FST Documentation 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which element is required on every page of a fire protection system shop drawing submittal?
- The contractor's insurance policy number
- A revision block, drawing number, and project identification (Correct answer)
- The building owner's signature
- The local fire chief's approval stamp
Correct answer: A revision block, drawing number, and project identification
Each page of a shop drawing must include a title block with project identification, drawing number, and revision block to ensure proper version control.
Question 2: In fire alarm documentation, a 'point-to-point' wiring diagram is primarily used to show what?
- The physical location of devices on a floor plan
- The electrical connections between individual devices and control panels (Correct answer)
- The sequence of alarm operations
- The response zones for each detector
Correct answer: The electrical connections between individual devices and control panels
Point-to-point wiring diagrams detail the electrical connections, wire types, and terminal assignments between devices and the fire alarm control panel.
Question 3: What does a fire protection system 'acceptance test' document confirm?
- The contractor has submitted all invoices
- The system operates correctly as installed and meets the design specifications (Correct answer)
- The building is eligible for reduced insurance premiums
- The AHJ has waived all outstanding permits
Correct answer: The system operates correctly as installed and meets the design specifications
An acceptance test confirms through witnessed testing that the installed system performs as designed and complies with applicable codes before the building is occupied.
Question 4: When tagging a fire extinguisher after annual maintenance, what information must appear on the tag?
- The technician's home address
- Date of service, technician's name or ID, and next service due date (Correct answer)
- The extinguisher's purchase price
- The building manager's approval signature
Correct answer: Date of service, technician's name or ID, and next service due date
NFPA 10 requires the maintenance tag to show the date of service, the identity of the technician, and when the next service is due.
Question 5: A fire protection technician completes an inspection and finds the system fully operational with no deficiencies. Which statement about documentation is correct?
- No documentation is needed if no deficiencies are found
- A complete inspection report must still be prepared and provided to the building owner (Correct answer)
- Only a verbal report to the building owner is required
- The inspection form can be discarded after 30 days
Correct answer: A complete inspection report must still be prepared and provided to the building owner
Regardless of the inspection outcome, a full written report must be completed, signed, and provided to the building owner to comply with NFPA requirements.
Question 6: What is the function of a 'cause and effect' matrix in a fire alarm system documentation package?
- It lists the cost of each device
- It maps initiating device activations to the specific system outputs or actions they trigger (Correct answer)
- It identifies which devices are on a common circuit
- It records the history of false alarms
Correct answer: It maps initiating device activations to the specific system outputs or actions they trigger
A cause and effect matrix is a table that cross-references each initiating device with the outputs (alarms, door releases, HVAC shutdown, etc.) it activates.
Question 7: Under NFPA 1, which party is primarily responsible for maintaining fire protection system records and making them available for inspection?
- The installing contractor
- The Authority Having Jurisdiction
- The building owner or operator (Correct answer)
- The insurance carrier
Correct answer: The building owner or operator
NFPA 1 and most model fire codes place the responsibility for maintaining fire protection records on the building owner or operator.
FST Documentation 4
Which element is required on every page of a fire protection system shop drawing submittal?