CERTIFICATION POLICY

Basic Requirements

It really doesn’t get any more basic than the acceptance criteria set out in two familiar Canadian Reference Standards:

CAN/ULC-S536-13 - Standard for Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems - Appendix “A”:

“Any person who performs the annual test and inspection of a fire alarm system should be knowledgeable about this Standard and have received suitable formal training or sufficient experience acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.”

CAN/ULC-S537-13 - Standard for Verification of Fire Alarm Systems - Appendix “A”:

“Any person who performs the verification of a fire alarm system should be familiar with this Standard and have received suitable formal training or sufficient experience acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.”

Your technical knowledge and skills, along with a thorough grounding in your Provincial Fire and Building Codes, serves to ensure that you are competent to professionally assess a building’s life safety equipment and determine its operational readiness.  The Fire Technicians Network has established itself as Canada’s premier resource for information on building life safety equipment service, testing, inspection, maintenance and installation.  Certification through the Network ensures Canadians receive the full benefit accountable, knowledgeable professionals can provide.

Together, we make a formidable union of professionals!

Certification Acceptance

All currently registered (or Certified) technicians practicing in Canada may transfer their Certification to the Network.  You are not required to cancel or terminate your previous membership in either ASTTBC or CFAA.  Regardles of whether you actually elect to do so, you will be granted a pro-rated credit for any unused portion of your current membership dues from the date of your acceptance into our Programme.  This offset is designed to assist you with the higher initial enrollment cost of some of the disciplines our Programme features. 

This table illustrates the designations that transfer directly from your current certification agency’s program:

Canadian Certification Agency References (Table Legend):
ASTTBC - Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia
CFAA - Canadian Fire Alarm Association
CCP - Cross-connection Control Program (Municipally or Provincially Adopted)
IKCEA - International Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Association
DHI - Door and Hardware Institute
ULC - Underwriters Laboratories of Canada
WH(I) - Warnock Hersey (Intertek)
TC - Transport Canada (DOT)
MT - Manufacturer’s Training (or Certification)
CECS - Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist
CT - Certified Technician
NED - No Equivalent Designation

* Additional Certification and/or training may be required - Contact us  (or review the Practice Guidelines) for more information and check with your local Jurisdictional Authority.

¹ASTTBC’s Verification Endorsement is in permanent abeyance.  It should no longer be considered valid.

²DHI provides Certification for Fire Door Assembly Inspectors.

The Nuts and Bolts

Currently Certified (or Registered) Fire Alarm Technicians

An ASTTBC Registered Fire Protection Technician (RFPT) with an “AL” stamp or a CFAA Certified Fire Alarm Technician who wishes to obtain LSST-F (Inspection) Certification would be required to complete the following within one (1) year** from the date of acceptance to our Programme:

• LSST-FR Online Review Course which reviews CAN/ULC-S524-14 (Including Amendment 1) & CAN/ULC-S536-13, and includes elevator DDRC systems, releasing systems, egress path marker systems, fire curtain assemblies, fire alarm communicator testing, special applications (Radio Frequency and Line Modulation systems), integrated testing (CAN/ULC-S1001-11), smoke control, and single and multiple station smoke/CO alarm testing, and
• Twenty (20) fire alarm communicator systems tested

** - Subject to Course Availability or other reasonable circumstance, an extension may be granted.

Currently Certified (or Registered) Fire Alarm Verifiers

An ASTTBC Registered Fire Protection Technician (RFPT) with a “VI” endorsement (or with an “AL” endorsement that is currently listed on the City of Vancouver’s Bulletin), or a CFAA Certified Fire Alarm Technician in the employ of a manufacturer (or acting as a representative with factory training) who wishes to obtain LSST-V (Verification) Certification would be required to complete the following within one (1) year** from the date of acceptance to our Programme:

• Either the LSST-V (Full Classroom Based Course) or the LSST-VR (Review Course) based on the results of your Professional Practice Evaluation.  Both courses review (CAN/CSA C22.1-15 (Sections 10 & 32), CAN/ULC-S524-14 (Including Amendment 1), CAN/ULC-S537-13, and includes elevator DDRC systems, releasing systems, egress path marker systems, fire curtain assemblies, special applications (Radio Frequency and Line Modulation Systems), integrated testing (CAN/ULC-S1001-11), smoke control, and single and multiple station smoke/CO alarm testing; and
• Fire Alarm Communicator Installation, Testing, and Commissioning (CAN/ULC-S561-13) Course (LSST-COM) and twenty (20) fire alarm communicator systems tested.

** - Subject to Course Availability or other reasonable circumstance, an extension may be granted.

Currently Certified DHI Technicians (FDAI)

A technician with FDAI Certification wishing to obtain an LSST-B endorsement would be required to successfully complete the Passive Building Life Safety Systems Course and the number of practical inspections indicated in Table 4 (fire door inspection criteria is exempted but must be practically demonstrated prior to Certification being granted) within two years of acceptance into our Programme.

NOTE:  An online version of the LSST-B Course is going to be offered shortly.

Specialty Certification

The following Certification Agencies provide special Certification services that are required by provincial or territorial statutes in addition to that offered by the Network.

ULC Certified Installation Companies (CAN/ULC-S561) - Inspection and testing requirements for premises installed monitoring equipment may entail employing contractually obligated parties to maintain the equipment.  These parties are named on a Shared of Full Service Monitoring Certificate issued through ULC.  In this instance, employees of Certified Installation Companies can benefit from taking the LSST-COM Course and be Certified to perform installation, service and testing through the Network.  This provides an additional benefit to the ULC Programme in that the technicians performing the work are subject to our Code of Ethics and the published Practice Guideline.  ANNUAL testing stipulated in CAN/ULC-S536 on central station transmitting equipment  can still be performed by an FTN Certified LSST or CLSS.  For premises that do not subscribe to the ULC Certificate Programme, a CAN/ULC-S561-13 Appendix “C” can be completed by a Network Certified LSST-F (or V) that has successfully completed both the associated “COM” Course and has met the practical experience requirements.

Transport Canada/Warnock Hersey (Intertek) Cylinder Requalifiers - In order to perform internal inspection, recharging, and hydro-static testing of low and high pressure extinguisher cylinders, some provincial and territorial jurisdictions require that the fire equipment service provider be certified as well as the personnel performing the work.  These jurisdictions include:

• Alberta
• Yukon Territory
• Saskatchewan
• Manitoba
• Ontario
• Nova Scotia

Please ensure you check with your local jurisdictional authority.

Manufacturer Certification - It is incumbent on the FTN Certified Member to ensure they maintain current documentation attesting to their suitability to perform work on the following equipment (independent of the Network).  Copies of any special certificates must be provided and maintained for the member’s file:

• Fire Pumps
• Back-flow Preventers
• Generators
• Special Extinguishment Systems
• Kitchen Suppression Systems
• Fire Alarm Programming

Challenge Exams

There are written examinations available for applicants that have had no previous ASTTBC or CFAA certification, but have a degree or other recognized trade qualification (i.e. Red Seal Certificate, Transport Canada Cylinder Requalifier).  Please Contact Us! for more information and to schedule an exam in your local area.