Fire Alarm Systems Training
Fire Alarm technicians design, install, service, and inspect fire alarm and voice evacuation systems. Codes require fire alarm technicians to be properly trained and certified. Properly trained and knowledgeable fire alarm system designers and technicians will reduce losses due to fire or false alarms and improve the quality of life in the community.
Cape Fear Community College offers our Fire Alarm Systems Training courses online and allows anyone with an internet connection to take the course. You are not required to have US citizenship, but the course is taught only in English. The National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies or NICET “is a non-profit organization created by the National Society of Professional Engineers to serve the certification needs of the engineering technology community.” Fire Alarm Systems Training endorses and encourages NICET certification.
Cape Fear Community College offers Fire Alarm Systems Training through two paths. Students may register for Alarms 101 and Alarms 102 courses or they may register for the Apprenticeship Program.
Search & Register for Upcoming CoursesApprenticeship Program
Fire Alarm Apprenticeship courses begin in late Spring (April/May) and Fall (Oct/Nov) and are six months in length each. In total, a student will complete 578 hours of instruction. It will take students 2 years to complete the entire program. Students complete the coursework while working as an apprentice for 4 years.
This program is a registered apprenticeship program through the Department of Labor. Upon completion of the four-level/four-year program, apprentices will receive their journeyman card and certificate. The apprenticeship is open to students nationwide and encourages NICET certification.
Job & Industry
Overall employment of Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is projected to grow 7% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. In North Carolina, workers on average earn $57,440.
*Information provided by onetonline.org
Course Information
Courses
This course is designed for individuals new to the fire alarm industry and will focus on fundamentals. Students will learn basic electrical theory and understand resistance, voltage, and current. Individuals currently in the fire alarm industry would benefit from the concepts and theories which will be built upon in the Alarms 102 course.
Students will also acquire a basic understanding of the physics involved in chemical reactions and the by-products of fire. Students will learn essential electrical workmanship and installation methods of fire alarm equipment and devices. The student will gain an understanding of the requirements of codes and standards that govern fire alarm systems and installations. (14.4 CEUs awarded)
Students will become familiar with NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, and NFPA 70, the National Electric Code (NEC). These references are consistent with NICET’s allowable references for Level I and II Fire Alarm Systems exam(s).
Spring: January – April | Summer: May-August | Fall: September – December
This course is designed for fire alarm technicians with intermediate experience in the fire alarm industry and will focus on application and design. The subject matter will build upon concepts addressing the behavior and generation of smoke, the combustion process, and the requirements of codes and standards that govern fire alarm systems and installations. (14.4 CEUs awarded)
Students will become familiar with NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, NFPA 70, the National Electric Code (NEC), NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, and the International Building (IBC). These references are consistent with NICET’s allowable references for Level III and IV Fire Alarm Systems exam(s).
Spring: January – April | Summer: May-August | Fall: September – December
Endorsements
The following participating Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ’s) will accept FAST Certificate of Completion as “qualified” per NFPA 72:
Please contact pinferrera@cfcc.edu to add your department or agency.
NICET Recognized Training Provider
See Certification Requirements
Industry Partner
