In the event of fires and other emergencies, it is critical that integrated fire protection and life safety systems are tested to confirm the interaction, operation, and coordination between multiple individual systems and that they perform their intended function. NFPA 4, Standard for Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety System Testing, specifies the roles and responsibilities for integrated testing team members and provides a framework for test scenarios.

Used in conjunction with NFPA 3, Standard for Commissioning of Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems, this document provides requirements for integrated testing, responsibilities of team members, minimum methods of testing, and documentation for both new and existing systems from pre-occupancy and through the lifecycle of a building.

NFPA 4 has comprehensive chapters on:

• General requirements, including fundamental principles, integrated system testing team responsibilities and qualifications, and the test plan
• Test methods, issues logs, and corrective action reports
• Test frequencies, including separate provisions for an initial integrated systems test, periodic integrated systems testing, and existing system modifications
• Explanatory material and a sample integrated test plan

The 2024 Edition includes:

• The scope and standard has been clarified with regard to passive and active fire protection requirements.
• Updates to annex material to further provide information regarding testing methods.