COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS



COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

|What have you done to prepare for this interview? |

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|What have you done to prepare for a career in the fire service? |

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|Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? |

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|Why do you want to be a firefighter? |

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|Why do you want to be a firefighter for the City of _______? |

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|What is the most appealing aspect of being a firefighter? |

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|What is the least appealing aspect of being a firefighter? |

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|What do you consider to be your strongest asset? Your weakest? |

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|Why would you be a good firefighter? |

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|Give an example in which you had to work as part of a team in order to achieve a common goal. |

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|What is the advantage of working in teams? |

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|Why is teamwork so important in the fire service? |

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|How do you and your family feel about you working 24 hour shifts? |

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|What makes you think you would be able to deal with the stresses and strains of being a firefighter? |

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|How have you prepared yourself to remain calm and react effectively at emergency scenes? |

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|Give an example of a time which you were faced with an emergency situation. |

|Explain the circumstances and your actions. |

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|What kinds of personal conflicts/problems might arise in a firehouse and what could |

|you do to minimize such problems? |

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|What personality traits do you possess that make you feel you would be a good firefighter? |

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|If hired what would you give to our department? |

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|What are some of the important traits a firefighter must possess? |

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|What is the most important trait a firefighter must possess? |

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|How could you help maintain good relations around the firehouse? |

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|What is a typical daily routine in a firehouse? |

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|What will you do with your spare time while on duty? |

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|What duties does a firefighter perform? |

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|What is the most essential duty a firefighter performs? |

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|What type of person would you find it most difficult to work with? |

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|Would you ever disobey an order? |

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|When would you disobey an order? |

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|What do you know about the city of ________? |

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|What do you know about the organizational structure of the ____ Fire Department? |

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|Define sexual harassment and give your feelings about the subject. |

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|What would you do if you were witness to someone being sexually harassed? |

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|Have you ever been in directly or indirectly or known someone who was involved in a sexual |

|harassment dispute? |

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|What was your role in this situation? |

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|Honesty and integrity, define them and why are they important in the fire service? |

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|Pride and Loyality, define them and why are they important in the fire service? |

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|What are the advantages and disadvantages of similar groups vs diverse groups of |

|people when working as a team? |

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|What do you think the future holds for the fire service? |

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|In what direction do you see the fire service going? |

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|If we were to contact your present or former employer, what would be one negative |

|point they would raise about you? |

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|Are you currently on any other fire department eligibility list? |

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|What would you do if we offered you a position, and then soon after, you were offered a position with a bigger and better paying department, Why? |

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|Some interviewers like to start with open ended questions such as, "Tell us about yourself". This is common in non-structured chiefs interviews. |

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|Most interviewers will end in such a way as to allow you to ask any questions and/or give a closing statement. It is recommended not to ask any questions but to give a brief closing statement which emphasizes your abilities and confidence. |

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|Situational Interview Questions |

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|All of these questions would be asked as "What would you do, If?" |

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|You suspect a fellow firefighter has a drug problem. |

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|You see a fellow firefighter slip an expensive watch into his turnout coat during overhaul. |

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|During the final exam of your probationary academy you see two fellow recruits exchanging answers. |

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|Your Captain orders you to get him a radio from the engine, one the way the Battalion Chief stops you and asks you to deliver an axe to the team on the roof right away. |

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|You feel a fellow firefighter is not pulling his own weight. |

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|Your shift Captain clearly delegates much more work to you then to the other firefighters on the shift who are consequently all off duty drinking buddies. |

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|You are assigned a task that you strongly feel is unsafe. |

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|You and another recruit are assigned duties together, but you continually end up doing all the work. |

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|You are having dinner at the firehouse and someone makes a comment which you find personally offensive. |

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|If the department is requiring a FF or EMT certification, they may ask situational questions which are fire or EMS related. Be prepared. |

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|Oral Interview Questions |  |

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|The Minimum You Should Know, Before The Interview | |

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|City | |

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|Mayor | |

|City Manager | |

|Population: Daytime vs Nightime | |

|Square miles of the City or jurisdiction | |

|What is the City know for - Industry, commerce, agriculture, etc. | |

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|Fire Department | |

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|Fire Chief | |

|Assistant Chief | |

|Total number of fire supperssion & prevention personnel | |

|Organizational structure (learn it in detail by drawing a hierarchy tree) | |

|Number of stations and their locations | |

|Busiest station | |

|Number of engines and trucks and the staffing of each | |

|Any specialty equipment - Air truck, foam truck, USAR, Haz-Mat, etc. | |

|Mutual or Automatic Aid policies | |

|First alarm response of each station | |

|How jurisdiction is divided into fire districts | |

|Daily station routine | |

|Reserve or volunteers? Their role in the department | |

|Total number of responses for previous year: % Medical, Fire, Haz-Mat/Misc | |

|Paramedic/transport provider | |

|Public education programs | |

|Fire prevention programs | |

|Future stations or changes in department and city | |

|Salary | |

|Number of openings | |

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|Written Interview Questions | |

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|After your application has been filed and accepted the next step in the selection process is usually a written exam. The written exam often consists of 100-150 | |

|multiple choice questions. The exam is usually divided into several categories. Some common categories include Reading Comprehension, Math, Mechanical Aptitude, | |

|Verbal Comprehension/Memorization, Spatial Relations, Map Reading, Logic/Problem Solving & Human Relations. If the department is requiring an EMT or Firefighter | |

|certificate the test may also include questions on basic Firefighting principles such as fire behavior & Emergency Medical questions. Below is a brief | |

|explanation of what you can expect from some of the more common exam categories. | |

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|READING COMPREHENSION: | |

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|Reading comprehension questions follow a written passage on a particular topic. Questions are asked about the passage & will almost always be found directly in | |

|the passage. If you take enough time to double check your answers you can usually verify if they are correct by finding the answer in the text given. A technique| |

|found useful by many test takers is to read the questions before reading the passage. This will help you to identify & focus on the information necessary to | |

|answer the questions. | |

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|MATH: | |

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|The math questions are usually very basic. Questions on fractions, decimals are common, as are word problems. If you haven't done fractions, decimals or word | |

|problems in a while it is a good idea to brush up on the fundamentals. Also found in the exams may be geometry questions asking to find the square footage or | |

|volume of an object. Tip: math problems can usually be worked backwards or in some other way to verify your answer. Try to check your work before moving on to | |

|the next question. Books on business/basic math and elementary geometry are helpful to refresh your memory or learn some basic math concepts. | |

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|MECHANICAL APTITUDE: | |

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|Mechanical aptitude questions can come in many forms. Some common types of questions may include; directional & mechanical advantage pulley or gear | |

|configurations, leverage devices, basic hydraulics, and hand tools. Mechanical aptitude questions can come in many forms & for this reason are the most difficult| |

|to prepare for. It is a good idea to refer to test preparation guides for help in this area. | |

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|VERBAL COMPREHENSION: | |

|Tests that include a verbal comprehension portion will sometimes start the test with a speaker or video. You will be asked to listen closely to a passage. After | |

|the passage is read or video is played you will then begin the exam. The first 10-25 questions will be based on what you heard or saw. Sometimes you will be | |

|allowed to take notes during the reading, but often note taking is not permitted. You will have only your memory to rely on to answer these questions. This kind | |

|of examination is difficult to prepare for because it requires a verbal passage. One way to prepare for this type of test is to have someone formulate questions | |

|from a passage & read the passage to you. What some people find useful & easy is to have someone read a reading comprehension passage from a test preparation | |

|book. Since the questions are already formulated it requires less participation by another party. Practice staying focused and taking mental notes to help your | |

|recall memory. Don't try to predict what you will be asked. This will distract you and cause you too lose focus on the passage. If note taking is allowed you | |

|should take detailed short hand notes. | |

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|SPATIAL RELATIONS: | |

|Spatial relation questions require that you can manipulate objects in your mind. An example of a spatial relation question might show an object such as a pyramid| |

|& show four flat, two-dimensional pieces of paper showing fold marks. You will need to know which of the pieces when folded would create the pyramid shape shown.| |

|There is usually a way to check your work. Perhaps you can tear and fold your scratch paper to verify the answer. Be creative and try to find a way to check your| |

|work. | |

|MAP READING/ORIENTATION: | |

|Map reading questions are straightforward. They require that you can find your way around a map. It may be a map of a city, neighborhood or building. Be sure to | |

|read the questions carefully & take a close look at the map. These questions will often have tricks such as one way streets or detours, which can be easily | |

|overlooked by the hurried test taker. Again, take your time and review your answers carefully. | |

|LOGIC/PROBLEM SOLVING: | |

|These questions can come in many forms. Basically they are measuring quantitative reasoning. You may be asked to complete a sequence of some sort, such as 2, 6, | |

|8, 12, 14 __. Answer 18. Another type of question may be worded as such. Jim, John, Susan & Henry all work for the same company. John earns more than Susan, | |

|Susan earns less than Henry, Susan earns more than Jim. John earns less than Henry. Who earns the most? Answer: Henry. These types of questions are less common, | |

|but may be encountered on an entrance exam. | |

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|HUMAN RELATIONS: | |

|Human relation questions are usually trying to measure ones people skills & how well one gets along with others. If you do encounter such questions always try to| |

|ask yourself what they are trying to find out about you by asking such a question. For example, if you were asked the question: A co-worker seems depressed & not| |

|him/herself. It would be best to: | |

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|A) Leave him/her alone, they probably need some time to themselves. | |

|B) Ask him/her if everything is all right & if there is anything you could do. | |

|C) Suggest to your supervisor that he/she use some sick time and go home to work out his/her problems. | |

|D) Tell them what a good worker he/she is to boost his/her spirits. | |

|The correct answer is B. If this is not obvious consider what the other options might suggest about the person. | |

|GENERAL TEST TIPS: | |

|Make the most of your time. If you are too worried about the time limit you may end up rushing through the test, making simple errors, which can be the | |

|difference between pass & fail. Don't rush! However, if you are too time complacent you may run out of time & force yourself to guess in order to complete the | |

|test. Calculate your time accordingly and check your watch every once in a while (always where a watch). Remember there is no penalty for guessing. A blank | |

|answer is always wrong. If you guess you may guess right, if not, you are no worse off than having left it blank. | |

|If you are a slow test taker & have trouble in a particular area such as math it may be a good idea to do that section last. Since the tests are timed it is best| |

|to answer the questions you know first & spend time on the more difficult ones at the end. That way if time is running short & you're forced to guess on any | |

|questions you'll be guessing on the ones you weren't sure of. If you decide to skip a section be sure that you mark your answer sheet in correct correspondence | |

|with the question that you skip to, meaning if you decide to skip to question #25. Be sure that you fill in question #25. Moving around the test in such a manner| |

|can throw off your answer sheet & present big problems. | |

|Always review your entire test if time permits. Go back to trouble questions & rethink them. Scan all questions for oversights or tricks. | |

|Take notes on difficult questions on scratch paper & take them home with you. You may encounter that same question or one very similar to it on your next exam. | |

|If you are not permitted to leave with such notes, take mental notes and immediately write them down as soon as you get out of the test. | |

|Often departments will provide candidates with a study guide. If a study guide is provided study it thoroughly. A portion of the exam will have questions taken | |

|directly from the study guide material. | |

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|After taking a few tests you'll learn your strengths & weaknesses. Improve your weak areas by visiting your local library. Most people don't realize that many | |

|public libraries have a large selection of test preparation books & materials specifically for Fire Service examinations. Before purchasing any test preparation | |

|books I recommend checking your local public libraries first. | |

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|Take as many tests as possible. Don't wait for the ideal department to test before applying. The best way to improve your score & feel comfortable with these | |

|exams is by taking them. Travel as far as feasible to take any test, even if you don't want the job. Each test will better prepare you for the next one. | |

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|Sample Written Test Questions | |

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|MATH | |

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|1) What is 30% of 40 | |

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|A) 10 | |

|B) 12 | |

|C) 13 | |

|4) 15 | |

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|2) Water weights 8.33 lbs per gallon. If you drained 40% of a 2500 gallon water tank how much weight was drained from the tank. | |

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|A) 4,165 lbs | |

|B) 41,650lbs | |

|C) 8,330 lbs | |

|D) 83,300 lbs | |

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|3) 4 1/3 x 2/5 = (Four & one third times two fifths) | |

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|A) 4 11/15 - (Four & eleven fifteenths) | |

|B) 4 3/8 - (Four & three eighths) | |

|C) 1 1/3 - (One & one third) | |

|D) 1 11/15 - (One & eleven fifteenths) | |

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|4) Fire Inspector Jones makes $14.00 per hour. He receives time & a half after 8 hours of work in one day. If he worked an 11 hour day what was his pay. | |

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|A) $112.00 | |

|B) $154.00 | |

|C) $175.00 | |

|D) $182.00 | |

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|5) How many cubic yards in a box that measures 12ft x 9ft x 9ft. | |

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|A) 36 | |

|B) 972 | |

|C) 968 | |

|D) 900 | |

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|6) The decimal .20 is equivalent to what fraction? | |

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|A) 1/4 | |

|B) 1/5 | |

|C) 1/8 | |

|D) 1/10 | |

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|7) Assume that for every mile per hour that a fire truck is traveling it takes 3 1/4 ft of distance for that truck to come to a complete safe stop. If an engine | |

|is traveling 55 miles per hour, how long will it take the truck to stop. | |

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|A) 165ft | |

|B) 175ft 9in | |

|C) 178ft 9in | |

|D) 180ft 9in | |

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|8) A water tank measure 10ft x 10ft x 10ft. There are approx 7.5 gallons of water per cubic foot. If the water tank was 3/4 full & water weighs 8.33 lbs per | |

|gallon approx how much weight would be added to the tank if it were filled? | |

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|A) 1,875lbs | |

|B) 5,625lbs | |

|C) 12,875.75lbs | |

|D) 15,618.75lbs | |

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|READING COMPREHENSION | |

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|Read the following paragraphs to answer questions 9 through 13. | |

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|If arson is a suspected cause of a fire it is important to ensure the proper preservation & collection of potential evidence at the scene. Fire investigators are| |

|typically responsible for gathering such evidence. If the investigator is not available, it is especially important for the firefighters on scene to take the | |

|necessary steps to salvage & collect potential pieces of evidence once the fire has been extinguished & the overhaul phase of the fire begins. | |

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|The fire department has the authority over a fire scene for as long as necessary to ensure a proper & thorough investigation. When the last Firefighter leaves | |

|the scene, the departments authority is surrendered. Often a search warrant or written consent is required to re-enter or investigate the scene at a later time. | |

|For this reason it is important that all the evidence be tagged, marked & photographed as soon as possible. If there is any doubt that further investigation may | |

|be needed it is important to leave personnel at the scene & the scene should be properly cordoned off with "DO NOT ENTER TAPE". As many firefighters should | |

|remain as necessary to guard the scene, to ensure scene safety & prevent residents & passer byers from entering the area. Under no circumstances should any body | |

|be allowed to enter the scene unless accompanied by a fire officer. Any entry, even by the owner of the premises, should be carefully logged. The persons name, | |

|time of entry, time of departure, description of any items taken & reason for entry should all be recorded. | |

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|9) If an investigator is not available what should firefighters do to assist in the investigation? | |

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|a) Salvage & collect evidence | |

|b) Tag, mark & photograph evidence | |

|c) It is not the firefighters responsibility, therefore they should simply extinguish & overhaul the fire. | |

|d) Begin the investigation themselves with the evidence they have collected | |

|e) both A & B | |

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|10) The fire department has the authority at a fire scene for how long? | |

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|a) Anywhere from 1-3 weeks | |

|b) Until the investigation is complete | |

|c) Until the last Firefighter leaves the scene | |

|d) Until the evidence is all collected | |

|e) Until the owner arrives | |

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|11) Evidence is usually collected during what phase of the fire? | |

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|a) suppression phase | |

|b) salvage phase | |

|c) overhaul phase | |

|d) extinguishment phase | |

|e) final phase | |

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|12) All of the following are true EXCEPT? | |

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|a) Search warrants are never needed to enter a fire scene. | |

|b) Salvaging & collecting evidence is always the responsibility of the fire investigator. | |

|c) Entrance to the fire scene must be recorded. | |

|d) Guards are sometimes required to protect the scene. | |

|e) The fire department has the authority of a fire scene for as long as necessary. | |

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|13) Entry into the fire scene is allowed. | |

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|a) only to the owner | |

|b) only to the owner if accompanied by a fire officer | |

|c) only to the owner if accompanied by a fire officer & entry is recorded properly | |

|d) only if accompanied by a fire officer & entry is recorded properly | |

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|Use the following table to answer questions 14 & 15. | |

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|_______________________________________________________________________________ | |

|Category---------------------------- Range | |

|_______________________________________________________________________________ | |

|Aerial ladder------------------------ 50-135 ft | |

|Aerial aerial platform-------------- 85-110 ft | |

|Telescoping aerial platform------- 50-100 ft | |

|Articulating aerial platform------- 55-102 ft | |

|_______________________________________________________________________________ | |

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|14) If the articulating aerial platform were extended to 75 ft, what percentage of its range would be in use? | |

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|A) 40% | |

|B) 41.5% | |

|C) 42.5% | |

|D) 45% | |

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|15) Which of the pieces of apparatus has the shortest range? | |

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|A) Aerial ladder platform | |

|B) Aerial ladder | |

|C) Telescoping aerial platform | |

|D) Articulating aerial platform | |

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|16) It is generally not considered good practice to use water on electrical fires because: | |

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|A) It will cause unnecessary damage to the electrical equipment | |

|B) It is ineffective | |

|C) There is a danger of the water conducting elecricity & endangering Firefighters | |

|D) There is a risk of explosion | |

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|17) The most common method used to extinguish fires is: | |

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|A) Fuel removal | |

|B) Smothering | |

|C) Cooling | |

|D) Changing the chemical composition of the fuel | |

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|18) A fire that starts by spontaneous combustion: | |

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|A) Is not possible | |

|B) Is usually self extinguished | |

|C) Is only possible if outside tempuratures exceed 100F | |

|D) Is one that starts without any external ignition source | |

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|19) It takes more energy to push water through a long hose then through a short hose. This is because of: | |

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|A) Friction | |

|B) Gravity | |

|C) Inertia | |

|D) Distance | |

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|See Answer Key below for answers & a brief explanation. | |

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|ANSWER KEY | |

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|1) B (12). Solve by cross multiplying: 30/100 = ?/40 | |

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|2) C (8,330). 40% of 2500 is 1,000. 1,000 x 8.33lbs = 8,330lbs | |

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|3) D (1 11/15). You must first convert the fraction to an "improper fraction" then multiply. You end up with 13/3 x 2/5 = 26/15 which is reduced to 1 11/15. | |

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|4) C ($175). $14 x 8 = $112, 3 x $21 = $63. $112 + $63 = $175. | |

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|5) A (36) The question asks for cubic yards, but the measurements are given in feet. You must first convert feet to yards then multiply 4 x 3 x 3 = 36 cubic | |

|yards. Tricks like this exist on many tests. Always read carefully & be on the lookout for such trick questions. | |

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|6) B (1/5). .20 is equal to 1/5. Again you can cross multiply to find the answer. 20/100 = ?/20. Answer 4/20 which reduces to 1/5. | |

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|7) C (178ft 9in). 3 1/4 x 55 = 13/4 x 55/1 = 178 3/4 ft, which equals 178ft 9in | |

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|8) A (1,875lbs). The tank is 1,000 cubic yards, therefore there are approx 7,500 gallons in the tank. To fill the tank it needs 1/4 its capacity, which is 1,875 | |

|gallons. This weighs 15,618.75lbs | |

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|9) e | |

|10) c | |

|11) c | |

|12) a | |

|13) d | |

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|14) C (42.5%). The range of the aerial is equal to 102ft - 55ft = 47ft. If it is was raised to 75 ft, 20 ft of the ladders 47 ft range is being used. Cross | |

|multiply & solve for X to get the percentage. 20/47 = x/100 = 42.5%. | |

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|15) A (Aerial ladder platform) It's range is only 35 ft. | |

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|16) C | |

|17) C | |

|18) D | |

|19) A | |

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