Virginia Fire Suppression Contracting Qualified Individual Examination

Under 18VAC50-22-30, Fire Suppression Contracting (FSP) provides for the installation, repair, improvement, or removal of which systems annexed to real property?

• AWet-pipe, dry-pipe, preaction, and deluge water sprinkler systems
• BHalon and other gas systems, dry chemical systems, and carbon dioxide systems
• CStandpipes, fire pumps, and domestic plumbing sprinklers only
• DAny fire-protection piping that uses water as the extinguishing agent

18VAC50-22-30 states that the FSP specialty does not provide for which of the following?

• ARemoval of a carbon dioxide total-flooding system
• BRepair of a dry chemical local-application system
• CInstallation, repair, or maintenance of water sprinkler systems
• DImprovement of a halon or other gas suppression system

Under 18VAC50-22-20, Fire Sprinkler Contracting (SPR) covers sprinkler systems that use what as the means of fire suppression?

• AWater
• BHalon 1301
• CDry chemical powder
• DCarbon dioxide

According to 18VAC50-22-30, how many other contractor classifications provide the FSP function?

• AELE and HVA both provide FSP
• BSPR provides FSP whenever the piping looks similar
• CCBC provides FSP on commercial buildings
• DNo other classification provides the FSP function

18VAC50-22-20 says the SPR classification does not provide for which of the following?

• ATesting and inspection of water sprinkler systems
• BInstallation, repair, or maintenance of other types of fire suppression systems
• CAlteration or addition of a water sprinkler system annexed to real property
• DRemoval of a water sprinkler system

A Virginia contractor is hired to install a total-flooding carbon dioxide system in a generator room. Which specialty or classification is required?

• AFire Suppression Contracting (FSP)
• BFire Sprinkler Contracting (SPR)
• CHVAC Contracting (HVA)
• DFire Alarm Systems Contracting (FAS) alone

A warehouse owner wants a new wet-pipe sprinkler system designed and installed to the water-based sprinkler standards. Which Virginia classification is required?

• AFSP, because any fire-protection piping is fire suppression
• BFAS, because waterflow switches are electrical
• CSPR, because the system uses water as the means of fire suppression
• DHVA, because the piping resembles hydronic piping

A restaurant wants a wet-chemical hood and duct extinguishing system over fryers. How should a Virginia FSP candidate classify that work relative to SPR?

• AIt is an SPR water sprinkler system because liquid agent is piped to nozzles
• BIt is chemical cooking-hazard suppression, not a water sprinkler system, so it is not SPR…
• CIt is HVA work because it is installed in a kitchen exhaust hood
• DIt is PLB work because the hood drains to the sanitary system

18VAC50-22-20 states that HVAC contractors (HVA) do not provide for which of the following?

• AHeating, ventilating, and cooling systems
• BSteam and hot-water heaters and boilers
• CFire-suppression installations or sprinkler system installations
• DMechanical refrigeration systems, including incidental tanks

A firm is hired only to install a fire-alarm control unit and initiating devices that operate at 24 volts DC, with no suppression agent piping. Which specialty is described in 18VAC50-22-30?

• AFSP, because detection always belongs to fire suppression
• BSPR, because alarms are part of every sprinkler contract
• CFAS fire-alarm systems contracting, which covers systems that operate at 50 volts or less
• DFSP, because 18VAC50-22-30 names fire-alarm panels as a suppression system

A data hall will receive both a water-based preaction sprinkler system and a clean-agent total-flooding system. What is the correct Virginia licensing analysis?

• AOne FSP license covers both because both are fire protection
• BOne SPR license covers both because preaction piping looks like clean-agent piping
• CThe water preaction sprinkler system requires SPR, and the clean-agent system requires FSP
• DEither specialty may install either system if the Qualified Individual has two years of f…

Under 18VAC50-22-61, what does the Qualified Individual for Fire Sprinkler Contracting (SPR) need instead of this FSP examination?

• ANICET Sprinkler Level III or higher, or a Virginia professional engineer license
• BOnly the FSP Qualified Individual examination, because SPR and FSP share one test
• CA master HVAC tradesman license
• DA fire-alarm NICET certificate with no sprinkler credential

Why does an FSP Qualified Individual sit for a Board-approved specialty examination while an SPR Qualified Individual generally does not?

• ASPR is unregulated in Virginia
• BFSP is listed in 18VAC50-22-61 as a NICET-only specialty with no exam
• CSPR uses the NICET or PE prerequisite in 18VAC50-22-61, while FSP is not on that prerequi…
• DBoth specialties take the same PSI water-sprinkler examination

18VAC50-22-20 allows plumbing contractors (PLB) a limited sprinkler role. What is that role, and how does it differ from FSP?

• APLB may install any NFPA 13 commercial water sprinkler; that work is also FSP
• BPLB may install systems permitted to be designed under the plumbing provisions of the USB…
• CPLB may install clean-agent cylinders if they connect to a domestic water heater
• DPLB and FSP are interchangeable on both water sprinklers and CO2 systems

Why are clean-agent total-flooding systems commonly selected for data centers and other electronics spaces?

• AThey flood the room with water so heat-sensitive equipment is cooled
• BThey leave little or no residue compared with water or dry chemical
• CThey are classified as SPR water sprinklers in Virginia
• DThey increase oxygen concentration to smother the fire

NFPA 2001 groups clean extinguishing agents into which two families?

• AWet chemical and dry chemical
• BHigh-pressure water and low-pressure water
• CHalocarbon agents and inert-gas agents
• DClass A foam and Class B foam

Which statement best describes a typical inert-gas clean agent such as IG-541, IG-55, IG-100, or IG-01?

• AIt extinguishes primarily by reducing the oxygen concentration in the enclosure
• BIt extinguishes primarily by soaking Class A fuels with water
• CIt is a dry chemical powder stored under nitrogen
• DIt is a kitchen wet-chemical solution that saponifies grease

Why have many total-flooding Halon 1301 systems been replaced with NFPA 2001 clean agents?

• AHalon 1301 is a water sprinkler agent that SPR contractors must abandon
• BHalon 1301 production and new uses were restricted because it is an ozone-depleting halog…
• CClean agents are required because they always cost less than water sprinklers
• DHalon 1301 cannot extinguish Class B flammable-liquid fires

How do typical halocarbon clean agents such as HFC-227ea and FK-5-1-12 extinguish flaming fire?

• ABy flooding the room with water mist from SPR sprinkler heads
• BBy chemically interfering with the combustion reaction and absorbing heat, without leavin…
• CBy coating the fuel with potassium-acetate soap foam
• DBy raising the enclosure oxygen concentration above 23 percent

Which statement correctly contrasts storage of a typical liquefied halocarbon clean agent with storage of a typical inert-gas clean agent?

• AHalocarbons are usually stored as liquefied compressed gas in fewer, smaller cylinders; i…
• BBoth families are stored as water in a gravity tank
• CInert gases are stored as dry chemical powder; halocarbons are stored as wet chemical
• DHalocarbons must be stored in an SPR sprinkler riser room only

IG-541 is a common inert clean-agent blend. What is its approximate composition?

• A100 percent carbon dioxide
• B52 percent nitrogen, 40 percent argon, and 8 percent carbon dioxide
• C50 percent water and 50 percent AFFF concentrate
• D100 percent Halon 1301

Which property is characteristic of FK-5-1-12 compared with a typical inert-gas agent?

• AIt is stored as a water-based wet-pipe sprinkler fluid
• BIt is a fluorinated ketone that is a liquid at ordinary room conditions and vaporizes on…
• CIt must be applied only as a dry chemical powder through kitchen hood nozzles
• DIt extinguishes solely by reducing oxygen to about 5 percent in occupied offices

In clean-agent occupancy safety, what does NOAEL mean?

• AThe highest agent concentration at which no adverse toxicological effect is observed
• BThe minimum sprinkler residual pressure required by SPR contractors
• CThe nozzle orifice area used for dry chemical local application
• DThe maximum allowed waterflow from a fire pump

For a normally occupied clean-agent enclosure, which occupancy-safety statement is correct?

• AAny concentration is acceptable if the room has a water sprinkler
• BThe design concentration should remain at or below the agent's NOAEL so people can evacua…
• CThe design concentration must always exceed the LOAEL so the fire goes out faster
• DOccupancy limits do not apply to inert gases because they are components of air

A cup-burner test gives a minimum extinguishing concentration (MEC) of 5.20 percent by volume. The listing requires a 1.30 safety factor on that MEC. What minimum design concentration should be used?

• A4.00 percent
• B5.20 percent
• C6.76 percent
• D8.50 percent

Why do inert-gas total-flooding systems usually need more enclosure pressure relief than liquefied-halocarbon systems protecting the same room?

• AInert-gas discharge adds a much larger volume of gas, so peak enclosure pressure is higher
• BInert gases are liquids that freeze the dampers shut
• CHalocarbon systems are actually water sprinklers and need no vents
• DPressure relief is only required on dry chemical kitchen hoods

Which discharge-time concept is used for NFPA 2001 total-flooding systems?

• AHalocarbon systems are typically designed to reach the required concentration in about 10…
• BBoth families must empty in 1 second like a dry-chemical kitchen cartridge
• CInert-gas systems must discharge in under 3 seconds, and halocarbons may take 10 minutes
• DDischarge time is uncontrolled because clean agents are SPR water systems

An inert-gas system is designed to produce a 40 percent agent concentration by volume in air that started at 21 percent oxygen. The agent contains no oxygen. What is the resulting oxygen concentration?

• A21.0 percent
• B12.6 percent
• C8.4 percent
• D40.0 percent

A designer specifies HFC-227ea at about 7 percent in a normally occupied control room. The agent's NOAEL is 9 percent. What is the correct occupancy reading of that choice?

• AThe 7 percent design is above NOAEL, so the room cannot be occupied at any time
• BThe 7 percent design is below the 9 percent NOAEL, so it is in the normally occupied clea…
• CNOAEL does not apply to HFC-227ea because it is a water sprinkler agent
• DAny design below 34 percent is automatically a carbon dioxide system

In Virginia contractor classification terms, a listed FK-5-1-12 or IG-541 total-flooding system annexed to real property is:

• ASPR water-sprinkler work because nozzles are on the ceiling
• BFSP other-gas fire-suppression work, not water-sprinkler work
• CAutomatically included in every CBC commercial building license
• DPLB work if the cylinder room has a floor drain

How does a carbon dioxide total-flooding system extinguish fire?

• ABy reducing oxygen below the concentration needed to support combustion
• BBy applying water from SPR sprinkler deflectors
• CBy saponifying cooking oil into a soapy foam blanket
• DBy increasing the room's oxygen to starve the fuel

Which safety statement about carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing systems is correct?

• ACO2 is as safe to breathe as FK-5-1-12 at typical design concentration
• BCO2 leaves no residue but creates an immediately dangerous asphyxiating atmosphere at ext…
• CCO2 is a water sprinkler agent and has no asphyxiation hazard
• DCO2 is lighter than air and cannot collect in pits or basements

NFPA 12 carbon dioxide systems are applied in which two basic ways?

• AWet-pipe sprinkler and dry-pipe sprinkler
• BTotal flooding of an enclosure and local application onto a hazard
• CKitchen wet chemical and Class K portable only
• DFoam-water sprinkler and standpipe

How are high-pressure and low-pressure carbon dioxide storage systems commonly distinguished?

• AHigh-pressure systems store CO2 in cylinders at about 850 psi at 70°F; low-pressure syste…
• BHigh-pressure systems are water sprinklers; low-pressure systems are wet chemical
• CLow-pressure systems store CO2 as dry ice blocks in open hoppers
• DBoth systems store CO2 as a liquid at atmospheric pressure and 70°F

The commonly cited minimum total-flooding design concentration for a carbon dioxide surface fire is about 34 percent. What is the personnel implication?

• A34 percent CO2 is below the OSHA 8-hour PEL, so occupancy can continue
• B34 percent CO2 is an extinguishing atmosphere and is lethal to occupants
• C34 percent CO2 is the same as a typical FK-5-1-12 occupied-room design
• D34 percent CO2 converts the system into a water sprinkler

A machinery enclosure has a net volume of 2,500 cubic feet. The design concentration is 34 percent by volume. Using 8.7 cubic feet of free CO2 gas per pound, what is the approximate theoretical agent mass before any extra allowance?

• A34 pounds
• B57 pounds
• C98 pounds
• D217 pounds

After a carbon dioxide discharge, where is a hazardous atmosphere most likely to persist?

• AOnly at the highest ceiling peak, because CO2 is lighter than air
• BIn pits, tunnels, basements, and other low or poorly ventilated spaces, because CO2 is de…
• COnly inside SPR sprinkler mains
• DNowhere, because CO2 immediately converts to oxygen

Under 29 CFR 1910.162, a distinctive predischarge employee alarm is required on carbon dioxide systems with a design concentration of 4 percent or greater. What does that mean for typical FSP CO2 total-flooding jobs?

• AAlmost every extinguishing-strength CO2 total-flooding system needs a predischarge alarm…
• BPredischarge alarms are illegal on CO2 systems
• CA predischarge alarm is required only when the CO2 system is actually a water sprinkler
• DThe 4 percent trigger applies only to kitchen wet-chemical tanks

Why do many carbon dioxide systems include an odorizer?

• ATo make the discharge smell like natural gas so the fire department can bill the utility
• BBecause carbon dioxide is otherwise odorless, and an added odor helps people recognize a…
• CBecause NFPA 13 water sprinklers require wintergreen scent in every riser
• DTo neutralize the toxicity of CO2 so occupancy can continue during discharge

A client asks to protect a normally occupied office with total-flooding carbon dioxide instead of a listed clean agent. What is the correct FSP counseling point?

• ACO2 at extinguishing concentration is lethal, so occupied-space use demands extensive eva…
• BCO2 is interchangeable with FK-5-1-12 because both are residue-free
• CCO2 is the required SPR water-sprinkler agent for offices
• DCO2 is safer than air because it is used in soft drinks

A carbon dioxide system has discharged into a machinery room. What must happen before workers re-enter without supplied-air respiratory protection?

• AWait 30 seconds, then enter if the horns have stopped
• BOpen the door and enter immediately to reset the control panel
• CVentilate as required and verify a safe atmosphere by testing; do not rely on smell or si…
• DReset the SPR waterflow switch and treat the room as a wet-pipe riser vault

Compared with a CO2 surface-fire total-flooding design, a deep-seated (smoldering) fire generally requires which adjustment?

• AA lower concentration and a shorter hold time because embers need less agent
• BReplacement of the CO2 with an SPR wet-pipe sprinkler as the only allowed method
• CA higher concentration and a longer hold time so agent remains while the deep fuel is ext…
• DNo change, because surface and deep-seated CO2 designs are identical

A high-pressure CO2 cylinder contains 40 pounds of agent. Using 8.7 cubic feet of free gas per pound, how much free carbon dioxide gas is available at the stated conditions?

• A40 cubic feet
• B87 cubic feet
• C348 cubic feet
• D870 cubic feet

Which hardware package is characteristic of a total-flooding CO2 system protecting a space that people may enter?

• AOnly open SPR sprinkler heads and a fire-department connection
• BA predischarge alarm and time delay, warning signs, and a lockout or isolation valve so t…
• CA kitchen wet-chemical tank and fryer-specific nozzles only
• DA domestic water meter and a reduced-pressure backflow preventer as the extinguishing sup…

How does a dry chemical extinguishing agent primarily stop flaming combustion?

• ABy interrupting the chemical chain reaction of the flame, with some fuel-surface effects…
• BBy flooding the room with water from concealed SPR sprinklers
• CBy increasing oxygen to above 25 percent
• DBy saponifying grease into a soapy wet blanket as its only mechanism

Which dry chemical is the common multipurpose ABC agent?

• ASodium bicarbonate only
• BPotassium bicarbonate only
• CMonoammonium phosphate
• DPotassium acetate solution