APPENDIX I: Examination Content Area Blueprint and Weighted Criteria

(Updated as of 2020)
The following shows the knowledge, skills, and abilities in which a CFPS is expected to have proficiency,
and which could be represented on the exam, as well as the relative importance of each content domain on the
certification exam (weighting). The subjects you see in the CFPS exam weighting table were chosen by
experts in the field of fire protection based on the expectations, job descriptions, and functions of the
various types of CFPS certification holders and the subjects they encounter in their daily work. When
preparing for the exam, candidates should spend proportionately more time studying the content domains that
are more heavily weighted.

It is important to note that while some of the domains correspond both in title and in content to sections of
the Fire Protection Handbook, 20th Edition (FPH), not all of them do, nor are they meant to exactly reflect
the title or content of FPH sections. For example, content area V: Fire Prevention does not have a
corresponding section within the FPH, and its content is drawn from multiple FPH sections. Your best course
is to study by subject rather than by section or chapter.

I. Safety in the Built Environment 5%

A. Understand the challenges to safety in the built environment
12.8 & 19.1 1. Types of Construction
1.2 2. Occupancy Classifications
18.1 & 18.5 3. Concepts and application of compartmentation
1.9 B. Understand the application of fire protection features
1.3 C. Be familiar with codes and standards for the built environment, major Standards Development
Organizations (SDOs), and their processes

II. Basics of Fire and Fire Science 10%

2.1 A. Understand the chemistry and physics of fire
2.3 B. Identify dynamics of fire growth and products of combustion (Heat Release Rate, Flame Spread and
2.4 Smoke Development)

III. Information and Analysis for Fire Protection 5%

3.2 & 3.3 A. Understand the process, concepts, and tools involved with fire loss investigation
3.4 B. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of fire incident data and statistics
3.7 & 3.8 C. Perform fire analysis

IV. Human Behavior in Fire Emergencies 5%

4.1 A. Understand the principles of human behavior in fire
4.2 & 4.3 B. Perform egress design and prediction calculations

V. Fire Prevention: Programs, Materials, Processes, and Environments 15%

6.1 A. Understand Fire hazards and prevention principles
6.2 B. Understand hazards to Life Safety and mitigation principles
C. Understand the components, fire hazards, operating principles and fire protection practices associated
with the various types of systems, including, but not limited to:
8.12 & 10.4 1. HVAC and refrigeration systems
10.1 2. Emergency and standby power systems
9.14 3. Photovoltaic systems
10.1 4. Energy Storage Systems

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 5. Safety Control Systems (PLC Safety Controllers, Hardwired Interlock Systems)
8.3 6. Materials-handling equipment
8.6 7. Electronic equipment
8.1 & 8.1 8. Commercial kitchen and cooking equipment
D. Understand and identify the fire hazards and hazard mitigation principles associated with the various
processes, including, but not limited to:
9.5 1. Grinding processes
9.9 2. Semiconductor manufacturing
9.5 & 9.6 3. Hot work
E. Understand the hazards and fire protection best practices associated with the following material
storage, handling, and housekeeping principles
6.8, 6.10 & 6.12 1. Demonstrate knowledge of proper storage and handling procedures of solid fuels, flammable
and combustible liquids and gases, and dusts.
7 2. Understanding the exposures and controls for various storage arrangements.
6.15 3. Understand explosion prevention and protection

VI. Facility Fire Hazard Management 10%

A. Demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of:
12.4 1. Fire department response tactics and procedures
12.8 2. Types of building construction and how they relate to fire hazards and fire service response
12.3 3. Environmental hazards to facilities
12.11 B. Understand how to perform fire, explosion, and life safety risk assessment and analysis of a given
facility
12.15 C. Understand how to conduct complex inspection surveys of commercial and residential properties to
evaluate physical characteristics of a property and business and evaluate compliance with applicable
codes, standards, and regulations
D. Understand the processes of acquisition, installation, operation, maintenance and disposition of
building systems
12.17 & 12.18 E. Develop and manage emergency preparedness, response, and business continuity procedures and
assure all emergency systems and procedures are tested as planned
13.4 F. Understand public and private water systems
12.17,12.18,12.16 G. Understand fire department access needs for facilities

VII. System Approaches to Property Classes 5%

20.1 A. Know how to classify occupancies
20.1 B. Understand life safety as it relates to different occupancy classifications
C. Understand fire protection in special occupancies, including, but not limited to: means any chapter
20.8 1. High-rises
20.12 2. Institutional facilities
20.18 3. Hazardous material operations 13.8
20.16 4. Warehouse and storage operations

VIII. Organizing for Fire and Rescue Services 5%

12.1, 12.17 & 12.18 A. Perform pre-incident planning for industrial, residential, and commercial facilities
12.15 B. Understand operations of fire loss prevention and emergency organizations
12.7 & 13.9 C. Understand operations of emergency medical services
12.6 D. Understand fire prevention and code enforcement operations

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 12.10 E.
Understand fire and emergency service training methodology
12.14 F.
Understand operations of fire department facilities and fire training facilities
12.15 G.
Understand operations of public emergency services communication systems
12.16 H.
Understand the basics of fire department apparatus and equipment
12.9 I.
Understand the use and function of fire and emergency services protective clothing and protective
equipment (PPE)
J. Evaluate fire department response and prevention resources and the placement thereof
K. Understand the management of fire response operations
12.19 L. Understand the concept of Community Risk Reduction (CRR)

IX. Detection and Alarm 10%

A. Understand the fundamentals and operational characteristics of the modern fire alarm and detection
systems:
14.1 1. Equipment
14.2 2. Design and installation
14.3 3. Initiating devices
14.4 4. Interaction of interfaced fire protection systems
14.5 B. Understand inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire alarm systems
14.7 C. Understand surveillance and fire guard services for fire protection
14.1 D. Understand plans review for detection and alarm systems
14.1 E. Understanding the basic design and installation concepts of Two-way Radio Communication
Enhancement Systems
14.1 F. Understand the benefits and proper application of smoke alarms in the one-and two-family dwelling
environment

X. Water-Based Fire Suppression 20%

15.6 A. Understand the design and operation of water distribution systems
15.1 & 15.2 B. Understand water supply system requirements
15.3 C. Understand design criteria for hydraulics for fire protection
15.4 D. Determine water supply adequacy testing and determination
15.7 E. Identify and understand the operating principles of stationary fire pumps
16.10 F. Understand inspection, testing, and maintenance processes and requirements for water-based
suppression systems
G. Understand the characteristics and applications of the following types of water-based suppression
systems:
16.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 1. Automatic sprinkler systems
16.8 2. Fine water mist systems
16.9 3. Foam-water sprinkler systems
16.11 4. Deluge systems
16.6 H. Understand the benefits and proper application of fire sprinkler systems in the one-and two-family
dwelling environment

XI. Fire Suppression without Water 5%

17.1, 17.2, 17.4 A. Understand the proper use/application, and the limitations of non-water based agents and systems
(clean agent, hybrid, carbon dioxide, dry and wet chemical, foam, etc.)
17.5, 17.6, 17.7 B. Understand the design, proper installation, and operation of non-water-based extinguishing systems
17.8 C. Understand inspection, testing, and maintenance processes and requirements for non-water-based
extinguishing systems

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 17.5 D. Understand the proper installation, use, testing, and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers

XII. Confining Fires 5%

18.1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 A. Understand building construction elements for fire protection
B. Understand the following elements of confinement of fire in buildings
1. Fire resistance rated construction
2. Fire walls, barrier, and partitions
3. Smoke barriers
4. Fire doors and windows
5. Protection of openings and penetrations
19.2, 19.3, 19.4 C. Understand structural damage factors to be evaluated after a fire
& 19.5 D. Understand fire hazards associated with construction, alteration and demolition of buildings

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APPENDIX II: CFPS Sample Examination Questions
The following questions are provided for your reference when preparing to take the CFPS exam. These questions will not
appear on the CFPS Examination. Answers to the sample examination questions are located on page 19.

1. What type of electrically powered industrial truck can be used in Class 1, Division 1, Group D locations?
A. Type EX
B. Type ES
C. Type EE
D. Type E

2. What is the minimum acceptable flow at the base of a riser including hose streams, ordinarily acceptable for pipe
schedule sprinkler systems required for ordinary hazard (Group I) classified occupancies?
A. 100 GPM (379 L/min)
B. 850 GPM (3218 L/min)
C. 700 GPM (2650 L/min)
D. 500 GPM (1893 L/min)

3. The pressure produced by a column of water 1 foot (0.3 m) high is:

A. 0.433 psi (0.030 Bar)
B. 2.31 psi (0.159 Bar)
C. 14.7 psi (1.01 Bar)
D. 29.9 psi (2.06 Bar)

4. The total head of a fire pump is:

A. the energy imparted to the liquid as it passes through the pump
B. psi rating as the liquid passes through the pipe
C. the energy imparted to the liquid as it passes through the orifice
D. the static pressure of water at the intake of the pump

5. Proper exit design permits everyone to leave the fire-endangered area:

A. without fear of loss of life

B. prior to an untenable atmosphere
C. in the shortest travel distance
D. in the shortest possible time

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6. The Life Safety Code included the term “Exit” in an overall definition of means of egress. A means of egress is a
continuous path of travel from any point in a building or structure to the open air outside at ground level. Egress
consists of which three separate and distinct parts?
A. Access to the exit, lighting, signage
B. Access to the exit, floor construction, door swing
C. Access to the exit, the exit, and area outside the building
D. Access to the exit, the exit, and the exit discharge

7. In Type II, (111) construction and columns supporting more than one floor are required to have a fire resistance rating
of:
A. 0 hour
B. 3/4 hour
C. 1 hour
D. 3 hours

8. The intensity of the illumination of means of egress should be not less than?
A. 1 foot candle measured at the floor

B. 1 foot candle measured 3’ above the floor

C. 3 foot candles measured at the floor

D. 3 foot candles measured 3’ above the floor

9. An oxygen-enriched atmosphere is defined as any atmosphere in which the concentration of oxygen exceeds 21% by
volume or the partial pressure of the oxygen exceeds what pressure?
A. 1.6 psi
B. 16 KpA
C. 16 Atmospheres
D. 160 TORR

10. Water is most effective and most commonly used for which of the following type of fire?

A. Class A-ordinary combustibles

B. Class B-flammable and combustible liquids

C. Class C-electrical

D. Class D-combustible metals

11. Which of the following is NOT a basic method for heating gravity tank water?
A. Direct discharge of steam into water

B. Gravity circulation of hot water

C. Steam coils inside tanks

D. Warm air in internal jacket

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12. An important limitation to consider when using pressure tanks in automatic sprinkler protection is the:
A. small volume of water stored
B. dependence upon outside power sources to maintain pressure
C. lack of training of fire department personnel
D. inadequate pipe sizing

13. Which one of the following principles is used to determine the necessary exit width?
A. Design and application
B. Flow and capacity
C. Width and movement
D. Construction and design

14 As a type of automatic fire detection device, heat detectors are the:

A. oldest
B. newest
C. most reliable
D. least reliable

15. The first principle of good storage practice for chemicals is:
A. limiting quantity
B. segregation
C. containment
D. concentration

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ANSWER KEY FOR SAMPLE EXAMINATION
1. A 6. D 11. D
2. B 7. C 12. A
3. A 8. A 13. B
4. A 9. D 14. A
5. D 10. A 15. B

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