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Certification Five years ago, NAFED introduced the industry's premier certification programs for portable fire extinguisher technicians, pre-engineered kitchen extinguishing system technicians, and industrial pre-engineered systems technicians. The NAFED programs have been accepted by many jurisdictions and have been adopted by several states as the basis of being licensed to do business within those states. Since the program's inception NAFED has issued certifications to over 1,200 technicians. We believe that certification raises the level of professionalism in our industry and can be an invaluable marketing tool. Wouldn't your customers like to know they are being serviced by certified individuals who have demonstrated their knowledge in a measurable way? We think so. If you're ready to get started, you can download the exam application PDF or register online. If you'd like to know what to expect, try a brief practice exam. You can also refer to the following FAQ for answers to commonly posed questions. As NAFED's certification program is evolving, please be sure to also read the important notice. NAFED's Certification Program FAQ
The exams are offered at proctored test centers throughout North America. These testing centers provide a secure environment that ensures a professional and consistent testing experience. With over 700 test locations, NAFED brings the exam to you! If you’d like more information regarding your nearest location, feel free to give us a call. Back to top How is the test administered? For the applicant to be eligible to take a certification exam, the completed application form and fee for each exam must be received at NAFED headquarters for processing. No on-site registration is allowed for NAFED's certification exams. Applicants will receive a confirmation when their application has been processed. With the confirmation, the applicant will receive the location, date, and time of their scheduled exam(s) as well as a user name and voucher number. The user name and voucher number are required at the test center to authorize the exam. Government-issued photo identification must also be presented to the exam proctor. The certification exams are comprised of multiple-choice and true-false questions, and each exam is unique. Therefore, no two individuals will take the same exam. The Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician Certification Exam consists of 150 questions, the Pre-Engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing Systems Technician Exam consists of 125 questions, the Pre-Engineered Industrial Fire Extinguishing System Technician Exam consists of 40 questions, and the Engineered Fire Suppression Systems Technician Exam consists of 150 questions. The certification exams are “open-book.” Copies of written materials, notes, printed reference materials, and NFPA standards are allowed in the test center. However, no computers or similar electronic devices will be allowed in the test facility. The use of a calculator is allowed for the Engineered Fire Suppression Systems Technician Exam. The final authority regarding acceptable materials will be the exam proctors. All cellular telephones, pagers, PDAs, and similar devices must be silenced and shall not be used during the exam. Back to top Which NFPA standards are covered on the exam? The NAFED Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician Certification Exam is based on chapters 1 through 8 and the annex sections of NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers 2007 Edition. The NAFED Pre-Engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing System Technician Certification Exam is based on the appropriate chapters and annex sections from NFPA 17, Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems, 2002 Edition; NFPA 17A, Standard for Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems, 2002 Edition; and NFPA 96, Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, 2004 Edition. The NAFED Industrial Pre-Engineered Fire Extinguishing System Technician Certification Exam is based upon the appropriate chapters and annex sections from NFPA 17, Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing, 2002 Edition, and the applicable portions of NFPA 33, Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable or Combustible Materials, 2003 Edition and NFPA 34, Standard for Dipping and Coating Processes Using Flammable or Combustible Liquids, 2003 Edition. The Engineered Fire Suppression Systems Technician Exam is based on the appropriate chapters from NFPA 11, Standard for Low-, Medium-, and High– Expansion Foam, 2005 Edition; NFPA 12, Standard on Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems, 2005 Edition; NFPA 12A, Standard on Halon 1301 Fire Extinguishing Systems, 2004 Edition; NFPA 17, Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing, 2002 Edition; NFPA 750 Standard on Water Mist Fire Protection Systems, 2006 Edition; NFPA 2001, Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems, 2004 Edition; and general mechanical and mathematical aptitude. Back to top How should I prep for the exam? NAFED offers training seminars to aid individuals who are planning to take a certification exam. These training seminars help individuals become familiar with the appropriate NFPA standards from which the exams are based so that they can easily find information during the timed exam. Individuals who attend the seminars also get a chance to complete a practice exam so they will know exactly what to expect when they face the real deal. At the NAFED training seminars, we:
Keep an eye on our events calendar to see when and where these seminars are being offered. If you’d like us to make it to your neck of the woods, contact our training department and we’ll see what we can do. Back to top How much does the exam cost? Exam #1: Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician Exam, $149 Exam #2: Pre-Engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing System Technician Exam, $149 Exam #3: Pre-Engineered Industrial Fire Extinguishing System Technician Exam, $109 Exam #4: Engineered Fire Suppression Systems Technician Exam, $149 Exam Package A: Exam #1 (Portable) PLUS Exam #3 (Industrial), $228 Exam Package B: Exam #2 (Kitchen) PLUS Exam #3 (Industrial), $228 NOTE: Exam packages A and B require that both exams be completed at one sitting. Back to top What happens after I take the exam? All participants will be informed as to whether or not they received a passing grade, which is 75 percent. Those individuals who successfully pass the exam(s) will receive, by U.S. mail, a certificate stating that they have successfully completed the certification process from the National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors. Individuals who do not pass the certification exam(s) will also be notified. A new application and fee must be submitted prior to taking the exam again. Please note that there is a thirty-day waiting period before an applicant may take the certification exam again. In accordance with NAFED policy, these certifications will be valid for three (3) years. All individuals who successfully complete a certification exam will receive information regarding criteria for recertification. For more information about our recertification policy, click here. Back to top IMPORTANT NOTICE NAFED and the International Code Council (ICC) have entered into an Affiliation Agreement involving the Portable Fire Extinguisher and Pre-Engineered Systems Technician Certification Exams. The certification will be a joint certification recognizing the ICC and NAFED as the issuer of the certification. All individuals already certified through the NAFED program will be issued a new certificate indicating this joint certification. The ICC/NAFED Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician exam has been rolled out, effective July 1, 2008. Check the ICC website for more information on this exam. The original NAFED version of this exam will still be available for the time being, however, for those individuals wishing to take both the portable fire extinguisher and pre-engineered systems exams in a single day. The ICC's pre-engineered exams are not yet available. Once the ICC/NAFED program is in full swing, all testing and registration for the fire extinguisher and pre-engineered systems technicians will be handled through the ICC program. NAFED will provide links to the related registration and information sites as they become available. We will keep all members and certified technicians informed of the official ICC/NAFED program start date. Once this date is finalized by the ICC certification department, there will be 45–60 day opportunity for all applicants that are registered with NAFED to take the NAFED exam. Failure to take the exam prior to the ICC/NAFED start date could cause the forfeiture of exam registration fees. Back to top  |
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