The NTC Red Book, NICET Fire Alarm Certification Study Guide, is designed to prepare the reader for NICET Certification in Fire Alarm Systems (FAS) or Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems (ITFAS). The NTC Red Book covers the requirements for both areas of certification in a single book.
Certification Guide
The Red Book provides a guide to the NICET Certification process. The Red Book explains the certification process in plain English and helps the reader understand what is required to become NICET Certified. The Red Book explains how the NICET certification process works, and what is required to achieve certification at different levels.
The Red Book explains certification requirements for both the FAS and ITFAS certifications, including experience requirements. The Red Book also covers what NICET considers to be acceptable work experience for certification.
The Red Book provides a step-by-step guide to the application process on the NICET website, including scheduling and exam and documenting experience. The Red Book provides extensive details on how to document work experience in a manner acceptable to NICET. The Red Book also covers key points that should be considered when documenting experience.
For advanced certification, Level III and IV, the Red Book explains the process for identifying a recommender, and the qualifications NICET requires from a recommender. The Red Book also explains the requirements for the major project write up that is required for Level IV certification.
Exam Preparation
The Red Book covers NICET’s computer-based testing program, helping the reader to know what to expect when taking the exam. The Red Book explains how the test interface works, and how to best utilize the interface to achieve a passing score on the exam. The Red Book discusses strategies to use for taking the exam to ensure a successful exam experience.
Permitted Reference
The Red Book discusses the references permitted into each NICET exam and highlights the importance of each reference in the exam. NICET tests on specific references and specific editions in their exams, and the Red Book provides clarity to NICET’s reference rules.
Sample Quizzes
The Red Book provides over 700 sample questions to allow the reader to understand the types of questions they will see in the exam. The questions are broken down by area of certification (FAS and ITFAS certifications are both covered), and Level of certification (Level I-IV for FAS, Levels I-II for ITFAS) to give the reader a complete understanding of types of questions NICET may ask on the exam.
The sample quizzes are organized into a set of 10 questions per sample quiz. The 10 question quizzes allow for the reader to practice taking an “exam” with a set of sample questions, which allows the reader to study in smaller time increments. An answer key to the sample quizzes is located on the NTC website, on the Resources page, to allow readers to grade their quiz, including reference location of the answer.
The sample quizzes provide an excellent opportunity for off-line study. Quizzes can be taken anywhere, at any time, and then graded at a later time. The sample quizzes also present an excellent opportunity for group study, where multiple students can practice answering the same quiz questions, and then discuss the skills they used to find the results.
Reference Section
The Red Book Reference provides a wealth of information that is useful in preparing to take the NICET exam. The Top 100 provides a list of the most common code requirements from NFPA 72 that is designed to read over and over again. By reviewing the list repeatedly, the information becomes first hand knowledge. Any code facts that you KNOW in the exam do not have to be verified by looking them up in the code itself.
A significant part of the Level I FAS exam is based on OSHA and first aid requirements,, but NICET does not permit any references into the exam that cover these topics. The Red Book includes a list of 100 OSHA and first aid requirements that can be committed to memory, just like the Top 100.
A knowledge of basic electronics is critical for lower level exams. Topics such as Ohm’s Law and the rules for series and parallel circuits will likely appear as questions on the exam. Higher level questions about voltage drop and battery calculations are likely. The Red Book’s Basic Electronics section reviews the fundamentals of these topics.
The Level III and IV FAS exams will have questions regarding project management. While a project management reference is permitted at Level IV, no reference is permitted at Level III. The Project Management section of the Red Book provides a review document that covers textbook project management to help the reader get into the right mindset for NICET project management questions.
Learn More About the NTC Red Book here or check out our schedule of NICET Fire Alarm Virtual Classes (which include the Red Book).
