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
Denver Fire Alarm License Code Reference Guide
Code Reference Document
Subject
300.21
70
760.30(A)(1)
70
10.4.3
72 Qualified Personnel
14.2.5.3
72 Discharge testing of suppression systems shall not be required by this code
14.3.1
72 Visual Inspection Frequencies
14.4.2.2
72 Test Methods for Fire Alarm Systems
14.4.5
72 Testing Frequencies
10.5.5.2.3
72 Identification of the circuit disconnecting means
10.5.6.3
72 Secondary Power Supply Capacity
10.5.7.2
72 Time allowed to automatically provide to the supervising station facility
10.11.1.1 and 10.9.3
72 Code alarm code rounds and impulses
10.11.3
72 Self restoring supervisory signal indication
10.17
72 Monitoring Integrity
10.17.1.1
72 Double loop prohibition, also known as T tapping
10.18.2.3
72 Documentation required at final acceptance of the Fire Alarm system
10.18.3.1
72 Records of tests and operations shall be kept for 1 year
18.4.3
72 Sound levels of audible notification devices in public mode
18.5.4.3
72 Room spacing for ceiling mounted visible appliances
18.5.4.3.3
18.5.4.4.1
101.2.13
101.2.10
101.2.18
101.2.11
DBA
DBA
DBA
DBA
72 Room spacing listed in table based on mounting halfway distance of the wall
72 Width of a corridor as applies to notification visual devices
Scope of the amendments New buildings
Scope of the amendments existing buildings
Licensing of Installers
Testing and Maintenance
Some Other Key Sections
 907.2
 907.2.13
 907.2.23
 907.4.3
 907.5.2.4
 907.7.3
 907.7.6
 909.21.3
 909.21.4
Where Required
High Rise Buildings
Battery Rooms
Elevator Emergency Operation
Signs
Zones and Annuciators
Preaction Systems
Atriums
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