Installation
25-54%of exam
DevicesCircuitsPathwaysSafetyCommissioning
Maintenance Testing
25-50%of exam
SignalsTestingDeficienciesRecordsRestoration
Submittal Layout
1-30%of exam
DrawingsPowerReferencesOccupancySubmittals
Management Supervision
5-20%of exam
Work PlansCoordinationLeadershipVerificationApplications
Complex Operations
40-50%of exam
InterfacesVoiceSmoke ControlHigh-RiseTraining
Quick Facts
- Program
- NICET FAS
- Levels
- I-IV
- Questions
- 85-120
- Time
- 110-290 min
- Fees
- $230-$425
- Format
- Pearson VUE CBT
- Level I
- OnVUE option
- Recertify
- 3 years
- Update
- Mar 25 2024
SLC vs IDC
SLC
- Addressable devices
- Specific location
- Data loop
IDC
- Conventional zone
- Circuit state
- EOL supervision
Address vs zone
System Parts
- FACU
- System brain
- Annunciator
- Remote display
- SLC
- Addressable loop
- IDC
- Conventional input
- NAC
- Notification circuit
- Power supply
- Auxiliary capacity
- Relay
- Controlled output
- Communicator
- Offsite reporting
Initiating Devices
- Smoke detector
- Smoke sensing
- Heat detector
- Temperature sensing
- Manual box
- Human initiation
- Waterflow
- Sprinkler alarm
- Duct detector
- HVAC smoke
- Tamper switch
- Valve supervision
- Low-air switch
- Dry-system supervision
- Monitor module
- Input interface
Notification
- Horn
- Audible signal
- Strobe
- Visible signal
- Speaker
- Voice message
- AV appliance
- Horn-strobe combo
- Candela
- Strobe intensity
- Temporal
- Evacuation pattern
- Voice evac
- Spoken instructions
- Sync module
- Strobe coordination
Signal Types
A=fire | S=readiness | T=fault
Alarm: fireSupervisory: readinessTrouble: fault
Alarm vs Supervisory
Alarm
- Fire condition
- Evacuation response
- Waterflow input
Supervisory
- Readiness abnormal
- Valve tamper
- Low-air input
Fire vs readiness
Signal Picker
- Smoke detected→Alarm(Fire event)
- Manual box pulled→Alarm
- Water moves→Alarm
- Valve off-normal→Supervisory
- Dry pipe low→Supervisory
- Open circuit→Trouble
- AC power lost→Trouble
- Condition cleared→Reset(After investigate)
Signals Status
- Alarm
- Fire condition
- Supervisory
- Readiness abnormal
- Trouble
- System fault
- Silence
- Quiet outputs
- Reset
- Restore normal
- Impairment
- Protection reduced
- Deficiency
- Correction needed
- Normal
- Monitoring ready
Trouble vs Impairment
Trouble
- System fault
- Open circuit
- Power fault
Impairment
- Protection reduced
- Managed condition
- Notify stakeholders
Fault vs reduced protection
Testing vs Commissioning
Testing
- Verify function
- Periodic or acceptance
- Record results
Commissioning
- System readiness
- Integrated process
- Before turnover
Check vs deliver
Power Checks
Standby first, then peak alarm
Standby loadAlarm loadBattery capacityVoltage drop
Series vs Parallel
Series
- Voltage adds
- Capacity same
- 24V pair
Parallel
- Voltage same
- Capacity adds
- Longer runtime
Volts vs runtime
Reference Picker
- Alarm system rule→NFPA 72
- Wiring method→NFPA 70
- Occupancy trigger→IBC
- Life-safety feature→NFPA 101
- Basic electrical fact→Ugly's(Level I)
- Business/project issue→NASCLA(Level IV)
- Approval conflict→AHJ
- Contract conflict→Specifications
Core References
- NFPA 72
- Fire alarm standard
- NFPA 70
- Electrical code
- IBC
- Building triggers
- NFPA 101
- Life safety
- Ugly's
- Level I aid
- NASCLA
- Level IV business
- AHJ
- Approval authority
- Specs
- Project criteria
Core Drawings
Floor, riser, sequence, calcs
Floor planRiser diagramSequence matrixPower calcs
As-Built vs Submittal
Submittal
- Proposed design
- Review package
- Before installation
As-built
- Installed reality
- Closeout record
- After changes
Plan vs installed
Power Calcs
- Standby load
- Normal current
- Alarm load
- Active current
- Battery
- Secondary power
- Series
- Voltage adds
- Parallel
- Capacity adds
- Voltage drop
- Far-end check
- Ohm's law
- E=I x R
- Amp-hour
- Runtime capacity
Documentation
- Floor plan
- Device locations
- Riser
- System interconnect
- Sequence
- Cause/effect logic
- Battery calc
- Power adequacy
- Voltage calc
- Circuit adequacy
- Product data
- Listed equipment
- As-built
- Installed condition
- Closeout
- Final turnover
Level Ladder
Trainee, limited, independent, senior
I: traineeII: routineIII: leadIV: senior
Role Picker
- Under direct supervision→Level I
- Routine independent task→Level II
- Approve shop drawings→Level III
- Supervise Level I-II→Level III
- Manage multiple projects→Level IV
- Complex system strategy→Level IV
Level Map
- Level I
- Trainee tasks
- Level II
- Limited supervision
- Level III
- Independent lead
- Level IV
- Senior systems
- Exam stack
- Pass prior levels
- Verifier
- Technical supervisor
- Recommendation
- Levels III-IV
- Major project
- Level IV only
Exam Logistics
- Level I
- 85 questions110 min
- Level II
- 110 questions155 min
- Level III
- 115 questions170 min
- Level IV
- 120 questions290 min
- Break
- Level IV scheduled
- Score
- Pass/fail shown
- Report
- Pearson portal
- Retake
- 30-day wait
Complex Interfaces
- Elevator recall
- Cab control
- Smoke control
- Airflow interface
- Suppression
- Release interface
- Preaction
- Sprinkler interlock
- Networked FACU
- Panel coordination
- Air sampling
- Aspirating detection
- High-rise
- Complex evacuation
- ERCES
- Responder radio
Common Traps
Pass vs certify
Exam passed ≠ Application still required
Alarm vs supervisory
Waterflow alarms ≠ Tamper supervises
Silence vs reset
Silence quiets outputs ≠ Reset restores normal
Zone vs address
IDC reports zone ≠ SLC reports device
Plan vs record
Submittal proposes ≠ As-built records
Calculator vs reference
Calculate loads ≠ Navigate standards
Last Minute
- 1.Level I: 85 in 110
- 2.Level II: 110 in 155
- 3.Level III: 115 in 170
- 4.Level IV: 120 in 290
- 5.FACU = brain; NAC = outputs
- 6.SLC = address; IDC = zone
- 7.Alarm = fire; supervisory = readiness
- 8.Trouble = fault; impairment = reduced
- 9.Series adds voltage; parallel capacity
- 10.NFPA 72 = alarm standard
- 11.NFPA 70 = wiring methods
- 12.Passing exam does not certify
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