ESA’s National Training School Launches Two New Courses
The Electronic Security Association’s National Training School is pleased to announce that it will launch two new courses, Residential Fire Alarm and International Building Code, and one updated course, Life Safety Code, in 2010. These courses will be available in the third quarter of the year.
Funded by the Alarm Industry Research & Educational Foundation (AIREF), which serves as the foundation arm of the electronic life safety, security and systems industry, the three classroom courses reflect the evolving technology and regulatory environments that security integration professionals need to understand.
"It is with a great deal of pride that AIREF has been able to realize part of its mission statement with the developmental funding of these educational courses," said Jamie Orvis, treasurer. "One hundred percent of the funds that AIREF has at its disposal are proceeds from the golf tournament held each year at ISC West. AIREF recently completed our seventh tournament and, despite the economic climate, the proceeds were in line with previous years."
The details of the three courses are:
Residential Fire Alarm Course (RFAC), which follows the structure of NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 72 and is based on the 2010 edition of NFPA 72 and the 2008 NFPA 70, is designed for individuals seeking to expand their knowledge of the installation, service and maintenance of residential fire alarm systems. The seven-hour course, which finishes with a one-hour examination, is appropriate for technical staff, sales personnel, business owners and fire service and code officials. The complete schedule for RFAC can be found at http://www.alarm.org/nts/courses/rfac.html.
International Building Code (IBC) teaches students the practical application of the 2009 International Building Code. Subject areas include presentations on the Occupancy Group code requirements for fire detection and alarm communications systems and access control systems. The course includes chapters specifically covering the assembly, education, daycare, residential, and institutional occupancies, as well as an overview of all of the other occupancy groups. The course additionally includes a comparison presentation of the International Building Code and the NFPA Life Safety Code, highlighting the various similarities and differences in the two codes.
By completing IBC and Fire Alarm Installation Methods (FAIM), and by holding a Certified Alarm/Security Technician -- Level 1 certification for at least 12 months, individuals are eligible for certification as a Certified Fire Alarm Technician. The seven-hour course, which concludes with a one-hour examination, is designed for technical staff, sales personnel, business owners, and fire service and code officials. The complete schedule of IBC courses can be found at http://www.alarm.org/nts/courses/ibc.html.
Life Safety Code -- Updated for 2010 (LSC), based on the 2009 edition of NFPA 101, teaches students the practical application of the Life Safety Code. This course is being updated for 2010 to reflect the newest code references.
Subject areas include presentations on the occupancy group code requirements for fire detection and alarm communications systems and access control systems. The course includes chapters specifically covering the assembly, education, daycare, hotel/motel, and healthcare occupancies, as well as an overview of all of the other occupancy groups. The course additionally includes a comparison presentation of the Life Safety Code and the International Building Code, highlighting the various similarities and differences in the two codes.
The seven-hour course, which ends with a one-hour examination, is designed for technical staff, sales personnel, business owners, and fire service and code officials. Students who hold a Certified Alarm/Security Technician – Level 1 certification for at least 12 months and complete both FAIM and LSC are eligible for certification as a Certified Fire Alarm Technician. The complete schedule of LSC courses can be found at http://www.alarm.org/nts/courses/lsc.html.
Additionally, AIREF is funding the classroom update and online conversion of Electronic Access Control (EAC), and the online conversions of Video System Technologies (VST) and Troubleshooting, Service and Maintenance (TSM).
VST and TSM will be released this month. The online version of EAC is currently in development.