Firefighter Exam

Overview
The written firefighter exams are required for entry-level paid positions as firefighters. The exams vary but all test your ability to read and understand English, as well as your capacity to learn and perform the work of a firefighter.

Most exams include questions about the following: understanding job information; applying laws, rules, and regulations to job situations; recognizing appropriate behavior in job situations; understanding mechanical devices; and remembering details of a floor layout. In addition to the written portion, you must also participate in an interview and a physical ability test in which you simulate a firefighter's actual job tasks.

Test Dates
Test dates vary. Contact the city administering your exam to learn when and where it is given.

Test Locations
The location of the test varies. Contact the city administering your exam to learn where you can take it.

Test Structure
The structure of the written Firefighter Exam varies depending on who is administering your exam, but will most likely contain a mix of 100 multiple-choice questions of the following types: reading-based; reading comprehension; reasoning and judgment; spatial orientation; observation and memory; and mechanical reasoning.

Scoring
You must achieve a mark of 70 percent in order to pass and move on to the next step of the application process - the physical test.