Free Fire Alarm System Course: 11 Video Lectures

By Mohammad Alhamad, CFPS · The Platform of Fire Engineering · Updated 26 October 2026

This is a free fire alarm system course in 11 short video lectures, about 1 hour 54 minutes in total. It starts with the main components and the fire alarm control panel, then covers smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual call points, beam and aspirating detection, sounders and flashers, design for specific areas, and interfacing with a cause and effect matrix. Watch the lectures in order on this page. No sign-up is needed.

What the free fire alarm course covers

The course follows the order an engineer meets a fire alarm system on a real project: first the system and the panel, then the field devices, then design and integration. Each lecture is 6 to 15 minutes long.

Who this course is for

• Junior fire engineers and graduates who need a clear base before their first design or site job.
• Site and commissioning engineers who install, test and hand over fire alarm systems.
• MEP and electrical engineers who coordinate fire alarm work with other trades.
• Technicians and maintenance teams who want to understand why devices are placed where they are.
• Engineers preparing for the CFPS exam who want a quick, practical refresher on detection and alarm.

How to take the course

1. Watch the lectures in order. Later lectures build on the panel and detector basics from lectures 1 to 3.
2. Keep a notebook. Write down each device, where it is used and what can go wrong on site.
3. After lecture 2, try the free fire alarm battery calculator to see how standby and alarm loads decide battery size.
4. After lecture 11, sketch a simple cause and effect matrix for a building you know.
5. Check every design decision against the code that applies to your project, such as NFPA 72 or the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code.

Part 1: the system and the panel

Lecture 1: Introduction to fire alarm systems and main components

What a fire alarm system does and how it works. The lecture introduces addressable systems and their main parts: the control panel, initiating devices, notification devices and the wiring that connects them.

Lecture 2: Fire alarm control panel and power supply

The fire alarm control panel (FACP) is the brain of the system. This lecture covers what the panel does, how it is powered and the standby batteries that keep it running when mains power fails.

Working on an existing panel? See our guide to default fire alarm panel passwords and the free fire alarm panel Password Finder, written for authorised technicians.

Part 2: detection devices

Lecture 3: Smoke detector types and installation in partitions and stairs

Choosing the right smoke detector starts with knowing the types. This lecture compares the main smoke detector types and shows how to install them in partitioned spaces and stairs.

Lecture 4: Smoke detector installation on smooth ceilings

How far apart should smoke detectors be on a smooth, flat ceiling? This lecture explains spot-type smoke detector installation and spacing on smooth ceilings.

Lecture 5: Smoke detectors on sloped, beamed and joisted ceilings

Sloped, beamed and joisted ceilings change how smoke travels, and so where detectors must go. This lecture explains detector placement and spacing on these ceilings.

Lecture 6: Heat detectors, installation and spacing

Heat detectors are the right choice where smoke detectors would cause false alarms, such as kitchens and dusty plant rooms. This lecture covers heat detector types, where to use them and how to install and space them.

Lecture 7: Manual call points and supervisory devices

Manual call points (MCPs, also called manual pull stations) let people raise the alarm by hand. This lecture covers where they are installed and how supervisory devices report a condition that needs attention but is not a fire.

Lecture 8: Beam smoke detectors and aspirating systems (VESDA)

For large open spaces and high-risk rooms, spot detectors are not always the best answer. This lecture explains how beam smoke detectors and aspirating smoke detection (VESDA) work, and when to use each one.

Commissioning new detectors? Read why smoke detector dust covers matter during fire alarm commissioning.

Part 3: notification, design and interfacing

Lecture 9: Notification devices, sounders and flashers

Notification devices tell occupants to evacuate. This lecture covers sounders and flashers (strobes): their purpose, how they are selected and where they are placed.

Lecture 10: Fire alarm design for specific areas

This lecture puts the course into practice: fire alarm system design for specific areas of a building, and how to choose the right detector and device for each space.

Lecture 11: Interfacing and the cause and effect (C&E) matrix

How does the fire alarm system talk to the rest of the building? This lecture covers interfacing with other systems and how to build a cause and effect matrix that shows what happens when each device operates.

Codes and standards behind the lectures

The lectures explain the engineering logic. Always confirm the exact requirement in the code your project uses:

• NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, published by NFPA. It covers the application, installation, location, performance, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems. See the NFPA 72 page on nfpa.org.
• UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, issued by UAE Civil Defence, for projects in the UAE. See the UAE code page on the Dubai Civil Defence website.

Authorities having jurisdiction can add local rules, so check the adopted edition before you design.

Free tools to use with the course

After the course: your next step

Fire alarm is one part of fire protection. If you want a recognised credential that covers the full field, from fire dynamics to sprinklers, alarm and life safety, look at the Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) certification from NFPA. Start with our CFPS Exam Guide, then read is CFPS certification worth it?

Frequently asked questions

About the instructor: Mohammad Alhamad is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) based in Dubai and the founder of The Platform of Fire Engineering. Watch more on the TPFE YouTube channel.