at a significant section that may be on the test Look at the IFC 907.2.13.2 Now look at the difference in the DBA for the same section

Practice A school that has less than 20 occupants and is protected by 120V single or multi station residential smoke alarms with battery back up is not required to have a manual fire alarm station. True or False

True 907.2.3 Exception 2

In a motel room the single or multi-station smoke alarm required in the sleeping area shall not be connected to the fire alarm system unless for supervision only with the approval of the fire code official.

True 907.2.8.3

Single or multi- station smoke alarms are required to be interconnected and required to be installed in all sleeping rooms, on the wall or ceiling outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms, and at least one on each story within a dwelling unit. True or False

True 907.2.11.2

A hard copy of a testing log for the carbon monoxide detectors in a residential occupancy shall be maintained on the property.

True 907.2.11.5

In a high rise, the pressurization system for stairwells is activated if a riser duct detector as been activated followed by a smoke detector being activated in a elevator lobby. True or False

True 907.2.13.4.1

Exhaust in a smoke control zone shall be automatically activated by any automatic fire alarm or sprinkler initiating device located within the smoke control zone. True or False

True 907.2.13.4.2

A child care facility that is expected to have 60 occupants shall be protected with an approved manual fire alarm and automatic detection system throughout the occupancy. True or False

True 907.2.6.4

A two story office building with a occupancy of 300 on the first floor and an occupancy of 75 on the second floor shall be protected by a manual fire alarm system. True or False

False 907.2.2

In a high rise all elevators shall be returned to the designated alternate floor if the smoke detector on the _________________ floor lobby is activated.

Ground 907.4.3

No single fire alarm system zone shall exceed __________ square feet on a single building level.

22,500 907.7.3.1.2