FDNY S-12 and S-15 Exam Prep

• This document provides study material for the FDNY Certificate of Fitness exams for Supervision of Sprinkler Systems (S-12) and Foam-Water Sprinkler Systems (S-15).
• Applying and paying for the exam must be completed online before arriving at the FDNY and may take around 30 minutes.
• Find instructional material for online payment & application here: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/fdny/downloads/pdf/business/fdny-business-cof-individuals-short.pdf
• Create an account and log in at: http://fires.fdnycloud.org/CitizenAccess
• To qualify to take exams, candidates must be at least 18 years old and comprehend English

Written Exam Requirements:

• Bring 2 IDs, one being government photo ID (state-issued driver's license, non-driver's license, or passport).
• Provide employer letter of recommendation on official letterhead including applicant's full name, experience, and work address.
• Self-employed applicants must provide a notarized letter attesting to their qualifications.
• Present a complete Certificate of Fitness application (A-20 Form).
• Applicants not currently employed may sit the exam lacking required documentation.
• Passing applicants will obtain a job-seeking temporary letter.
• A certificate will be provided within the same day if all conditions are satisfied and the applicant passes the test.

Required Exam Information

• T-15 applicants must hold a valid S-12 Certificate of Fitness.
• Without a valid S-12 Certificate of Fitness, applicants must apply for the S-12/S-15 Certificate.
• The application fee is $25 (cash, credit card, debit card, personal/company check, or money order).
• A 2% convenience fee applies to credit card payments.
• Government employees using the C of F for job-related duties are eligible for fee waivers; submit a letter on the Agency's official letterhead indicating the applicant's full name, exam type, and premise address, as well as a copy of their agency identification card..
• S-12 has 75 multiple-choice questions.
• S-15 has 100 multiple-choice questions.
• T-15 has 25 multiple-choice questions administered on a "touch screen" computer monitor.
• A score of 70% or higher is needed to receive a certificate of fitness.
• Call (718) 999-1988 for further information and forms.

####Exam Time Limit

• S-12: 135 minutes
• S-15: 175 minutes
• T-15: 38 minutes

Special Materials Provided During Testing

• Temperature Ratings Classifications and Color Coding Table
• Reference Guide for inspection, testing, and maintenance
• Inspection Testing and Maintenance of Sprinkler Systems Activities & Records
• S-95 Supervision for Fire alarm Systems & other related systems reference guide

Fees for Other Actions

• $5.00 fee for a mailing address change with a letter and copy of certificate of fitness.
• $5.00 fee for a work location change, including a letter from the current employer and copy of certificate of fitness.
• $5.00 fee for a replacement certificate requires a driver's license/passport, social security number, and mailing address

Certificate Renewal Specifics

• Certificates of Fitness need renewal every 3 YEARS, costing $15
• The FDNY reserves the right to require re-examination.
• Courtesy renewal notices are sent 90 days before expiration
• It's the certificate holder's responsibility to renew the certificate before expiration
• A late fee of $25 applies for submissions from 90 days up to a year following expiration.
• After 1 year, a new exam must be taken for renewal.
• Certificate renewal can occur online, by mail, or in person.

Renewal Online Requirements

• Have your 12-digit access ID (Renewal Notice) or 8-digit certificate of fitness number and the last four social security number digits.
• Renewals on behalf of company employees need company approval by FDNY and company code.

Renewal By Mail

• Send fee payment with renewal notice/copy of certificate (personal or company check/money order payable to the New York City Fire Department).
• Including supporting papers to complete an application include: requesting A Letter requesting fee waiver on Agency's official stationery specifying applicant's full name, exam type and premise address and including A duplicate of identification, if relevant.
• The certificate issues within four to six weeks of mailing to: NYC Fire Department (FDNY) Cashier's Unit 9 MetroTech Center, 1st Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201

Renewal In Person

• At the Cashier's Unit, provide the payment fee, new approval notification or copy of certification.
• Acceptable payment styles are checks, company check, cash, credit card or debit card of any sort is OK.
• Present any necessary paperwork to complete the application such as request forms or agency papers.

MetroTech Testing Site Specific Info

• The FDNY Headquarters is at 9 MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY
• Use the Flatbush Avenue entrance.

Booklet Info

• Study materials have information from the 2014 New York City Fire Code (FC) Chapter 9 and Fire Department Rules Chapter 9 and NFPA Standard 25, (2011 Edition) Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water Based Fire Protection Systems
• To pass the test, you'll need careful reading and comprehension from the study document.
• It is critical that you read and understand this booklet to help increase you chances of passing this exam.

Test Format

• Each test question will be in a multiple-choice format
• Each question has 4 potential answers, with one correct selection
• If a question is skipped or multiple answers are chosen, it is marked as incorrect
• The necessary passing mark is an 70% grade average, no guessing penalty
• The questions represent the “format” of the exam questions, not the content of the real exam.

Introduction to Sprinkler Systems

• A sprinkler system uses water as a fire extinguishing agent
• NYC Building Code determines the necessity for sprinkler protection.
• NFPA #25 2011 edition mandates the inspection, testing, and servicing of sprinkler systems
• Multiple dwellings, factories, office buildings, theaters, hospitals, public schools, churches, and waterfront buildings must have specified fire safety measures.
• Fire protection systems should be extended/altered as necessary, and impairment is defined as systems not following this rule.
• Fire protection equipment should not be confused with devices that do not perform a fire protection function.

Sprinkler and Standpipe System Info

• A competent S-12 Certificate of Fitness holder contracted by the building owner shall inspect, test, and maintain sprinkler systems as per NFPA #25 2011 edition.
• A detailed record for this must be kept for a minimum of 3 years.
• A minimum replacement supply of 6 extra sprinkler heads shall be kept on the premises, and any sprinklers heads that have opened/been damaged shall be replaced immediately.
• For replacing such heads, operating temperature, orifice size, deflector orientation, and thermal sensitivity are all necessary characteristics
• The Fire Department will pressure test sprinkler system connections every five years.
• A Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractor will complete such tasks in the presence of a Fire Department representative, hired by the owner.
• NFPA 25 of 2011 outlines the standards for fire and sprinkler system inspections

Building Owner Info

• The building owner is responsible for the sprinkler system and should determine the individual skills, qualifications, and competencies of the COF holder.
• The building owner will act as the Impairment Coordinator, to perform actions when a standpipe system, sprinkler, or fire alarm is to be shut down.
• Maintenance records must be kept for a minimum of 3 years and must be accessible for review by by FDNY personnel.

OOS (Out-Of-Service)

• When a system or specified portion is set out for a scheduled inspection, regular maintenance, repairs, or development, the Certificate of Fitness holder and the assigned impairment coordinator should be notified and grant approval prior to start of the system change.
• In an out of service situation, fire watch personnel must consistently roam the affected area with constant monitoring and any fire must be instantly reported to the fire authority and emergency staff.
• Fire watch personnel needs a means to notify the fire authority and has to be properly trained in use of any portable equipment.

FDNY Notifications

• The FDNY needs to be notified in an situation where is a lack of operation: If more than one floor of a structure is to have it. If maintenance surpasses upwards of 8 hours. if there is a problem or a fault.
• The contact numbers are by zone: Manhattan 212-570-4300, Bronx 718-430-0200, Brooklyn 718-965-8300, Queens 718-476-6200 and Staten Island 718-494-4296
• A precise record and degree of of the out-of-service situation. A record of the location, involving sections with the non working fire defense.. The utilization type.. The projected maintenance time. The contact number of the owner. The buildings location.. Is the defense down to a scheduled change, and if this why the reason. is the rest of the safety implements is working effectively?
• If the certification person finds a minor fault with nothing that introduces a peril, they will record what has been seen to the owners. When not remedied following a tenure of 30 business days it will be recorded to the Fire Authorities.

Identifying OOS

• Indicate the out of service system at the fire dept connections, fire command or area that can be seen easily.
• Tags are required, with tag color indicating condition.
• Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractors, class A and B and MPs (as restricted) should place tags on main control and various closing valves. Date of evacuation and comeback date should be on the tag.
• Static and kinetic testing will also be recorded.
• The impairment manager should authorize the shutting down of a area prior to notification the Certificate of Fitness holder following shutting devices which, if any, is to be utilized.
• Before signing any part with the safety out of operation the impairment manager should tell the fire department, discover how much to be affected, checking the areas and how to make corrections, inform the owner, telling employees concerned in the event of a service disruption that may run for over a half hour from start out.

Fire Watch

• Fire watch staff must conduct fire watches, in lieu of a fire guard, following first 4 hours of a scheduled activity where a section has failed provided the area does not rise past 50,000-square feet in size.

Impared Equipment & Tags

• Equipment out, which require Tagging. These include the primary subsurface, drums located at the water authority, firefighting devicess, closing appliances, in addition to fire. These components call for a ticket marked Red, White or Blue depending upon whether it can function, and whether other faults exist.

Tag Colors

• Red if equipment is out. White for when systems is just partially working. Green is for working equipment. The tickets or indicators are applied by the owner. Only assigned employees must position the devices on or in a sector that went out due to not any.
• Prior to setting it back on to action one may have to do checks and double check that it acts regularly, tells of any problems, informs inhabitants within, alerts some security staff, and also the manager.

Protecting Systems

• Protection from winter conditions, or automatic dry designs and components need to be incorporated

Details & Procedures

• Record keeping. Detailed logs needs to noted.
• To help adhere with standard the COF holder following those steps will make operations very simple. They will sign the papers, note as precisely what occurred, that will aid additional assessment processes.
• A riser number is required to record all data, which will include testing record, certificates.

Tasks Specified for Individuals

• A COF holder that has it makes the right documentation to ensure they operates normally. They make any day by the week inspections.
• Those holding degrees in the areas assigned by the business' people can make check the systems.
• The suppression people may sign the official assessment along with other documentation.
• A specialized plumber are simply assigned to family locations that are three stories high or less, and also have the ability to not add an better pressure from rising more.

Definition of Codes

• a fire device, such some type sound, that informs people of an trouble
• indicative from an chance that might harm you
• a design and component of damp system the damp method gives an automatic method to check the liquid and any connected material. it also has something in location that is utilized with fire.
• damp device drains that are utilized to permit water to move from an exterior wellspring into that building
• a place to accumulate a transmission from various locations.
• combination plumbing.
• damp that has already have a coating to avoid the device to not be damaged.
• when section will never have an assigned location inside framework

#####More Definitions

• a shortcoming in an implementation set
• valves to work along the system with fire
• sprinkler system.
• damp design that's loaded to be ready consistently. the moment when air will no more be kept inside by certain gear, its utilized to keep up with it and have water to operate.
• the ability be assigned
• if section meets necessary instructions
• all pipes have a location it is necessary that they function.
• damp spray.
• a shut place designed to keep stuff to work on the designs

Upright Sprinkler Info

• It directs the spray up and against the deflectors to deliver water in specific patterns, velocity, and density
• It's necessary that the system provide required flow and the needed pressure psi.

Wet Pipe System

• All system components need to be above forty points at a time to help reduce any sort of damages

Dry Pipe

• Air with N2, then water streams from. It discharges. They are fitted for situations where water and temps are not appropriate

Premix System

• Utilized to help slow water harms. The gadget is used to shut it self following warm decreases it

Deluge Specifics

• Utilized to slow the flames. Open heads.
• Non Automatic Damps
• Pumping during any situation to the location is necessary. They are applied where there is no automated gear and the worker should push on its button

Garbage Compactors

• Any defect with fire will call for alerting the local authorities.

Water Supplies

• From various parts: drums and water.

More Water

• When making a method, a NON-INDICATING check valve it used. The space will be noticed by analyzing the region with particular details regarding which it is. that will need any specified key

Valves

• An (Outside Stem and Yoke Valve) Has to be used to assess all supply, and are installed on major riser and are easy to read. It can regulate the the levels.

Alarms and Supervision

• All must be set with gear to signal when amounts have transferred.

Signals

• There has to be a water engine for alarms it. it needs to tell the fire services which needs to be external parts with a bell.

System Components

• Devices made from metal with a way stop moving air to take back. There ought to be about of at the very least FOURHUNDRED

Head Info

• Over SEVERAL HUNDREDHUNDRED devices there with a few being altered. Once manufactured there has to be some kind indication. It should be modified, should it be thought it may impact anything.

Heads Come In These Specific Styles

• downward form a overhead pipe. The products is launched to the thing. Standard and most typical
• to the outside, and often prevents damages. Common locations
• to external framework areas and also when beauty matters most. A portion of A circle.

Four Sprinkler Heads

• PENT Set up with any downwards motion so they can prevent material and junk the materials is ejected at some point.
• UP Placed so its aimed so junk goes in. They are placed from the main. These can be in all those sorts of buildings
• sideways They have wall designs then its a 2nd form for design that one one side then spread.
• the fourth sort hides. It is only activated using warmth on what that has been set on there as an protection.

Testing heads

• Should be assessed for as much as FOURHUNDRED
• The heads is a big deal the amount will be assigned depending on the design. At about FOUR legs it will need to reach 16
• It is critical in it the designs will never be affected or have a big component around.

Temp and Colors for Heads

• Most codes and systems use different colors for the temperatures. There are heads it is suggested that only can discharge the thing, which include locations that have large heat. Its primary need is only making fire is under. You will need to avoid setting such thing around to not make the gear work in the first position.

Material build up

• Some designs and components cause the products to create at a bad tempo, that's because its being insulated with it. This happens only with hard materials that might be a situation but only if gentle dust creates. Just use equipment, without having contact.

6 Heads Are Neede

• You have to have all types for replacements. Under FOURHUNDREDS must be SIX under FOURHUNDRED it is FOURTEEN for higher locations make it TWENTY FOUR.

Drums

• A small component with sealed elements. Must be set inside a cage.

Drum Alarms

• Each will have alarm systems as there is many issues from the environment that it is to be inspected it

Fire Pump Info

• These materials are utilized to strengthen and volume to be made.

More Tank Points

• Suction demands what is is and water must run the best

Signals

• Gear need signals to realize when waters happen to run from it. What's happening from the situation requires a fast responses

To The Signals

• It serves. It functions a security. Water and or other equipment must inform the fire power, even so the owners need their area.

The Specific Gear Is

• The force used to change the streams by something there
• You need the the alarm to stop a switch
• These products reduce it for which the location is.

Heads Should Be Made In This Fashion

• Made from steel. You cannot touch they with out any kind of hand. A small element it used it.

The 4 Forms To Note Is

• For side locations
• Level that allows the component not harm to its self from higher place where liquid can come out of there
• Down that the design should launch it and to help slow their process if it had happen from the structure, it'll be hard to keep to its self
• Open if design runs normally until its harmed or has some kind of issues