We offer of a variety of courses aimed at folks who are new to the fire alarm industry. Course content is ideal for technicians, helpers, fire department inspectors, electricians and anyone else working on fire alarm systems.
Our 13th course, Installing Surge Suppressors, is now live. Check out the details below.
Available Courses
Introduction to Fire Alarm
This course teaches foundational concepts used in the fire alarm industry. The training consists of recorded videos and animations. You will not experience Death-by-PowerPoint. Instead, you will see numerous real-world examples and demonstrations by veteran teachers with many years of experience working in the field.
We start by explaining in elementary terms how a fire alarm system operates. This includes covering topics like inputs, outputs, circuits, wire and power. In order to help new techs be effective more quickly, we spend some extra time on circuit supervision.
Next, we review AHJs, contracts and six categories of rules. We discuss how codes come into force and which codes are important to know.
Lastly, we wrap up with a discussion about various career paths in the fire alarm industry.
Note that examples shown in the training videos frequently show real products encompassing an array of manufacturers. However, this training is not specific to any particular brand of fire alarm equipment. These lessons are broadly applicable to all fire alarm systems.
Duration: approx. 1 hour.
This course qualifies as 1 CPD point.
Construction Basics
This course introduces students to how a building and a fire alarm system get built.
Students will learn about about the contracting tier and how that affects the bidding process before the job even starts. Students will learn about the different stages that plans & specs go through and which drawings to pay attention to when working on a construction site.
Students will get a more broad picture of the different trades on a jobsite that they may interact.
Students will get tips on how to work in new and remodel construction. Finally, students will get a thorough overview of how to install a fire alarm system from start to finish.
Duration: approx. 45 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.75 CPD points.
Reading Architectural Drawings
This course offers an introduction to the various types of drawings in a construction document package. We start by looking at some important drawings and where you can the different information you need to install a fire alarm system.
Next, we go over symbols, including how to determine the meaning of a symbol if it got left off of the symbol legend.
After that, we look at how to use a set of drawings and how to find your way around a building. We also look at some critical information like device addresses, candela ratings and speaker wattages.
Lastly, we get into how to use scale measurements and how to convert different types of scales.
Duration: approx. 30 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.5 CPD points.
Field Drafting and As-Builts
This course teaches techs how to create a scale drawing from scratch and how to create As-Builts. It also explains why As-Builts are important and who should be doing them (i.e. the person installing the wire or device).
Duration: approx. 45 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.75 CPD points.
Installing Electrical Boxes
This is an essential course for techs, helpers and AHJs. Electrical rough-in is one of the most mistake-laden aspects of fire alarm installation. Code violations abound and can cause expensive headaches for years.
For installers, the Installing Electrical Boxes course will make sure that students understand proper equipment and methods for installing boxes for fire alarm system use.
For inspectors, understanding proper electrical box installation is key to determining whether a fire alarm system complies with code requirements. In this course, students will learn about a wide variety of electrical boxes and various methods for surface mounting and flush mounting in new and existing work. This includes ceilings, beams, steel columns, sheetrock walls, concrete walls and outdoor locations. Students will learn how to build good junction boxes and riser cans and how to make fire alarm control unit installation and maintenance easier. Students will also learn code requirements for box fill, labelling and mixing power limited fire alarm cabling with 110 VAC wiring.
This is one of our largest courses, with over 50 modules.
Duration: approx. 2 hours.
This course qualifies as 2 CPD points.
Intro to Wire
In this course, students will learn about the different kinds of wire we use for fire alarm systems, like FPL, FPLR, FPLP and THHN. Students will learn about the American Wire Gauge (AWG) and how wire sizes work. Students will also learn about shields and what cables to use in wet locations or where Level 2 or 3 Pathway Survivability is required. Students will learn how to strip wire with and without a string. Lastly, students will learn about network cabling like CAT 6, and about single mode and multi-mode fiber.
Duration: approx. 30 minutes.
This course qualifies for 0.5 CPD points.
Terminating Wire
This course wraps up our discussion of fire alarm wire and wiring methods with a look at terminating wire. After completing this course, you should understand:
- How much wire to leave at the box or in a panel
- How to terminate wire on screw terminals, including removable terminal blocks
- When to use bus bar
- How to terminate wire with wire nuts and B connectors
- How to terminate network cables
- How to terminate resistors
- How to connect batteries in a panel
- Basic terminology for 110 VAC power
Duration: approx. 45 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.75 CPD points.
Addressing Devices
In this course, we show the methods that different manufacturers use for assigning an address to an addressable device. In particular, we review decade dials, dip switches, serial numbers and hand-held programmers. Handheld programmers are used by Hochiki, Kidde-Fenwal and Siemens. We show examples using the Kidde-Fenwal SmartOne programmer and the Siemens Device Programming Unit (DPU).
Duration: approx. 15 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.25 CPD points.
Installing Smoke and Heat Detectors
This course teaches how to mount and install a range of smoke and heat detectors, including conventional and addressable detectors on walls and ceilings. You will also learn how to install duct detectors, how to wire up 4-wire conventional duct detectors and how to verify duct detector air flow using a manometer.
Duration: approx. 30 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.5 CPD points.
Installing Sprinkler Devices
This course is all about monitoring sprinkler systems. Students will learn how to wire up waterflow switches, OS&Y valve tamper switches and butterfly tamper switches. You will learn how to wire up to alarm and low air pressure switches and how to adjust compressor and pressure switch settings on a dry pipe or preaction sprinkler system. You will also learn how to wire up and test a solenoid for a preaction sprinkler system. Lastly, you will learn the basics of monitoring fire pump status.
Duration: approx. 1 hour.
This course qualifies as 1 CPD point.
Installing Modules and Pull Stations
This course teaches how various addressable modules work and how to install them. Students will learn about input or monitor modules, relay modules, and control or output modules, including specialized versions for firefighter telephones. Students will learn how to use a control module with an external relay, with a stand-alone notification appliance, and to activate a power supply. Students will also learn where to mount pull stations and how to wire them up.
Duration: approx. 30 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.5 CPD points.
Installing Notification Appliances
This course covers wiring and installation of conventional and addressable notification appliances like speakers, horns, chimes, bells and strobes. Students will learn code requirements for spacing and mounting height. Students will also learn about synchronization and how to synchronize multiple circuits across multiple power supplies in a large building.
Duration: approx. 30 minutes.
This course qualifies as 0.5 CPD points.
Installing Surge Suppressors
In this course, students will learn when and how to install surge suppressors (AKA surge arrestors or surge protectors). We cover essential surge protection basics like maximum resistance to ground and minimum wire length to the protected equipment. We specifically review the use of surge protective devices for phone lines, 110 VAC and wire between buildings.
Duration: approx. 20 miinutes.
This course qualifies as 0.33 CPD points.
Free Sample
We want you to have confidence in our training before you purchase. Here's an opportunity for you to experience what it is like to go through our online courses.
This is also the only way to get free access to our Resource Library. We have a a collection of fire alarm symbols, cable pin-outs and various spreadsheets available for download. But you need an account and you have to be logged in!
This sample course includes real lessons from the following courses:
- Introduction to Fire Alarm
- Reading Architectural Drawings
- Field Drafting and As-Builts
- Installing Electrical Boxes
- Intro to Wire
- Terminating Wire
- Addressing Devices
- Installing Sprinkler Devices
- Installing Notification Appliances
Duration: approx. 45 minutes.
This course does not qualify for any CPD points.
Ready to find out more?
Check out our course bundle plans and pricing!
These courses are also available for individual purchase (30-day access).