I see a trend in news headlines reporting the reduction of city budgets and personnel. Fire departments have especially become resource-challenged. However, the city officials still urge the fire department management to do more with less. No one can predict how long this so-called “management plan” can continue. The budget crisis had a profound effect on the ability of the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to ensure contractors properly install and test the fire alarm systems. This trend presents an opportunity for the professional contractor.


Assuming you have trained your technicians to understand proper fire alarm systems-installation techniques and code-compliant inspection, testing and maintenance procedures, you can offer to collaborate with the AHJ. You would have to provide either National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) or NFPA inspector certification for your technicians. The expense is a small price to pay for this opportunity.


The program for NFPA Certified Fire Inspector-1 (CFI-1) provides a professional certification based on general fire-industry knowledge and an understanding of NFPA 1, Fire Code; NFPA 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems; NFPA 25, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems; NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code; and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. Although the certification covers a number of system types and specific codes and standards, you can find the basis for the exams in NFPA 1031, Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Inspector and Plan Examiner.


Having your technicians achieve this certification opens up opportunities to collaborate with the AHJ and expand the services you offer to your current and future client base. Regardless, when you ensure thorough technician training, you will find many benefits.


If you feel the CFI-1 training would prove too broad for your business base, another option is to have your technicians certified by NICET for Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems. NICET offers Level I and Level II certifications in this area. According to the NICET website, “This certification program is for engineering technicians engaged in the performance, documentation, planning, and coordination of periodic inspection and testing of existing fire alarm systems and their components.” Visit www.nicet.org for a full list of areas the training covers.


Choosing the way forward for a formal certification program depends on your conversations with the AHJ. He or she may only need you to relieve the fire alarm systems acceptance test workload. In many cases, by being NICET-certified for inspection, testing and maintenance (ITM), you would be a comfortable choice to partner with.


These days, the AHJ’s greatest challenge comes from trying to have enough inspectors to perform code-compliant acceptance tests on all new installations as well as providing the proper follow-up for systems needing a retest. This offers the perfect opportunity to discuss your possible collaboration as the “road to fire alarm systems compliance.” Such collaboration efforts can result in a contract with the city to provide supplemental authorized third-party acceptance testing of all new systems.


The added benefit is the potential of returning to the site once the owner or tenant occupies the building and offering them an ITM contract. In addition, when AHJs accept you and your technicians as capable third-party test providers, who do you think they will recommend when an architect or owner brings a new building for his review? Working closely with the AHJ in a professional manner will give you a decided advantage.


Of course, the AHJ must become familiar with your work and become convinced by your actions that you actually make every effort to install code-compliant systems. If the AHJ has had good experiences when testing your installations, the AHJ will more likely entertain the possibility of a partnership or collaborative agreement with you.


In a future article, I will discuss another trend presented in the recently adopted NFPA 72 2016, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code—namely, the ability for a contractor to use the a building’s network to interconnect the fire alarm system components. By knowing this trend, you demonstrate to your customers that you can both maintain fire alarm system reliability and save installation costs. For this trend to bear fruit, you will need to become trained in the use of information technology networks and understand the limitations as outlined in the code.


Opportunities like this can only exist if they build on a foundation of trust and on the knowledge that you make the effort to stay abreast of both new technologies and market trends. So, seize the opportunity.