National Fire Academy Criteria for Contract Instructor Selection

Course: Residential Sprinkler Plan Review (F/W0142)

Curriculum: Fire Prevention: Technical

The scope of this 2-day course looks at the following as the primary guidance for the approval of 

residential sprinkler systems:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13, Standard for the Installation of 

Sprinkler Systems.

• NFPA 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family 

Dwellings and Manufactured Homes.

• NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Low-Rise Residential 

Occupancies.

• International Residential Code (IRC) Section P2904.

• Manufacturer’s Data Sheets.

• The ability to read and interpret the design is an essential element of preventive fire 

safety.

Criteria for Contract Instructor Selection

Only current instructors on the “Fire Inspection Principles” or “Commercial Fire Sprinkler 

System Plans Review” course list are eligible to teach this course

All new contract instructors or those wishing to expand their teaching portfolio must be 

instructionally dedicated to the Fire Prevention: Technical curriculum and cannot cross 

boundaries teaching National Fire Academy (NFA) curricula. Interest with other curricula will 

signal a voluntary withdrawal of teaching privileges from the Fire Prevention: Technical courses.

This curriculum teaches finely detailed and meticulously specific content concerning 

construction and maintenance codes, standards, guides, recommended practices, testing criteria, 

and manufacturers’ specifications for the built environment. Instructors must be national subject 

matter experts, as compared to a local, fundamentally strong code enforcer, since the country has 

a geographically diverse array of students and code requirements.

A major characteristic necessary to serve in this instructional capacity is the willingness to coach 

the student cadre to success. The philosophy of the instructor is to mentor less knowledgeable 

individuals by transferring highly detailed information, using verbal skills coupled with visual 

graphics, to propel them to excellence. This curriculum does not support self-absorbed 

instructors appeasing their own interests but is squarely focused on the student-centered learning 

outcome.
New instructors shall be evaluated in 3 consecutive course deliveries in accordance with the 

NFA’s Contract Instructor Evaluation program. Existing contract instructors are subject to 

evaluation in accordance with this program. 

1. Academic Requirement

a. Bachelor’s degree from an institution that is accredited in fire protection 

technology, fire administration, fire science or similar program. Candidates are 

encouraged to have successfully completed this course in the last 3 years and/or 

served as an adjunct instructor (in training) in the course. 

b. Candidates with an associate degree from an institution that is accredited in fire 

protection technology, fire administration, fire science or similar program will be 

entertained on a case-by-case basis. Additional formal education consisting of 1 

semester each of college-level algebra, fire protection hydraulics and physics 

must have been successfully completed. Candidates are encouraged to have 

successfully completed this course in the last 3 years and/or served as an adjunct 

instructor (in training) in the course. 

2. Documented Technical Knowledge and Relevant Experience

a. The candidate must have extensive experience as a fire inspector or plans 

examiner of fire protection systems for a local, state or national entity that is 

legally responsible for the enforcement of building and/or fire codes. Provide 

specific, quantifiable and qualifiable (simplistic to complex) examples of 

residential sprinkler plans reviewed and/or inspections performed. Experience as a 

tradesperson working in the industry with the process of designing, installation, 

inspecting, testing and maintenance is an acceptable alternative. List the examples 

in a tabular format such as: 

Project name Value, square footage or 

description

Codes and

editions Year

Acme Hotel 7-story high-rise hotel 

including swimming pool, 

restaurant and integrated 

parking garage, $50 million

2018 IBC, 2018 

IFC, 2018 LSC 

2020

ACME Hardware 

and Warehouse 

500,000-square-foot 

mercantile store and 

warehouse

2021 IBC, 2018 

NFPA 1

Current
b. The candidate should be experienced, proficient and knowledgeable of current 

issues in the field of expertise for the content of this course. Active participation 

with relevant national code and/or standard committees, such as NFPA and 

International Code Council (ICC) committees or state committees for adoption of 

building and fire codes, is highly recommended. List the examples in a tabular 

format such as:

Committees Year(s)

NFPA 1, Building Systems and Special Occupancies 

subcommittee (alternate)

2016-present

Maryland State Fire Prevention Committee — Code Update 2018

c. The candidate should have the necessary education and experience to be capable 

of presenting all units of the course. It is recognized that exceptions may occur 

where courses are of such a technical nature that no one person may be 

technically competent to instruct all units. Verifiable examples of professional 

licensure such as Professional Engineer can be provided. Professional certificates 

such as National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies 

Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems, Level II or III; NFPA Certified

Water-Based Fire Protection System Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance; NFPA 

Certified Water-Based Systems Professional; or ICC Residential Fire Sprinkler 

Inspector/Plans Examiner can be submitted. List the information in a tabular 

format such as:

Licenses Regulatory 

body Dates

Professional Engineer Maryland 1994-current

Certifications Organization Dates

Residential Fire Sprinkler 

Inspector/Plans Examiner

ICC 2000-current

Inspection and Testing of Water-Based 

Systems, Level II

NICET 2001-current

d. Current knowledge of hydraulic calculation programs and hand calculations 

incorporating Hazen Williams or Darcy-Weibach formulas. Provide a narrative to 

support your knowledge and experience. 

e. Current design and inspection experience and knowledge of NFPA 13D, NFPA 

13R and IRC P2904 for residential automatic sprinkler systems and NFPA 291, 

Recommended Practice for Water Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants, for 

water supply requirements supplying fire suppression systems. Provide a narrative 

to support your knowledge and experience. 
f. Current knowledge of the behavior of fire and its effects on building materials and 

sprinkler systems; fire, heat, and smoke spread and travel in a structure; building 

construction classifications; and principles of protecting fire hazards listed by

NFPA 13D, NFPA 13R and IRC P2904. Provide a narrative to support your 

knowledge and experience. 

3. Documented Educational Instruction and Experience

Accepted formal instructional training, such as:

a. State fire training certificate and courses taught with frequency/history. List the 

information in a tabular format such as:

Certificates Year completed

Fire Instructor I (PA) 2015

Fire Instructor II (MD) 2016

IFSAC Fire Service Instructor I 2015

Pro Board Fire Instructor II 2017

b. College instructor/professor’s credential with courses designed/instructed. List the 

information in a tabular format such as:

Institution Credential Courses

University of Maryland Lecturer Fire Protection Hydraulics

Oklahoma State University Adjunct Faculty Building Construction 

Components

c. College education instruction courses with a transcript supplied. List the 

information in a tabular format such as:

Institution Course 

number Course name

University of Maryland TLPL 101 Inquiry Approach to Teaching 

STEM

University of Maryland 

Global Campus EDTP 600 Foundations of Teaching for Learning

d. A minimum of 48 hours of detailed, documented and successful fire/emergency 

services instruction listing each course and dates of delivery. List the information 

in a tabular format such as: 

Courses Frequency/history

Fire Inspection Principles 1

(48 hours)

Once/Jan. 23, 2020

Fire Inspector 1 (40 hours) October 2016, April 2017, August 2017, January

2018
e. Speaking engagements and/or presentations at national/state conferences for the 

fire service or other relevant professional organizations with a listing of topics and 

dates.

Conference Topic Year

NFPA Annual Conference NFPA 25 Proposed Changes 2020

ICC Expo and Code Hearings Marijuana Code Concerns 2019

4. Continuing Practice or Education

Ability to maintain currency in the field and the specific course by: 

a. Teaching a similar course at a training academy, college or university. 

b. Taking a similar course within the last 5 years. 

c. Developing a similar course within the last 5 years. 

d. Teaching the course at the NFA or in the field within the last 2 years. 

e. Writing and researching a paper or article related to the course topic for at least 1 

of the fire service or related disciplines’ trade journals within the last 2 years. 

f. Attending and/or speaking at a conference related to the field at the local, state, 

tribal or national level within the last 3 years.

g. Active participation with local/state/national building/fire code(s) or standard(s) 

committee(s).

Failure to provide approved documentation of ongoing training or instruction may result 

in revocation of the contract instructor status. 

5. How To Submit an Application Package 

Follow the instructions located on the website: 

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/training/nfa/instructors_officials/criteria.html. 

Application package(s) must be submitted to: fema-nfainstructorapp@fema.dhs.gov.