firefighter

Firefighting Exam Guide: Prepare with Free Practice Questions

Want to become a firefighter? For such a physical job, not everyone is prepared for the written exam that they first have to pass when they first enter the field. This is an entry-level written test and it measures the aptitude of each candidate and is used when recruiting firefighters into the sector.

It focuses on memory, speed, and cognitive skills. It examines how effectively candidates can process information as well as important skills like reflexes, decision making, and accuracy. Although you don’t need more than a high school education to become a firefighter, the exam is highly competitive.

If you are not prepared, the exam can be difficult to pass. Therefore it is important to familiarise yourself with the types of questions you may be asked beforehand so there are no surprises on the day.

How hard is the firefighter exam?

The firefighter exam can vary slightly depending on your region. The individual questions are fairly straightforward and can be passed even if you only have a basic level of education. However, the exam can be difficult to pass without the right preparation, especially given how competitive the field is. It is important to have practiced the types of questions on the test to make sure you get the highest score possible.

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What is on the firefighter exam?

The firefighter exam is one of the key ways recruiters can tell whether you will be well-suited to a job as a firefighter. It uses different types of questions to determine how well you would perform in different areas of the job and able to do situational judgment properly. There are 9 main areas that are covered in the exam. We will cover them below.

Reading comprehension

The area of comprehension is all about being able to understand and interpret a piece of written text. It will test how well you can pick out key information efficiently and apply it to a situation. This could be important when having to quickly understand and respond to an emergency. Try a free reading comprehension sample test here.

Information ordering

Information ordering is about being able to use and apply rules to a new situation. It tests how well you can put the information to the most appropriate use. Aim to be quite rigid in your thinking for these types of questions. They are usually based around the idea that there is one correct protocol and that you must follow all steps in the right order.

Written test

The written test is an exam that evaluates the candidate’s written skills. They will need to write succinctly and clearly, with correct grammar, and be able to effectively communicate their meaning. This will help to determine how well the candidate will be able to communicate with others.

Deductive reasoning

This test is all about using logic to come to a solution. The test usually gives you a number of statements, from which you must use reasoning to deduce a logical conclusion. This can be important when choosing a course of action with limited information.

Problem sensitivity

Problem sensitivity is not about solving a problem but detecting that there is one. It evaluates the candidates ability to sense that something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. This is an extremely important skill for avoiding disaster or dealing with it as quickly as possible.

Observation and memory

This part of the test will measure how well each candidate can observe and remember different things. This will likely be related to circumstances that may come up during a firefighting role such as memorising floor plans and the best evacuation routes.

Visualisation

The visualization part of the exam is designed to test how well a candidate can visualize the impact of one object on another. It may also refer to being able to visualize something after it has been manipulated or changed. This could be important for understanding how firefighting tools work and how the equipment works.

Spatial orientation

Spatial orientation is all about being able to orient oneself using a map or other skills. It tests how well a candidate would be able to navigate themselves from one point to another. This could be extremely useful in terms of arriving on the scene of an emergency as quickly as possible but also navigating through buildings in thick smoke.

Inductive reasoning

The inductive reasoning test measures how candidates can look at several different pieces of information as a whole and draw conclusions on what to do next and how to act.

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Firefighter exam practice questions

To get a clearer idea about how the test will look, here you have an example of the types of questions that might appear on your firefighter exam. To try some short simulation firefighter exam questions head over to jobtestprep.com. For more in-depth preparation, you can also find the full test prep pack for a full simulation exam that mimics the questions, layout, and structure of the actual exam.

Practice questions

1.In what room in a single-family house is a fire most likely to start?

a) Kitchen
b) Bedroom
c)  Attic
d) Bathroom

2. What is the primary cause of commercial fires?

a) Electrical failure
b) Heating
c)  Arson
d) Accidents

3. Which word is a synonym for the word Egress?

a) Exit
b) Entrance
c)  Wall
d) Emergency

Answers

  1. a
  2. c
  3. a

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