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How Security Data Supply’s Dallas Fire Licensing Class Prepares Contractors to Pass

By Ron Broussard

TL;DR: Every contractor who has completed Security Data Supply’s Dallas fire licensing class has passed the exam. The class is taught by Mike Ryan, an advanced fire instructor who focuses on how code requirements apply to real installations, not just how they appear in a study guide.

We get asked a lot why a distributor runs a fire licensing class at all. Most distributors sell products and leave licensing prep to manufacturers or trade schools. Three Thursdays a month in Dallas, we do something different. Fifteen to twenty contractors gather to learn how fire alarm code applies in the field, not just how it appears on the exam.

The Fire Licensing Problem No One Talks About

Getting qualified to install and service fire alarm systems requires passing a rigorous exam and understanding NFPA 72, the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, and how it applies in real installations. For many contractors, that’s where the challenge begins.

Failing the exam costs more than the testing fee. It can delay licensing, postpone projects, and keep qualified technicians off work while they prepare to test again. For smaller contractors, that delay can affect scheduling and revenue.

Most training available to contractors treats the code as something to memorize rather than something to understand. This class was built around a simple idea: contractors who understand why the code requires something are better prepared for the exam and more confident applying those requirements on real jobs.

That philosophy starts with the person teaching the class.

Meet the Instructor Behind a 100% Pass Rate

The class is taught by Mike Ryan, who leads Security Data Supply’s Dallas fire licensing program. His experience in the fire alarm industry and deep knowledge of NFPA 72 shape how the class is taught, with an emphasis on understanding the code rather than memorizing it. Since the program began, every contractor who has completed the class has passed the licensing exam.

Most students arrive with field experience but little confidence in how to navigate the code book during an exam. Mike’s approach is to bridge that gap by connecting NFPA 72 requirements to the kinds of installations contractors already work on every day. Instead of teaching students to memorize answers, he helps them understand why the code requires what it does and how those requirements show up in real projects.

What sets Mike apart isn’t just his credentials. He teaches contractors who are doing the same work the licensing exam is designed to evaluate. Instead of teaching from a study guide alone, he explains how code requirements show up on actual installations, giving students a framework they can apply both on the exam and in the field.

Class size is intentionally limited to 15 to 20 students. A room of 60 people doesn’t allow an instructor to stop, answer questions, or spend extra time on difficult code sections. Keeping the class small gives every student direct access to the instructor before test day.

Inside the Classroom: What Three Thursdays a Month Actually Covers

The class meets on the first three Thursdays of every month with 15 to 20 contractors in each session, intentionally small enough that questions don’t get lost in the room. While every class prepares students for the licensing exam, the goal isn’t simply to review the code book. It’s to help contractors understand how those code requirements show up on real installations. Here’s what the curriculum covers:

Real-world code application. This is the part that separates this class from a standard prep course. Students don’t just learn what the code says, they walk through how it applies to jobs they’ve actually worked, which builds the kind of understanding that survives an exam question phrased differently than a textbook would phrase it.

During a recent class, a student stopped Mike to ask why two smoke detectors that looked almost identical had different spacing requirements. Instead of pointing to a paragraph in the code book, Mike walked the class through the installation scenario behind the requirement. That’s the kind of discussion students remember long after the exam.

Initiating devices (NFPA 72 Chapter 17). This is everything that detects a fire condition and triggers the system, smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, and manual pull stations. Students learn how initiating devices, including smoke detectors, heat detectors, flame detectors, and manual pull stations, are installed, spaced, and applied under NFPA 72. The emphasis isn’t simply identifying the devices, but understanding the placement and coverage requirements inspectors evaluate in the field.

Notification appliances (NFPA 72 Chapter 18). This covers the horns, strobes, speakers, and combination units that alert occupants during an emergency. Many students struggle with this section because understanding the devices isn’t enough. They also need to understand the coverage, audibility, and notification requirements behind them.

By the end of the third session, students have worked through the sections of NFPA 72 most likely to appear on the exam while also seeing how those same requirements affect the work they perform every day.

Why Training Is Part of Our Business

Running a licensing class takes time, dedicated staff, and classroom space. For us, it’s an investment in the contractors we serve, not simply another service offering.

The class is a paid program rather than a promotional event. That keeps the focus on delivering meaningful instruction while making it sustainable for us to continue offering it month after month.

What makes the program valuable isn’t simply that it prepares contractors for an exam. It creates relationships built on shared time, practical learning, and a shared commitment to helping contractors succeed. When contractors spend three weeks learning alongside our team, they’re getting far more than a product catalog.

When a contractor earns a license through a class you’ve invested in, that relationship naturally extends beyond a single purchase order.

Spending three Thursday evenings together changes the relationship between a distributor and a contractor. By the time the class ends, students haven’t just learned more about fire alarm code. They’ve spent weeks asking questions, working through real installation scenarios, and getting to know the people behind their local SDS branch.

That’s why this program matters beyond the licensing exam. It reflects the same philosophy that shapes every SDS location: relationships are built by helping contractors become more successful, not simply by selling them products. Teaching is one more way we invest in the people who trust us with their business.

What This Means If You’re Getting Licensed (Or Renewing)

Whether you’re working toward your first fire alarm license or renewing an existing credential, the class meets the first three Thursdays of every month at our Dallas location.

The value isn’t just passing the exam. It’s walking onto your next job with a practical understanding of why the code requires what it does, knowledge that carries through inspections, installations, and service calls long after the class is over.

If you’d like to learn more about upcoming class dates or enrollment requirements, your local SDS branch can connect you with the Dallas training team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Security Data Supply’s fire alarm licensing class run, and where?

The class runs the first three Thursdays of every month at Security Data Supply’s Dallas location, taught by advanced fire alarm instructor Mike Ryan, with 15 to 20 contractors per session.

Has every contractor who completed the class passed the licensing exam?

Yes. According to Security Data Supply’s internal training records, every contractor who has completed the class has passed the licensing exam since the program began.

What topics does the fire alarm licensing class cover?

The class covers NFPA 72 Chapter 17 (initiating devices, including smoke detectors, heat detectors, and manual pull stations) and Chapter 18 (notification appliances, including horns, strobes, and speakers), along with real-world application of NFPA 72 to installation scenarios.

Why does a distributor run a licensing class instead of leaving it to trade schools or manufacturers?

Security Data Supply sees training as an investment in the contractor relationship rather than a cost center. Customers pay to attend, which makes the program self-sustaining, and it builds a base of contractors who are more capable and more loyal because of direct time spent working with the SDS team.

Is this program available at other Security Data Supply locations, or only Dallas?

The class currently runs at the Dallas location.

How does a training program like this connect to how contractors actually find Security Data Supply?

Most new customers come through industry events, training programs, and word of mouth rather than online channels, meaning a class like this one directly contributes to how new contractors discover and choose to work with the company, independent of any advertising spend.

About the Author

Ron Broussard is CEO of Security Data Supply, an independent wholesale distributor serving security, fire alarm, access control, CCTV, networking, AV, and other low-voltage contractors through its network of locally owned branches.

Methodology

This post is based on Security Data Supply’s internal training program records and direct knowledge of the Dallas fire alarm licensing class structure, instructor credentials, and outcomes, gathered from company leadership and location staff.

Sources & Further Reading