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FDNY S95 Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems Exam
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
THIS YEAR
FDNY S-95 exam – the test you must pass to supervise fire-alarm systems in New York City. What follows
is a summarized exam coverage (derived directly from the FDNY’s official Notice of Examination and
Study Material), followed by 250 scenario-based, exam-relevant multiple-choice questions, each with a
clear answer and a concise rationale. The questions are presented in a random order to simulate the
feel of the real test.
Everything you need is here. Let’s start with the official scope of the exam.
✅ SUMMARIZED EXAM COVERAGE (From the FDNY S-95 Study Material)
The exam is based on the FDNY’s Study Material for the Certificate of Fitness Supervision of Fire Alarm
Systems (S-95), which references NFPA 72 (2010 edition) and the New York City Fire Code.
1. Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems (Section 1)
• Who must hold an S-95 Certificate of Fitness
• General responsibilities of the S-95 certificate holder
• Relationship with building owners, fire safety directors, and central station companies
• Recordkeeping (log book entries, four required sections)
2. Fire Alarm Systems (Section 2)
• Primary purpose of a fire alarm system
• Types of systems (central station, local, remote station, auxiliary)
• Basic system operation
3. Components of the Fire Alarm System (Section 3)
• Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) – main “brains” of the system
• Three types of signals initiated by the FACP:
o Alarm signal – indicates a fire condition
o Supervisory signal – indicates an abnormal condition of a protected system (e.g.,
sprinkler valve closed)
o Trouble signal – indicates a fault or malfunction of the fire alarm system itself
• Sub-systems (e.g., elevator recall, door release, HVAC shut-down)
4. In Case of an Alarm (Section 4)
• Acknowledge switch or button – silences the audible sounder on the panel, notifies the
operator that the signal has been seen
• Alarm silence switch or button – turns off notification appliances (horns, strobes) after the
cause has been investigated
• System reset switch or button – returns the panel to normal standby condition after the cause
has been corrected
• Types of devices and the signals they generate
5. Fire Alarm System Power Supplies (Section 5)
• Primary power source – normal utility power
• Secondary (standby) power source – batteries that automatically take over when primary
power fails
• Battery sizing and supervision
6. Initiating Devices (Section 6)
• Smoke detectors – ionization, photoelectric, duct smoke detectors
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• Combination sensing technology smoke detectors – multi-criteria
• Heat detectors – fixed-temperature, rate-of-rise
• Sprinkler waterflow alarm-initiating devices
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices (pull stations)
• Flammable/combustible gas detectors
7. Sprinkler System (Section 7)
• How waterflow switches generate an alarm signal
• Supervisory switches on sprinkler control valves
8. Other Related Devices (Section 8)
• Audio and visual notification appliances (horns, strobes, speakers)
• Door holders, elevator recall, damper control, shunt trip
1. A building owner has designated you as the S-95 certificate holder. You receive a supervisory
signal indicating that a sprinkler control valve has been closed. What is your first responsibility?
A) Immediately reset the alarm panel
B) Investigate the cause and ensure the valve is restored to its normal position
C) Silences the audible signal without investigating
D) Call the fire department
Answer: B – A supervisory signal means a protected system (here, the sprinkler system) is in an
abnormal condition. You must investigate and correct the problem.
2. While testing a smoke detector with a magnet, you inadvertently cause a false alarm that
sounds the horns and strobes. What is the correct sequence of actions?
A) Silence the alarm, reset the system, acknowledge the signal
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B) Acknowledge the signal, silence the alarm, investigate, then reset
C) Reset the system immediately, then acknowledge
D) Ignore the signal and wait for it to clear
Answer: B – Standard procedure: first acknowledge the signal, silence the notification
appliances, investigate the cause, and only then reset the system.
3. A fire alarm control panel (FACP) shows a “trouble” signal. This indicates:
A) A fire has been detected
B) A sprinkler valve is closed
C) A fault or malfunction in the fire alarm system itself
D) The building is being evacuated
Answer: C – A trouble signal indicates a problem with the fire alarm system (e.g., a broken wire,
a defective detector, loss of power).
4. You are an S-95 certificate holder in a large office building. The building’s primary power fails.
The fire alarm system should automatically switch to:
A) An auxiliary generator
B) Secondary (standby) batteries
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C) A backup control panel
D) Manual operation only
Answer: B – The secondary power source (batteries) must automatically take over when
primary power fails, as required by NFPA 72 and NYC codes.
5. An S-95 certificate holder observes that a smoke detector is missing from its mounting base.
What action must be taken?
A) Note it in the log book, replace the detector, and test its operation
B) Ignore it because the base is still present
C) Disconnect the entire zone
D) Only document the observation in the log book
Answer: A – A missing detector is a system impairment. The S-95 holder must correct the
problem and test the device to ensure proper operation.
6. A central station system is one that:
A) Sounds only a local bell
B) Is monitored off-site by a UL-listed central station
C) Uses multiple alarm panels
FDNY S95 Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems Exam
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
THIS YEAR
FDNY S-95 exam – the test you must pass to supervise fire-alarm systems in New York City. What follows
is a summarized exam coverage (derived directly from the FDNY’s official Notice of Examination and
Study Material), followed by 250 scenario-based, exam-relevant multiple-choice questions, each with a
clear answer and a concise rationale. The questions are presented in a random order to simulate the
feel of the real test.
Everything you need is here. Let’s start with the official scope of the exam.
✅ SUMMARIZED EXAM COVERAGE (From the FDNY S-95 Study Material)
The exam is based on the FDNY’s Study Material for the Certificate of Fitness Supervision of Fire Alarm
Systems (S-95), which references NFPA 72 (2010 edition) and the New York City Fire Code.
1. Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems (Section 1)
• Who must hold an S-95 Certificate of Fitness
• General responsibilities of the S-95 certificate holder
• Relationship with building owners, fire safety directors, and central station companies
• Recordkeeping (log book entries, four required sections)
2. Fire Alarm Systems (Section 2)
• Primary purpose of a fire alarm system
• Types of systems (central station, local, remote station, auxiliary)
• Basic system operation
3. Components of the Fire Alarm System (Section 3)
• Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) – main “brains” of the system
• Three types of signals initiated by the FACP:
o Alarm signal – indicates a fire condition
o Supervisory signal – indicates an abnormal condition of a protected system (e.g.,
sprinkler valve closed)
o Trouble signal – indicates a fault or malfunction of the fire alarm system itself
• Sub-systems (e.g., elevator recall, door release, HVAC shut-down)
4. In Case of an Alarm (Section 4)
• Acknowledge switch or button – silences the audible sounder on the panel, notifies the
operator that the signal has been seen
• Alarm silence switch or button – turns off notification appliances (horns, strobes) after the
cause has been investigated
• System reset switch or button – returns the panel to normal standby condition after the cause
has been corrected
• Types of devices and the signals they generate
5. Fire Alarm System Power Supplies (Section 5)
• Primary power source – normal utility power
• Secondary (standby) power source – batteries that automatically take over when primary
power fails
• Battery sizing and supervision
6. Initiating Devices (Section 6)
• Smoke detectors – ionization, photoelectric, duct smoke detectors
, Page 2 of 125
• Combination sensing technology smoke detectors – multi-criteria
• Heat detectors – fixed-temperature, rate-of-rise
• Sprinkler waterflow alarm-initiating devices
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Manually actuated alarm-initiating devices (pull stations)
• Flammable/combustible gas detectors
7. Sprinkler System (Section 7)
• How waterflow switches generate an alarm signal
• Supervisory switches on sprinkler control valves
8. Other Related Devices (Section 8)
• Audio and visual notification appliances (horns, strobes, speakers)
• Door holders, elevator recall, damper control, shunt trip
1. A building owner has designated you as the S-95 certificate holder. You receive a supervisory
signal indicating that a sprinkler control valve has been closed. What is your first responsibility?
A) Immediately reset the alarm panel
B) Investigate the cause and ensure the valve is restored to its normal position
C) Silences the audible signal without investigating
D) Call the fire department
Answer: B – A supervisory signal means a protected system (here, the sprinkler system) is in an
abnormal condition. You must investigate and correct the problem.
2. While testing a smoke detector with a magnet, you inadvertently cause a false alarm that
sounds the horns and strobes. What is the correct sequence of actions?
A) Silence the alarm, reset the system, acknowledge the signal
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B) Acknowledge the signal, silence the alarm, investigate, then reset
C) Reset the system immediately, then acknowledge
D) Ignore the signal and wait for it to clear
Answer: B – Standard procedure: first acknowledge the signal, silence the notification
appliances, investigate the cause, and only then reset the system.
3. A fire alarm control panel (FACP) shows a “trouble” signal. This indicates:
A) A fire has been detected
B) A sprinkler valve is closed
C) A fault or malfunction in the fire alarm system itself
D) The building is being evacuated
Answer: C – A trouble signal indicates a problem with the fire alarm system (e.g., a broken wire,
a defective detector, loss of power).
4. You are an S-95 certificate holder in a large office building. The building’s primary power fails.
The fire alarm system should automatically switch to:
A) An auxiliary generator
B) Secondary (standby) batteries
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C) A backup control panel
D) Manual operation only
Answer: B – The secondary power source (batteries) must automatically take over when
primary power fails, as required by NFPA 72 and NYC codes.
5. An S-95 certificate holder observes that a smoke detector is missing from its mounting base.
What action must be taken?
A) Note it in the log book, replace the detector, and test its operation
B) Ignore it because the base is still present
C) Disconnect the entire zone
D) Only document the observation in the log book
Answer: A – A missing detector is a system impairment. The S-95 holder must correct the
problem and test the device to ensure proper operation.
6. A central station system is one that:
A) Sounds only a local bell
B) Is monitored off-site by a UL-listed central station
C) Uses multiple alarm panels
