S95 - Supervision of Fire Alarm System Emergency Response Procedures Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An S-95 holder on duty observes a new fire alarm signal at the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP). After acknowledging the signal to silence the panel buzzer, what is the holder's first and most immediate priority?
- Silence the building's audible and visual notification appliances.
- Dispatch a staff member to the alarm location to verify the condition.
- Contact the building owner to inform them of the alarm.
- Ensure the Fire Department (FDNY) has been notified. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ensure the Fire Department (FDNY) has been notified.
The primary and most critical function of a fire alarm system is to summon emergency services. Before any other action, the S-95 holder must confirm that the FDNY has been notified, either by the central station or by calling 911 directly. This ensures a response is underway while other on-site procedures commence.
Question 2: The Fire Department (FDNY) has responded to an alarm at a building. After investigating, the FDNY officer in command determines it was a nuisance alarm. Who has the sole authority to authorize the resetting of the fire alarm system?
- The S-95 Certificate of Fitness holder on duty.
- The building owner or property manager.
- The central monitoring station dispatcher.
- The officer in command from the FDNY. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The officer in command from the FDNY.
Once the FDNY is on the scene, they are in command of the incident. The fire alarm system cannot be reset until the responding FDNY officer gives explicit permission. This ensures they have completed their investigation and have deemed the premises safe to return to normal operations.
Question 3: Which of the following describes the fundamental difference in the required emergency response between a fire alarm signal and a supervisory signal?
- A supervisory signal requires immediate building evacuation, while a fire alarm signal does not.
- A fire alarm signal requires immediate FDNY notification, while a supervisory signal requires notifying appropriate personnel for investigation. (Correct answer)
- A fire alarm must be logged in the logbook, while a supervisory signal does not require a log entry.
- A supervisory signal requires silencing the building-wide alarms, while a fire alarm signal does not.
Correct answer: A fire alarm signal requires immediate FDNY notification, while a supervisory signal requires notifying appropriate personnel for investigation.
A fire alarm signal indicates an immediate threat like a fire and requires an emergency response, including notifying the FDNY. A supervisory signal indicates an off-normal condition with a fire protection system (e.g., a closed sprinkler valve) that could prevent the system from working correctly in a fire but is not an active fire itself. The proper response for a supervisory signal is to notify building maintenance or management to investigate and correct the issue.
Question 4: A required fire alarm system becomes impaired and cannot be restored. According to the NYC Fire Code, at what point must a fire watch typically be instituted?
- Immediately upon discovery of the impairment.
- If the system will be out of service for more than 4 hours.
- If the system will be out of service for more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period. (Correct answer)
- Only when directed to do so by the building's insurance carrier.
Correct answer: If the system will be out of service for more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period.
The NYC Fire Code requires that if a required fire alarm system is out of service for more than 8 hours in any 24-hour period, the impairment coordinator must take action, which typically includes instituting a fire watch. A fire watch consists of trained personnel patrolling the area to detect fires and notify the FDNY.
Question 5: After silencing the building's notification appliances (horns/strobes) to investigate an alarm, the S-95 holder is awaiting the FDNY's arrival. What must be the status of the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) display during this time?
- The FACP should be placed into test mode to prevent further alarms.
- The FACP should be reset to clear the display for first responders.
- The FACP must remain in the alarm condition, visibly indicating the alarm's origin. (Correct answer)
- The FACP should be powered down to preserve battery life.
Correct answer: The FACP must remain in the alarm condition, visibly indicating the alarm's origin.
The FACP must not be reset after an alarm, even if the building alarms are silenced. It is critical that the panel continues to display the location of the initial alarm so that when the FDNY arrives, they can immediately identify where the problem was first detected and begin their response accordingly.
Question 6: An S-95 holder is working when the fire alarm system experiences a total power failure, rendering it out of service. The holder must promptly notify the FDNY. Which of the following pieces of information is most critical to provide to the FDNY dispatcher?
- The S-95 holder's Certificate of Fitness number.
- The name of the fire alarm service company.
- The building address and the specific nature of the impairment. (Correct answer)
- The estimated number of occupants in the building.
Correct answer: The building address and the specific nature of the impairment.
When reporting an out-of-service fire alarm system, the FDNY needs to know the exact location (address) and the nature of the problem (e.g., "complete system failure, no power"). This information is vital for their records and for their operational planning should they be dispatched to that address for a reported fire during the impairment.
S95 - Supervision of Fire Alarm System Emergency Response Procedures Questions and Answers 1
An S-95 holder on duty observes a new fire alarm signal at the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP).
After acknowledging the signal to silence the panel buzzer, what is the holder's first and most immediate priority?