Increasing Your Score on the Firefighter’s Written Test

Copyright (c) 2009 Donald Cirillo

Your Best Chance to Beat the Fierce Competition for Firefighting Jobs is to Ace Your Firefighter’s Test

Pursuing a career as a firefighter is a worthy ambition, but many applicants simply aren’t prepared for the level of dedication, bravery and ability required for this demanding job.

With competition for available firefighting jobs being so fierce, you may need to create a strategy that will help give you the edge over other aspirants. Fitness plays a part in the testing procedures, but you may find that applicants with high written test scores can often be more highly considered for available positions.

Before you sit down to take the firefighter’s written test, there are some things you can do to help increase your score.

Preparing for the Firefighter’s Written Test

The firefighter’s written test is designed to test more than just your knowledge of firefighting procedures. The questions included in the exam are specifically created to test your judgment and problem solving skills, as well as your ability to take instruction.

You should find there are several sections to the firefighter’s written test. These are comprised of speed and accuracy, literacy and numeracy skills, reading comprehension and problem-solving skills.

There are some agencies that may be able to give you some study material in advance for any specific firefighting procedural questions that may be asked.

Creating an Exam Strategy

There’s no point rushing through your exam to finish every question if you get many of them wrong. It’s often far better to answer fewer questions but get them correct than it is to complete them all and make silly mistakes through rushing.

It is possible to create a strategy for your firefighter’s written exam that can help to boost your score.

Always take time to read through the entire exam before you begin answering any questions. This will give you a thorough idea of what you can expect before you start. You’ll notice that there are some sections that seem relatively simple, while other sections may require more in-depth responses from you.

Answer the questions you know you can comfortably answer quickly and relatively easily. These are likely to be the multiple choice questions and often some of the simple literacy or numeracy questions.

You might notice some of the more involved test questions require some thought and planning. If you see any that require a lengthy response from you, take some time to think through your answer before you write. This will help you formulate your answer clearly first and reduce mistakes.

Increasing Your Firefighter’s Written Test Score

Go into your exam prepared. If you can access study material about firefighting procedures prior to your testing day, spend time reading through it to increase your understanding of what’s required of you.

Always keep in mind that your exam is designed to test your ability to think logically under pressure and to test your rational logic skills when faced with a crisis situation. While the reading material will help you, remember to answer the questions as a real firefighter would. Put yourself in the shoes of a firefighter and think about how a professional would respond.

Keep these simple tips in mind when you sit for your firefighter’s written exam and you’ll increase your chances of a higher score.