Safety
5-15%of exam
PPEHazardous energyLadders and toolsImpairment hazards
Communication with AHJs and Customers
5-15%of exam
Test coordinationNotificationsReportsRestoration confirmation
Intermediate ITM Tasks
30-40%of exam
Dry and wet systemsStandpipesDeficiency classificationDevice-specific testing
ITM for Water Supplies
25-35%of exam
Fire pumpsPrivate mainsHydrantsWater tanks
Internal Obstruction Investigation
10-20%of exam
TriggersInternal assessmentInvestigation locationsEvidence and remediation
Quick Facts
- Questions
- 168 questions
- Time limit
- 185 minutes
- Passing score
- 500 scaled; not percentage
- Score scale
- 0–700
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE test centers
- Core standard
- NFPA 25 (2023)
- Renewal cycle
- Three-year CPD cycle
- Permitted references
- 20 / 25 / 72 / 291
Safety and Working Practices
- PPE selection
- Match hazards, task, and employer assessmentAssess
- Hazardous energy
- Isolate; lock/tag; release; verify controlsLOTO
- Electrical exposure
- Qualified personnel and applicable electrical procedureQualified
- Confined-space entry
- Evaluate permit status before entryClassify
- Atmosphere test sequence
- Oxygen, flammables, then toxic contaminantsSequence
- Hazardous oxygen concentration
- Below 19.5% or above 23.5%Oxygen
- Leaning ladder foot position
- Quarter of ladder working length1:4
- Landing ladder extension
- Three feet; secured-grasp alternative appliesAccess
Extended Impairment Options
Evacuate, Watch, Water, Control
Evacuate affected areaApproved fire watchTemporary water supplyEliminate ignition sourcesLimit fuel load
Communication and Impairment Control
- Impairment coordinator
- Owner designee; otherwise ownerOwner
- Planned impairment
- Authorize scope and coordinate before shutdownBefore
- Emergency impairment
- Notify and protect without delayNow
- More than 10 hours/24 hours
- Arrange an approved mitigation optionThreshold
- Four extended-impairment options
- Evacuation, watch, water, ignition/fuel controlsOptions
- Restoration verification
- Valves, pressures, controllers, alarms, required testsVerify
- Tag colors
- Jurisdiction/program specific; no universal paletteLocal
- Baseline system records
- Retain for system lifeLifetime
- Recurring ITM records
- One year after next same-type eventRetention
Separate Sprinkler Sampling Groups
50 / 25 / 20 / 20
Many standard: 50Other fast: 25ESFR/CMSA fast: 20Dry: 20Sample: greater of four/1%
Critical Deficiency vs Impairment
Critical deficiency
- Material effect on system performance
- Correct promptly; document actual condition
Impairment
- System/function out of order
- Coordinator manages notifications and mitigation
Evaluate actual effect on protection
Classify Findings by Actual Consequence
- Required protection cannot operate→Initiate impairment procedure(Notify owner and required parties promptly)
- Function materially affected, still operating→Evaluate critical deficiency(Use actual condition and applicable guidance)
- No material effect on performance→Evaluate noncritical deficiency(Document and arrange correction)
- Sprinkler damaged or field painted→Apply sprinkler replacement requirements(Assess affected protection; avoid automatic classification)
- Pump cannot meet system demand→Treat as impairment(Coordinate approved mitigation with responsible parties)
- Curve degraded, demand still met→Apply pump deficiency classification(Document, investigate, and report results)
Control Valves and Gauges
- Sealed control valves
- Inspect weeklyWeekly
- Locked control valves
- Inspect monthlyMonthly
- Electrically supervised control valves
- Inspect quarterlyQuarterly
- Valve operation
- Exercise annually; verify positionAnnual
- Gauge condition
- Check damage and operation monthlyMonthly
- Water-pressure reading
- Verify normal pressure quarterlyQuarterly
- Air/nitrogen-pressure reading
- Monthly; quarterly with qualifying supervisionConditional
- System gauge accuracy
- Five years; 3% full-scale tolerance5 years
- FDC inspection
- Quarterly; accessibility, condition, obstructionQuarterly
Two Air-Leakage Test Methods
40–2–3 or Normal–4–No Alarm
40 psi test pressureTwo-hour testMaximum three psi lossOr normal pressure four hoursNo low-air alarm
Partial Trip vs Full-Flow Trip
Partial-flow trip
- Annual dry-valve trip option
- Does not establish full-flow delivery
Full-flow trip
- At least every three years
- Evaluate water delivery and operation
Valve operation differs from delivery
Select Dry-System Test Objective
- Annual dry-valve trip due→Verify valve operation(Partial-flow allowed between required full-flow tests)
- Three-year full-flow test due→Evaluate full-flow water delivery(Use manufacturer instructions; approved impairment plan)
- Quick-opening device test due→Perform quarterly operational test(Separate from annual valve trip)
- Three-year air-leakage test due→Select one permitted method(Do not combine their acceptance criteria)
- Preaction system identified→Determine actual interlock logic(Single, double, and noninterlock differ)
- Test complete→Verify system restoration(Confirm pressures, valves, alarms, receiving status)
Sprinkler Laboratory Sampling
- Many standard-response sprinklers
- Initial 50 years; then 1050 / 10
- Fast-response ESFR or CMSA
- Initial 20 years; then 1020 / 10
- Other fast-response sprinklers
- Initial 25 years; then 1025 / 10
- Dry sprinklers, either response
- Initial 20 years; then 1020 / 10
- Sprinklers installed 75 years
- Test/retest every five years5 years
- Harsh-service sprinklers
- Initial five years; assess conditions5 years
- Representative sample
- Greater of four or one percentMinimum
- Removed laboratory samples
- Immediately replace with new sprinklersReplace
Sprinkler Sampling Age Is Type-Specific
Other fast-response
- Initial twenty-five-year laboratory test
- Normal retest every ten years
Fast-response ESFR/CMSA
- Initial twenty-year laboratory test
- Normal retest every ten years
Dry and harsh-service rules differ
Dry and Preaction Systems
- Dry-valve exterior
- Inspect monthlyMonthly
- Dry-valve interior
- Inspect annuallyAnnual
- Quick-opening device operational test
- Test quarterlyQuarterly
- Dry-valve trip
- Annual; partial permitted between full-flowAnnual
- Dry full-flow trip
- At least every three years3 years
- Air-leakage pressure method
- 40 psi; 2h; ≤3 psi loss3 years
- Air-leakage normal-pressure alternative
- Four hours; low-air alarm remains inactive3 years
- Compressor/nitrogen generator maintenance
- Follow manufacturer; oil annually unless soonerManufacturer
Preaction vs Deluge System
Preaction
- Closed automatic sprinklers
- Interlock type determines valve release
Deluge
- Open sprinklers or nozzles
- Valve release permits designed discharge
Identify the actual release logic
Alarms and Waterflow Tests
- Mechanical waterflow alarm
- Test quarterlyQuarterly
- Vane/pressure waterflow switch
- Test semiannuallySemiannual
- Valve supervisory switch
- Test semiannuallySemiannual
- Dry-pipe low-air alarm
- Test annuallyAnnual
- Main drain usual interval
- Annual; quarterly for specified sole suppliesConditional
- Main drain residual reduction
- 10%: identify cause; correct if necessaryInvestigate
- Antifreeze solution
- Annual; before freezing weatherAnnual
- Legacy antifreeze retained under 2023
- ≤30% PG; ≤38% glycerine; no refillConditional
- Automatic air vent exterior
- Annual floor-level inspection; damage and leakageAnnual
- Air vent strainers/filters/screens
- Five-year inspection; flush clear or replace5 years
Usual Annual Pump Flow Points
Zero, One, One-and-a-Half
Churn: zero flowRated: 100% flowPeak: 150% flowCheck supply limitationsCompare permitted baseline
Electric vs Diesel No-Flow Test
Most electric pumps
- Monthly no-flow test
- At least ten minutes
Diesel pumps
- Normally weekly no-flow test
- At least thirty minutes
Check electric weekly exceptions and allowances
Fire Pump Test Parameters
- Diesel no-flow test
- Weekly; at least 30 minutesWeekly
- Most electric no-flow tests
- Monthly; at least 10 minutesMonthly
- Electric weekly exceptions
- Check controller, turbine, suction, building conditionsConditional
- Redundancy/risk-analysis allowances
- Verify actual applicable allowanceConditional
- Usual annual flow points
- Churn, rated flow, 150% flowAnnual
- Annual curve comparison
- ≥95% baseline net pressure each point95%
- Other annual acceptance requirements
- System demand, rated flow, suction requirementsAlso
- Net pressure simplified
- Discharge minus suction; corrections when applicablePressure
- NFPA 20 design envelope
- Not annual NFPA 25 acceptance substituteScope
Mains, Hydrants, Tanks, Standpipes
- Private fire-main flow test
- Every five years; compare supply performance5 years
- Hydrant operation and flushing
- Annual; ≥1 minute until debris clearsAnnual
- Dry-barrel hydrant drainage
- Check drainage within 60 minutesDrainage
- Tank exterior and supports
- Inspect quarterlyQuarterly
- Unprotected steel tank interior
- Inspect every three years3 years
- Other tank interiors
- Usual interval: five years5 years
- Tank water-level inspection
- Quarterly supervised; otherwise monthlyConditional
- Class I/III standpipe flow test
- Five years; installed design demand5 years
- Standpipe test acceptance
- Required pressure at remote outlet(s)Design
Internal Assessment vs Obstruction Investigation
Routine assessment
- Usual five-year condition review
- Approved alternative methods may apply
Triggered investigation
- Specific Chapter 14 condition exists
- Five minimum examination locations in 2023
A condition finding can escalate scope
Assess Obstruction Evidence
- Five-year assessment due→Assess internal piping condition(Approved risk analysis can change frequency)
- Main drain pressure falls 10%→Investigate reduction cause(Valve/supply changes also explain reductions)
- Chapter 14 trigger established→Conduct obstruction investigation(Use five 2023 minimum examination locations)
- Slime or tubercules found→Test for MIC indications(Appearance alone cannot establish corrosion mechanism)
- Obstructing material confirmed→Plan qualified complete flushing(Manage impairment and verify corrective results)
- Findings and limitations known→Document system-specific evidence(Report locations, methods, results, and recommendations)
Obstruction Assessment and Investigation
- Routine internal condition assessment
- Normally five years; approved risk alternative5 years
- Potentially obstructing foreign material
- Escalate to obstruction investigationTrigger
- Corrosion-related internal leakage
- Check Chapter 14 investigation triggerTrigger
- Dry-system delivery deterioration
- Apply occupancy-specific threshold and baselineTrigger
- 2023 investigation locations
- Five specified locations; not old fourFive
- Investigation location 1
- System/water control valve where provided2023 minimum
- Investigation location 2
- Remote end of remotest cross-main2023 minimum
- Investigation location 3
- Near-remote branch at cross-main connectionNear most-remote branch line
- Investigation location 4
- End of that near-remote branchSame branch as location3
- Investigation location 5
- Branch attached to remotest low-point drainDirectly connected piping
- Slime or tubercules
- Test for MIC indicationsEvaluate
- Obstructing material confirmed
- Qualified complete flushing programRemedy
Common Traps
Main Drain Is a Comparison
10% residual reduction requires investigation ≠ It does not prove full-demand capacity
Air-Leakage Alternatives Differ
40 psi / 2 h / ≤3 psi ≠ Normal pressure; 4h; no low-air alarm
Electric Monthly Has Exceptions
Weekly cases exist despite electric driver ≠ Check suction, turbine, controller, building conditions
Fast-Response Age Changed in 2023
Other fast-response starts at 25 years ≠ ESFR/CMSA fast-response: initial 20 years
Investigation Locations Changed
2023 has five specified examination locations ≠ Older four-point lists are edition-specific
Impairment Timing and Choices
Notifications do not wait ten hours ≠ Fire watch is one approved option
Last Minute
- 1.Level II: 168 questions, 185 minutes.
- 2.Passing: 500 scaled; scale 0–700.
- 3.Books: NFPA20–2022; NFPA25–2023; NFPA72–2022; NFPA291–2022.
- 4.Main drain: investigate 10% residual reduction.
- 5.QOD quarterly; dry trip annually.
- 6.Dry full-flow trip: three years.
- 7.Air leak: 40psi, 2h, ≤3psi loss.
- 8.Alternative: normal pressure, 4h, no low-air-alarm.
- 9.Other fast-response: 25-year initial sample.
- 10.Dry sprinklers: 20-year initial sample.
- 11.Sample: greater of four or 1%.
- 12.Diesel: weekly, minimum 30 minutes.
- 13.Most electric: monthly, minimum 10 minutes.
- 14.Annual pump: ≥95% baseline; additional criteria.
- 15.2023 investigation: five specified examination locations.
- 16.Impairment: notify promptly; approved mitigation.
- 17.Restoration: verify valves, pressures, controllers, signals.
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