S95 Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the S95 exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 S95 Exam Format at a Glance
📚 S95 Topics to Study (63)
✍️ Sample S95 Questions & Answers
1. Which of the following is the CORRECT action when a fire alarm system is taken out of service for maintenance exceeding four hours?
NFPA 72 and most fire codes require a fire watch when a fire alarm system is impaired, along with notification to the AHJ and supervising station.
2. What causes a 'ground fault' trouble signal on a fire alarm Notification Appliance Circuit (NAC)?
A ground fault occurs when a NAC conductor makes unintended contact with a grounded object such as conduit or structural steel, creating an abnormal current path the panel detects.
3. An S-95 certificate holder discovers a malfunctioning smoke detector in a corridor. What is the FIRST action to take?
Upon discovering a malfunction, the S-95 holder must immediately log the trouble condition and notify the building owner and the fire alarm service company.
4. In a commercial building, what is the primary function of a duct smoke detector?
Duct smoke detectors are installed in HVAC ductwork to detect the presence of smoke. Their main purpose is to prevent the circulation of smoke from a fire in one area of a building to other areas through the ventilation system. Upon detecting smoke, they send a signal to the fire alarm control panel, which then typically shuts down the HVAC fans and closes dampers.
5. Under NFPA 72, the maximum acceptable end-to-end response time for a supervising station to retransmit an alarm signal to the fire department is:
NFPA 72 requires that supervising stations retransmit a received alarm signal to the fire department within 60 seconds of receipt.
6. Which tool is required to perform an operational test of a waterflow alarm switch on a wet-pipe sprinkler system without discharging water?
The inspector's test valve simulates a single sprinkler head flow, activating the waterflow switch without full system discharge.