Fire Alarm Lab Renovated at the Electrical Trade Center

Renovation work was recently completed at the Electrical Trade Center to update the fire alarm lab.

The project is part of a major renovation at the ETC, which is making a large investment in order to serve more apprentices at the state-of-the-art facility located in Columbus.

The major project has dramatically increased the size of the lab, as it can now accommodate 20 individual labs.

The new lab will help reinforce the fire alarm curriculum taught to third-year apprentices, as it provides journeymen and apprentices with practical experience in a controlled environment.

Central Ohio IBEW apprentices who take the fire alarm course learn about the importance of these life-saving systems and then work to develop an understanding of the state-of-the-art technology, which goes into today’s fire alarm systems.

In addition to working on new fire systems, the renovated lab will provide students with a hands-on opportunity to work with older fire systems.

In the field, electricians will need to be able to service and maintain all types of systems.

Past fire alarm technologies were typically separated into logical zones, which sometimes made identifying the point where a device triggered a single alarm difficult.

New systems utilize a number of devices to not only provide real time data, but also help pinpoint the exact location of any triggered device.

Thanks to lab upgrades, students will gain a better hands-on understanding of the various types of fire protection systems and power supplies, while learning how to monitor the system for integrity and wiring.

It will also help apprentices as they prepare to take the State Fire Alarm examination. All inside wireman apprentices are required to obtain their State of Ohio Fire Alarm Installer License in order to proceed to the fourth-year of their studies.

To learn more about ETC training or the requirements to apply for an ETC apprenticeship, click here.