Study Guide: Enhanced Version

STUDY GUIDE
Enhanced Version
P Includes a complete 100 question practice exam!
NATIONAL FIREFIGHTER
Selection Inventory
Copyright 2003, Industrial/Organizational Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
Introduction General Exam Information Objectives of This Study Guide Tips for the Day of the Exam Nine Basic Test Rules General Strategies for Taking the NFSI Strategies for Analyzing and Avoiding Errors Instructions for Using the Answer Sheet Areas of Measurement Cognitive-Ability Areas Verbal Comprehension Verbal Expression Problem Sensitivity Deductive Reasoning Inductive Reasoning Information Ordering Mathematical Reasoning Number Facility Personality Attributes Sample Personality-Attribute Statements Practice Exam Before Taking the Practice Exam After Taking the Practice Exam National Firefighter Selection Inventory Practice Examination Answer Key
1 2 2 3 4 4 6 8 9 9 9 11 12 14 15 17 18 20 21 21 22 22 22 22 43
Introduction
This study guide has been developed to introduce you to the National Firefighter Selection Inventory (NFSI). If you read through this guide carefully, you will have a better understanding of what strategies will help you to prepare for the test. You will learn about the types of questions that will be asked on the test, and you will have an opportunity to practice answering those questions. Thank you for choosing our guide; we hope that it will serve as a valuable tool to help you achieve your goal of serving the community. The exam consists of a series of multiple-choice questions and behavioral statements designed to test important cognitive abilities and personality attributes that are necessary for effective job performance as a firefighter. In developing the NFSI, a group of experts from firefighting agencies throughout the United States identified many of the tasks essential to the performance of the job of a firefighter. From these tasks, 11 essential areas for entry-level testing were determined. These 11 areas are as follows: Verbal comprehension Verbal expression Problem sensitivity Deductive reasoning Inductive reasoning Information ordering Mathematical reasoning Number facility Stress tolerance Team orientation Motivation/attitude These 11 test areas have been clustered or grouped into two sections on the NFSI, a cognitive and a behavioral section. The cognitive section, which includes verbal comprehension, verbal expression, problem sensitivity, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, information ordering, mathematical reasoning and number facility, is the first part of the exam, which consists of a total of 105 questions. Questions assessing stress tolerance, team orientation and motivation/attitude are clustered together to form the behavioral section of the NFSI, which consists of a total of 50 items. You will have a total of two-and-onehalf hours (2- hours) to complete both sections of the NFSI. The selection process for firefighters is very competitive, and higher scores on the entrance exam will increase your chances of being hired by a firefighting agency. Although you are not required to read or use this study guide, we encourage you to do so. The more you prepare for the test, the more likely you are to improve your score. We hope this booklet will help you to become better prepared, and we wish you the best of luck on the examination.
General Exam Information

Objectives of This Study Guide
There are several objectives that we would like to accomplish with the use of this study guide. They are outlined for you below. 1) To help you become acquainted with the types of questions included in the exam. This study guide will provide you with a better understanding of the nature and format of questions that will appear on the NFSI. The exam is designed to be a measure of your job-relevant cognitive abilities and personality attributes. You will be tested on eight separate cognitive abilities: verbal comprehension, verbal expression, problem sensitivity, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, information ordering, mathematical reasoning, and number facility. You will also be tested on several job-related personality attributes. A definition of each of the cognitiveability areas and an explanation of how they apply to the job of an entry-level firefighter will be provided in this guide. In addition, sample test questions are also provided in each measurement area to give you a good idea of the types of questions to expect. You will also be provided with recommendations to improve your performance in each cognitive-ability area. We encourage you to become acquainted with the different measurement areas and question formats that will appear on the exam. After you have read and absorbed all of the information, you will be
ready to proceed to the sample test that can be found in the last section of this guide. The test consists of 100 questions that test your cognitive abilities in the eight areas mentioned above. Treat your practice exam as though it were the actual test. Complete the practice test within the recommended time limit and do not look at the answers in advance. After you have completed the practice test, use the answer key to determine your score. 2) To inform you of the rules governing the testing process. This guide will provide you with information about what you will be allowed to bring with you when you take the exam. Also included is information about what is expected of you and what you can expect from the test proctors. It is a good idea to be aware of the rules before the day of the test so that you will not be distracted during the actual administration and can focus all of your efforts on doing well on the exam. 3) To provide you with some general test-taking strategies. It is very important to pay close attention to this section of the study guide. The general test-taking strategies presented in this guide can help to ensure that you work as efficiently and effectively as possible on the exam. Following these general testtaking strategies may help to improve your overall score on the NFSI. You will also be provided with strategies to help you improve your skills in each of the cognitiveability areas. These tips will be provided in the sections devoted to each area of the test.
4) To provide specific instructions for completing the exam answer sheet. Because the NFSI is computer-scored, you will mark your answers on a scannable answer sheet. If you do not mark your answers in the correct spaces on the answer sheet, you will not receive credit for what would otherwise have been correct answers. 5) To provide you with information about common test-taking errors and strategies for avoiding them. This guide explains errors typically made by test-takers in multiple-choice exams and includes steps for analyzing your own errors and suggestions for avoiding the same errors in the future. Important Note: Do not memorize the practice questions and answers provided in this book. Any question that has been released will not be used again. You may run into questions that will be very similar to ones provided in this guide, but you will not be tested with any of these exact questions.
Tips for the Day of the Exam

Preparation for the exam. You will increase your chances of obtaining your best score if you spend some time preparing for the exam. This includes reading this study guide and finding out as much as possible about the exam ahead of time, trying to avoid becoming overly anxious about the exam and using good test-taking strategies. Your physical well-being. Get a good nights sleep before the exam. Try to ensure that you are in the best possible condition both physically and mentally on the day of the exam. Arrive early. It is crucial that you arrive on time! Punctuality will demonstrate your enthusiasm for a career in firefighting. Besides, candidates who arrive late for a test are often turned away. You may need to make advance arrangements for such things as childcare and a ride to the test site. It would also be wise to anticipate traffic delays in traveling to the test site and to allocate extra travel time to ensure an early arrival even with delays. Give yourself ample time to settle in at the test site. Confidence. The more confident you are in your abilities, the more likely you are to do well on the exam. Try to stay focused so that you dont end up reading sentences and answer choices over and over again. You want to take control of the exam by feeling confident in your skills. Try to relax but concentrate on the exam you are about to take.
Attitude. This exam is an opportunity for you to show your skills and abilities, and a positive attitude can have an impact on increasing your test score. There are a few ways to fine-tune your attitude about taking this exam: 1) Look at this exam as a challenge but try not to get "stressed out" by thinking about it too much. 2) Remember that passing this exam is usually the first step in the entry-level selection process, but it is not the only piece of information used to make a hiring decision. 3) Remember that by using this study guide and practicing your strategies, you can be more prepared for the exam.
choose to use an unauthorized communication device in violation of testing guidelines, your test will be collected and considered invalid. 6) Handbags, backpacks or other personal items will be placed on the floor under your work area (table/desk). You may not open your handbag, backpack or any other personal belongings during the testing process. 7) You will undergo the same standardized process as all other candidates with respect to the testing process (e.g., notification, instructions, etc.). 8) All questions or concerns that arise during the testing process should be directed to the appropriate designated test-administration staff person(s). 9) It is strictly prohibited for you to leave the test site with any test materials. All test materials supplied must be returned before you exit the test site.
Nine Basic Test Rules

1) Promptness is mandatory for admittance to the test on the date and time scheduled. 2) Photo identification is often mandatory for admittance to the test. 3) Due to the security measures that will be in place, only authorized candidates will be admitted to the test site. 4) You must bring the following supplies to the test: two sharpened #2 pencils, an eraser and a watch. A small pencil sharpener is also recommended but not mandatory. No other supplies will be permitted at the test site. Calculators will NOT be allowed at the test site. 5) Beepers, portable phones and other communication devices will not be permitted during testing. If you
General Strategies for Taking the NFSI

Listen Carefully. The exam administrator will provide you with complete instructions for taking the exam. Be
sure that you pay close attention to all test instructions. It is extremely important that you completely understand the directions before the exam begins. Ask questions. If there are instructions that you do not understand or if something is not clear, please feel free to ask the exam administrator any questions that you may have before the exam begins. Note start and end times. Just before the test administrator begins the test, make a note of the time the test will actually begin and the time that the test will end. Keep track of time. It is important that you keep track of your time so that you are able to pace yourself throughout the exam. You do not want to run out of time and leave questions unanswered. Since the score on the cognitive portion of your exam will be based on the total number of correct answers, you will want to work both quickly and efficiently. It is also important that you keep track of time so that you are able to allot a few minutes to guess on any unanswered questions at the end of the exam. Remain calm. It is important that you remain calm throughout this exam so that you are able to work most effectively. You cant allow yourself to become nervous or confused by a few difficult or challenging questions. There are going to be times when you are not going to know the answer, and neither will other individuals taking the exam. If you believe that you have not done well on any particular type of question, try to
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remain calm and focus on doing your best for the rest of the exam. Read each question and answer option carefully. Be sure that you understand what the question requires of you. Keep in mind that incorrect answers are sometimes designed to divert or distract you from the correct response. Carefully read each answer option. Even if the option contains exact words or phrases from an accompanying passage, this does not guarantee that the option will be the correct answer. Read for meaning. Dont get stuck on words or sentences you do not understand. You may be able to get the main idea from a sentence or paragraph without understanding the individual words or the individual sentences. Watch out for words that are sometimes designed to mislead! Watch out for answer options that contain the words only, always, never and all. Make sure that you carefully read any passages accompanying the question to determine whether the answer option is accurate or an exaggeration. This does not mean that any answer option containing the words listed above is automatically incorrect. Again, you must carefully read to determine the validity of an answer option. Try to answer the question correctly before you look at the answers given. If you know the answer, compare it to the available choices and pick the choice closest in meaning to the answer you have in mind.
Answer easy questions first. It is important that you answer the easy questions first on this exam. By doing so, you will afford yourself more time to spend on the difficult questions if necessary. Seek out questions you can answer. If there are particular kinds of questions that you feel most comfortable with, answer those questions first. For example, if you are particularly good at reading comprehension, then find those items first and complete them. Dont waste time on questions you cant do. If you believe that you are not able to answer a question, then skip it. It is better to skip a difficult question than to spend a lot of time on it and not be able to complete other exam questions. Mark your exam booklet. Mark in your exam booklet those questions that you have skipped so that you are able to come back to them later in the exam. Marking questions that you have skipped in your test booklet will help to ensure that you have answered all of the questions by the time the examination period has ended. Keep in mind that you must mark the correct answer on your answer sheet to receive credit, regardless of what is written in your exam booklet. Use a process of elimination. If a situation presents itself where you are unable to answer a question, use a process of elimination to narrow your options. First, eliminate any answers that are clearly wrong. Then determine how you feel about the remaining choices. If you believe that some answers are more correct than others, indicate that on your exam booklet.
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Later in the exam, you may have an opportunity to come back to these questions and answer them without having to read the entire question again. Guessing. Remember that you should pace yourself so that you can read and carefully consider each question. However, keep in mind that only correct answers will be counted as part of your score; therefore, a wild guess would be better than a space left blank on your answer sheet. You will not be further penalized for a wrong answer, and you may just guess the right answer. If you see that you are running out of time, mark the remaining spaces with the same answer. Statistically, some of these answers will be right. Of course, it is always better to make an educated guess rather than a wild guess. Using the process of elimination, make a guess from the choices that remain. The odds of guessing a right answer will increase if you can choose between two or three options rather than four or five. Extra time. If you finish the exam before the time period is over, review your answers and make any changes that are necessary. Also make sure that you have marked your answers on the answer sheet correctly.
Strategies for Analyzing and Avoiding Errors

Four common causes for choosing incorrect responses are presented to you below, along with suggestions for avoiding these errors. Reading through this section carefully can help you identify and correct any major weaknesses in your test-taking behavior.
1) Answer-sheet errors. Reason: You may have missed a question because you skipped it and failed to come back to it later. Suggestion: Be sure you mark skipped questions in your exam booklet and remember to go back to them before the end of the exam period. Also, if you happen to have extra time before the test period ends, use this time to check your answers. Reason: You may have missed a series of questions because you have marked them on the wrong spaces on the answer sheet. Suggestion: If you skip questions, it is possible that you could fill in the wrong spaces on your answer sheet. During the exam, concentrate on completing the answer sheet properly so that the number of the question you are working on corresponds with the number that you fill in on the answer sheet. If possible, take a few minutes at the end of the exam to double-check that you have filled in the correct circles in the appropriate spaces on your answer sheet. 2) Misreading a question or answer. Reason: This may occur because you overlooked a key word or phrase. Suggestion: When choosing an answer, underline key words and phrases that stand out. Once you have underlined the key words and phrases, check the details of the possible answers with the details you underlined, one by one. Always keep in mind that you are looking for the best possible answer with the most accurate details.
3) Not knowing the meaning of key words. Reason: This is a problem with vocabulary. Suggestion: When you come to an unfamiliar word, reread the sentence to determine the general, overall meaning of the sentence. This is known as reading for meaning. The meaning of the unfamiliar word should become clearer as you begin to understand the phrases and ideas that surround it. Before the test, spend some time reading newspapers, books or other sources of your choice. When you encounter words that you dont understand, look them up in a dictionary or write the definition of the word in a notebook. 4) Choosing an answer because it "looks" good. Reason: An incorrect answer may contain an exact phrase from the original passage. Suggestion: Beware of answers containing exact words or phrases from the accompanying passage. Reason: An incorrect answer may overstate information that was presented in the accompanying passage. For example, if the passage says, Some incidents, an incorrect answer may say, All incidents Suggestion: Stick strictly to the facts described in the accompanying passage itself. Dont be drawn to answers that stretch or exaggerate these facts or rules. This is the time to watch out for words such as only, never, always, whenever, all, etc.
Other suggestions: Have an answer in mind before you look over the alternatives. This will make you less likely to choose an answer that just looks good. Beware of choosing answers based on common sense or previous knowledge and experience. Answer ONLY on the basis of the material presented in the exam question itself.
Do not make any other marks on the answer sheet. You will notice that for question 10 on the sample answer grid, the circle marked A has been filled in. This indicates that alternative A has been selected as the correct answer for question 10. This is the correct way to mark your answer sheet. The reason that we ask you to take such care in marking your answer sheet is that the computer is not able to recognize other marks such as checks (), Xs, partially filled-in circles, etc. If the computer encounters poorly erased or incomplete responses or stray marks on your answer sheet, you may not receive credit for a correct answer. Use a #2 pencil ONLY. Pencil is required to complete the answer sheet because a computer will be reading these marks. Do not use ink or ballpoint pens. Place all of your answers on the answer sheet. You may use your exam booklet as scratch paper, but keep in mind that only answers on the answer sheet will be scored. There are five alternatives (A, B, C, D and E) listed on the answer sheet for each question. Please be sure that you mark your answer in the appropriate column. You may want to go back and check your answers periodically to be sure that you have placed your answer in the correct column.
Instructions for Using the Answer Sheet

This section describes the procedures used to fill in the answer sheet during the actual exam. All of the questions on the examination will be multiple-choice. You will mark your answers on the scannable answer sheet included with the NFSI, and detailed instructions on how to use it will be outlined for you at that time. A sample of the 1. A B C D E answer sheet has 2. A B C D E been provided below for your 3. A B C D E review. Things to consider when marking the answer sheet: Make heavy black marks that fill the circles completely. 4. A B C D E 5. A B C D E 6. A B C D E 7. A B C D E 8. A B C D E 9. A B C D E
10. A B C D E Erase any answers you wish to change completely.
Areas of Measurement
Cognitive-Ability Areas
The information presented in this section of the study guide will assist you in becoming familiar with the structure of the cognitive-abilities section of the exam. A brief definition of each cognitive ability is presented along with sample questions to orient you to the different question formats. You will also find useful tips to help you improve your performance in each of these areas. It is important to note that all the jobrelated questions presented in this area are designed to measure your basic verbal comprehension, verbal expression, problem sensitivity, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, information ordering, mathematical reasoning and number facility abilities. Some questions will present specific firefighting procedures. While these questions are presented in a firefighting context, no prior knowledge of firefighting is required to answer any question on this test. You should answer all questions in this section solely on the basis of the information presented in the question. Further, it should be noted that procedures and definitions contained in test questions are not necessarily those of any particular or specific firefighting agency. Following is the format that will be used to familiarize you with the areas of measurement on the examination: Definition In this section, each ability is defined, and you are provided with examples of how
the ability applies to the job of an entrylevel firefighter. General Information This section describes the various types of questions that will be used to assess your ability with respect to the eight cognitiveability areas. Sample Questions In each of the ability areas, sample questions are provided to illustrate the types of questions that may appear on the NFSI. By answering the sample exam questions, you can assess your understanding of the information. Tips For each ability area, suggestions will be provided to help you improve your cognitive abilities before you take the exam. If you know that you typically perform poorly on a certain skill, then follow these tips in order to practice and strengthen your skills. Verbal Comprehension Definition Verbal comprehension is the ability to understand language, either written or spoken. This ability involves both the understanding of individual words as well as patterns of words (sentences and phrases). This is the ability to hear a description of an event and understand what happened. This is also the ability to read a sentence or series of sentences and understand the meaning. This ability might be used in reading narrative material, such as an incident report or the fire safety code, listening to descriptions of events, places or people, receiving radio
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communications, or following verbal work orders. General Information Questions in this section are presented in a variety of different formats. You are asked to read over a few descriptive paragraphs and answer the questions that follow. The subject matter will vary from one passage to the next. These types of questions can be more time-consuming than other questions because there is a great deal of material to read. You should read through the material carefully so that you may correctly answer the questions that follow. Sample Questions Use the information in the following passage to answer sample questions 1-2. Engine 14 was dispatched at 6:02 a.m. to assist an elderly woman who was complaining of chest pains. The firefighters arrived at 1704 W. Sunnyvale, #2N at approximately 6:09 a.m. Firefighter Heine and Chambers exited the engine immediately and approached the apartment building. When Chambers knocked on the door, a man and woman greeted her. The man identified himself as Mr. Miyamoto. The woman said she was a neighbor. Mr. Miyamoto led the firefighters through the entry hall into the living room where Mrs. Miyamoto was lying on the sofa. The neighbor walked through the study and into the kitchen to get Mrs. Miyamoto a glass of water. Mrs. Miyamoto appeared pale and was obviously in pain. Both firefighters knew Mrs. Miyamoto. This was the third time they had responded to a 911 call at this address. The first two calls had been for heart-related problems.
Firefighter Heine greeted Mrs. Miyamoto and asked her specific questions concerning her current condition. Mrs. Miyamoto was alert and answered the questions clearly. Mrs. Miyamoto also exhibited a normal speech pattern, and her breathing was normal in both rate and depth. Firefighter Heine took Mrs. Miyamotos pulse: 110 and weak. Her wrist was warm and damp. Firefighter Heine decided that Mrs. Miyamoto should be transported to the hospital immediately. She was given oxygen, lifted onto a gurney and wheeled out of the apartment to an ambulance waiting at the curb. The ambulance departed for the hospital at 6:22 a.m. and arrived at 6:31 a.m. Mr. Miyamoto accompanied his wife. The firefighters gathered their equipment and locked the door to the apartment. Mrs. Miyamotos chest pains were diagnosed as angina. She was treated and released from the hospital three hours later. 1) The room where Mrs. Miyamoto was found by firefighters was the ___________. a. b. c. d. e. entry hall living room kitchen bedroom study
2) Mrs. Miyamoto arrived at the hospital at ___________________. a. b. c. d. e. 6:02 a.m. 6:09 a.m. 6:22 a.m. 6:30 a.m. 6:31 a.m.
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The answers to sample questions 1 and 2 are as follows: 1. B 2. E The answers to sample questions 1 and 2 are taken directly from the descriptive scenario. If you have trouble determining the correct answer, carefully re-read the passage for clues. Tips Before the test day, read entire newspaper articles for practice. Underline important details and ideas and notice different points of view and types of supporting evidence. After you have finished the article, try to summarize the main point of the article and the different arguments that may have been presented. Look over the words and sentences you have underlined. Were they the most important words and ideas? As you continue to practice this exercise, you will become a more efficient reader and you will read with greater comprehension. One strategy you may find helpful is to read the questions before you read the selection. The questions will tell you what important details you need to notice as you read the passage. Make sure that you read each question very carefully. Many candidates make mistakes on reading comprehension questions because they misunderstand the question.
Read all of the answer choices carefully. Try to eliminate incorrect answers until you are left with only one possible answer. If you have more than one possible answer, reread the passage.
Verbal Expression Definition Verbal expression is defined as the ability to use language (either verbal or written) to communicate information or ideas to other people. These other people might include other firefighters, fire officers, witnesses, arson suspects, fire victims or any individual with whom the firefighter might come in contact. This ability includes vocabulary, knowledge of distinctions among words, and knowledge of grammar and the way words are ordered. General Information These questions will ask you to choose words or phrases that will be grammatical in the context of a sentence. Sample Questions For sample question 3, please choose the appropriate word or phrase to complete the following sentence. 3) As soon as they arrived, the firefighters decided to _______________ unmediated firefighting maneuvers. a. b. c. d. e. begin began had began had begun did begin
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For sample question 4, identify which one of the underlined words is spelled incorrectly. 4) Firefighters should be trained to recognize the symptoms of and initial treatments for cardeac distress. a. b. c. d. e. trained recognize symptoms initial cardeac
As before, be sure to read! If you read well-written material, you will become more comfortable with different types of sentence structures. As you read newspapers, magazines and books, practice locating the subjects and verbs of various sentences. Try to determine why a particular kind of verb is required to complement a particular kind of subject.
Problem Sensitivity Definition
The answers to sample questions 3 and 4 are as follows: 3. A 4. E Sample questions 3 and 4 are measuring ones ability to use language to communicate information or ideas to other people. Based on the information provided for you in the sentence, you must answer sample questions 3 and 4 using the alternative that makes the most sense and gives the correct meaning to the sentence or choose the word that is spelled incorrectly. Tips If you are not familiar with terms such as singular, plural, active voice and passive voice, we recommend that you consult a good grammar guide, such as Gerald P. Mulderigs The Heath Handbook, so that you are able to analyze the sentences in the test questions to understand what elements are required to complete the sentence grammatically.
Problem sensitivity is the ability to recognize or identify the existence of problems. It involves both the recognition of the problem as a whole and the elements of the problem. An example might include the identification of interpersonal conflict within the station house. General Information You will be asked to read a short passage. You will then have to determine what is most likely to be the main problem in the situation that is presented in the passage. You may also be asked to determine what problem would most likely arise from the conditions presented in the passage or what step you would take to address the problem. Sample Questions Use the information in the following passage to answer sample question 5. Personnel from your fire department were dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle crash. There were two vehicles involved in this incident, and a pedestrian was also injured. A red 2002 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Bethany Foster, was stopped at a traffic
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light, and Ms. Foster intended to make a left turn. Her car was rear-ended by a white 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier, driven by Mrs. Tania Richter. The force of the collision pushed Ms. Fosters car forward into the intersection and caused her to strike a pedestrian, Gary Hoffman. Ms. Foster was wearing her seatbelt at the time of the accident. She complained of bruises and neck pain. Her lower lip was also bleeding; paramedics at the scene speculated that she had bitten it in the crash. There were two passengers in her carher husband, Daniel, sitting in the front passenger seat, and her nine-year-old son, Geoff. Both passengers were wearing their seat belts. Daniel claimed to be uninjured. Geoff complained of a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Mrs. Richter was traveling alone in her car. She was wearing her seat belt at the time of the crash. She complained of neck pain and a sharp pain in her right wrist. She suspected that her wrist was injured and possibly fractured when her drivers side airbag deployed. Gary Hoffman was unconscious when paramedics arrived; he had a large cut on the back of his head that was bleeding profusely. His right arm was bent at an unnatural angle. 5) Based on the information given in the paragraphs, _____ would appear to be the most seriously injured individual. a. b. c. d. e. Bethany Foster Tania Richter Gary Hoffman Daniel Foster Geoff Foster
For sample question 6, please choose the MOST serious problem listed. 6) Your fire department is notified of the following five events on the same day. Of these events, which should be considered the MOST serious or MOST urgent? a. Notification of a malfunctioning hydrant. b. A request to set up an appointment for a fire alarm system inspection in a new industrial building where hazardous chemicals will be stored. c. Several calls regarding a pile of burning leaves in a vacant lot. d. An EMS call regarding a child who fell off his bike and possibly broke his clavicle. e. A confirmed fire on the fifth floor of a high-rise apartment building.
The answers to sample questions 5 and 6 are as follows: 5. C 6. E
The answers to sample questions 5 and 6 are based on ones ability to identify the elements of a problem situation. Information is presented in each passage to give you clues about the problem situation. For example, in sample question 5, Gary Hoffmans lack of consciousness, profusely bleeding head wound and possibly broken arm suggest injuries that are more serious than those incurred by the other participants in the crash. In sample question 6, a confirmed fire in a large building that is populated by many
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people would be the most serious or urgent problem. Tips You will need to rely on your common sense to answer most of these questions. But make sure that you read the situation and answer options carefully and look for important details. Carefully examine the answers and make sure that you pick the answer that relates most closely to the details presented in any accompanying passages. If you are asked to imagine what would be the first step you would take to solve a problem, you may find it helpful to imagine the consequences that would arise if you followed each answer choice.
Sample Questions Use the following information to answer sample questions 7-8. The following is a list of the six most common categories of medications that are relevant to patient care: Analgesics: prescribed for temporary pain relief, fever control and the reduction of inflammation. Antiarrhythmics: prescribed for the treatment of heart-rhythm disorders. Anticonvulsants: prescribed for prevention and control of seizures. Antidiabetic agents: prescribed to help maintain healthy blood-sugar levels in hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) patients and to provide insulin, which allows the body to regulate the metabolism of sugar. Antihypertensives: prescribed for the reduction of high blood pressure by relaxing the sympathetic nervous system, which in turn relaxes the walls of the arteries and arterioles. Bronchodilators: prescribed to provide relief of bronchial asthma and other allergies affecting the respiratory system by relaxing the smooth muscles of the bronchial tubes.
Deductive Reasoning Definition Deductive reasoning is the ability to apply general rules or regulations to specific situations or to proceed from stated principles to logical conclusions. An example might be the decision to use one chemical or mechanical fire-extinguishing agent over another or one medication over another. General Information Questions in this section will present you with a passage that explains some firefighting policies or other guidelines. You will then be given a specific situation related to the policies/guidelines, and you will have to decide the best course of action based on what you know about the information presented in the passage.
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7) According to the information about the medications described previously, if a person is having trouble breathing due to dust and pollen, what category of medication would be prescribed? a. b. c. d. e. Analgesics Antiarrhythmics Anticonvulsants Antihypertensives Bronchodilators
Occasionally there will be irrelevant details in both the general policies/guidelines and the specific situations, so make sure to carefully match up important details and disregard the information that does not help you answer the question. Other times, you may have to combine policies/guidelines to find the right answer. You may be able to practice your deductive reasoning skills by looking at a set of rules or policies. They could be school regulations, office policies at your current job, city ordinances, etc. Try to imagine situations in which a person could either follow or violate the rule. What parts of the rule(s) would you cite if you had to defend someone or issue a reprimand?
8) On a windy fall day, a child playing at recess sprains her right ankle. The school nurse would prescribe ______________ to treat the child. a. b. c. d. e. analgesics antiarrhythmics anticonvulsants antihypertensives bronchodilators
The answers to sample questions 7 and 8 are as follows: 7. E 8. A These sample questions are dependent upon distinct information provided in the passage about the six most common categories of medications relevant to patient care, which are used to treat very specific medical symptoms. You are asked to apply your knowledge of medications from the passage and apply it to a specific situation. For example, in sample question 7, the only medication described that treats allergies is bronchodilators. Tips Be sure to read carefully both the policies/guidelines and the questions.
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Inductive Reasoning Definition Inductive reasoning is the ability to find a rule or concept that fits the situation. It also involves understanding how a string of events might be connected. One example of this ability is determining the point of origin of a fire or finding repeated violations of a fire code during building inspections. General Information For questions in this section, you will be provided with a text passage, table or a chart. You will be asked to make general conclusions based on the information provided in the passage, table or chart. What trends do you notice? Have specific strategies been successful or unsuccessful?
Sample Questions Use the following passage to answer sample questions 9-10. A drunk driver barreling down Washington Street runs through a four-way stop intersection and strikes the side of a minivan traveling through the intersection, pushing it into a car parked on the side of the street. Four people call 911. The area dispatch center alerts police, emergency medical services and fire-rescue units simultaneously. Firefighters arrive on the scene and proceed to assess the situation. They examine the scene, the vehicles and their drivers. The drunk driver is sitting in her car, holding her forehead, and blood is oozing through her fingers. A man is trapped in the minivan that was hit broadside. He was not wearing a seatbelt. He appears to be unconscious, but there is no apparent bleeding. A firefighter determines that there is some swelling in his chest and abdomen, and, from the angle of his left arm, it appears that it is broken. The firefighter also suspects possible internal injuries. The man must be removed from the minivan immediately. A firefighter gains access to the minivan through a side door and begins to assess the condition of the man more closely. After initial stabilization, the firefighter covers him with a blanket to protect him from breaking glass while two other firefighters begin to cut out the windshield. After the man is safely extricated from the minivan through the windshield, he is transported to the local trauma center for further assessment and treatment of his injuries. The drunk driver also receives attention. Other firefighters assess her injuries and general physical condition. Other than the
wound on her forehead, there are no apparent injuries. However, one pupil is dilated. The firefighter suspects this woman has suffered a serious head injury. She is immediately placed on a gurney and transported to the trauma center. 9) Most likely, what injury of the minivan driver indicates internal bleeding? a. b. c. d. e. Slurred speech. One dilated pupil. Swelling of the abdomen. Broken leg. Cut on forehead.
10) An appropriate title for this passage would be _____. a. b. c. d. Witnessing an Accident A Bad Day on Washington Street Extricating a Victim Evaluating Injuries After a Traumatic Incident e. The Symptoms of Head Injuries The answers to sample questions 9 and 10 are as follows: 9. C 10. D
In sample question 9, information was presented on the injuries sustained by the minivan driver, which gives you some clue as to where those injuries came from. Sample question 10 asks that you look at all of the information presented and determine the main point or theme of the passage. It may be valuable to re-read the passage to determine the main theme. Rereading the answers to the questions and thinking about the passage may also give you some insight into the main theme.
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Tips Be sure to examine carefully every aspect of the passages, charts or graphs provided and every part of the answer options. If you misread a number or a label, you obviously will not be able to reach the correct conclusion. You can practice your inductive reasoning skills by looking through a newspaper or a magazine for a passage, chart or graph. Instead of reading the article or an explanation of the chart or graph, try forming your own conclusions about the data. Then read the article to see if you have reached a valid conclusion.
Sample Questions Use the information in the following passage to answer sample questions 1112. Firefighters are not only taught how to extinguish fires, they are also taught how to treat those injured in a fire. It is important that they learn to treat serious injuries, such as burns, broken bones, cuts and abrasions, heart failure, and breathing problems. Because these medical emergencies are likely to occur at the site of a fire, basic first aid is an essential part of the job. Surprisingly, firefighters do not commonly deal with burns. The more common injuries at a fire site involve respiratory problems, heart failure and shock. If an individual has no heartbeat or pulse, a firefighter should first remove the victim from the path of the fire and then initiate CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Once a victims heartbeat and breathing are restored, other injuries can be treated. Degrees of seriousness in descending order are bleeding wounds, shock and broken bones. Minor cuts and abrasions would, of course, have the lowest priority.
Information Ordering Definition Information ordering is the ability to apply rules to a situation for the purpose of putting the information in the best or most appropriate sequence. In order to use this ability, rules or instructions must exist for the person to know the correct order of information. It involves the application of specific sequences or procedures to a given situation. An example of the use of this ability might be when a firefighter is deciding which set of procedures to follow first and which to follow thereafter. General Information For the information ordering section, the questions will ask you to place five or six statements in either chronological or logical order. The statements could be part of a set of first aid instructions or statements from accident victims. You may also be asked which statements come before or after other statements.
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11) Of the conditions listed below, which would be the one that should be treated last? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. a. b. c. d. e. 1 2 3 4 5 deep bleeding wound heart failure sprained ankle shock minor cuts
To practice information ordering, obtain a copy of a policy, a recipe, assembly instructionssomething that clearly must be done in a certain order. Cut out the individual steps or instructions. Mix them up and then see if you can rearrange them so that they are once again in their original, or most logical, order.
Mathematical Reasoning Definition Mathematical reasoning is the ability to reason abstractly using quantitative concepts and symbols. It encompasses reasoning through mathematical problems in order to determine appropriate operations that can be performed to solve them. It also includes the understanding or structuring of mathematical problems. The actual manipulation of the numbers is not included in this ability. An example is considering the volume and kind of materials in a room to determine the amount of time the room would take to burn. General Information Questions in this section will present you with all of the information about a problem that can be solved mathematically. You will need to pull out the relevant information, determine the proper arithmetic operation (e.g., addition, division) that should be used to solve the problems and correctly apply the operation to the information provided. Sometimes it will be necessary to apply more than one operation to solve the problem.
12) Determine the order with which you would treat the injuries listed in sample question 11. a. b. c. d. e. 5, 2, 3, 1, 4 2, 1, 4, 3, 5 3, 2, 4, 1, 5 1, 2, 5, 4, 3 4, 1, 2, 5, 3
The answers to sample questions 11 and 12 are as follows: 11. E 12. B Sample questions 11 and 12 address the order of treatment for medical conditions based on information presented in the passage. It may be helpful to re-read the passage and write down the order of the medical conditions as they are presented to you. Tips Look for word clues in the statements, such as before and after. See if any of the statements pair up in some way.
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Sample Questions Use the information provided to answer sample questions 13-14. 13) Use the table below to determine which statement most accurately describes the relationship between the hose length and the number of firefighters needed to carry a hose.
Hose Length Number of Firefighters Needed to Carry the Hose
14) While working at the scene of a fire in a multistory building, Firefighter McQuaid must reach the top of the building while carrying a 150-foot hose and wearing an air tank. Using the following table, determine the statement that most accurately describes the relationship between the number of floors climbed by Firefighter McQuaid and the time needed to reach them.
Total Time Floors Climbed
40 feet 80 feet 120 feet 160 feet
1 2 3 4
3.3 seconds 5.3 seconds 7.3 seconds 9.3 seconds
1 2 3 4
a. As the hose length is increased by 40 feet, the number of firefighters needed to carry it is doubled. b. As the hose length is increased by 40 feet, the number of firefighters needed to carry it is tripled. c. The longer the hose, the fewer the number of firefighters needed to carry it. d. As the hose length is increased, one additional person is needed for each 40-foot increase. e. As the hose length is decreased, one additional person is needed for each 40-foot decrease.
a. As the time is increased by two seconds, the number of floors climbed is doubled. b. As the time is increased by two seconds, the number of floors climbed is tripled. c. As the time is increased by two seconds, the number of floors climbed increases by 25 percent. d. As the time is increased by two seconds, Firefighter McQuaid climbs the stairs at a slower rate. e. As the time is increased by two seconds, Firefighter McQuaid climbs an additional flight of stairs. The answers to sample questions 13 and 14 are as follows: 13. D 14. E Sample questions 13 and 14 are asking for the identification of specific quantitative patterns in the information provided. If you had trouble answering these questions correctly, re-read each passage and identify those mathematical patterns.
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Tips When trying to solve these types of problems, you should attempt to divide the problem into segments and determine what mathematical function is needed to solve each segment of the problem. Once the segment problems have been solved, they can be pulled together to answer the question that is being asked.
Sample Questions Calculate the correct answers to sample questions 15-16. 15) There is no apparent means of entry into a smoke-filled room. The firefighter uses a hatchet to make a 5-foot by 6foot opening in the wall. How large is the opening? a. b. c. d. e. 10 square feet 15 square feet 20 square feet 25 square feet 30 square feet
Number Facility Definition Number facility is the ability to manipulate numbers in numerical operations such as addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. This also involves the speed and accuracy of computation. An example is determining the size of a hole needed to ventilate a burning building. General Information Questions in this section involve basic arithmetic ability. You will be presented with all of the information that is necessary to compute the correct answer. You must determine the proper arithmetic operation (e.g., addition, division) that should be used to solve the problem and correctly apply the operation to the information provided. Sometimes it will be necessary to apply more than one operation to solve the problem.
16) If the average height of a story in a residential apartment building is 13 feet, what size ladder is needed to reach the top floor of a six-story apartment building? a. b. c. d. e. 52 feet 65 feet 78 feet 91 feet 104 feet
The answers to sample questions 15 and 16 are as follows: 15. E 16. C Both sample questions 15 and 16 rely on your knowledge of and accuracy with computation, specifically multiplication. If you are having difficulty answering these questions, refer to information on basic computation, such as addition, subtraction, division and multiplication.
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Tips The best way to practice your mathematical skills is just to continue using mathematical skills that come in handy every day. Balance your checkbook, calculate how much money you will save with a coupon you use at the grocery store, determine how much it will cost to fill up the gas tank of your car, based on current gas prices, and calculate how long it will take you to get to work and back if you traveled at a constant speed. If you have a habit of using a calculator, practice making these calculations by hand. If you still feel uncomfortable in regards to your mathematical skills, you may consider purchasing a math textbook to review.
1 - Strongly Agree 2 - Agree 3 - Neither Agree nor Disagree 4 - Disagree 5 - Strongly Disagree There are no obviously "correct" or "incorrect" responses to these types of items as there are for the cognitive questions. The goal of the personality component of the NFSI is to compare your attitudes and personality characteristics to those of successful firefighters. The closer your responses match those of successful firefighters, the higher you will score on the NFSI, and the more likely it is that you will be successful on the job. Your response should be an indication of how you feel about the statement that is presented. You should respond honestly to each statement. A good guideline for answering these types of items is to put down the first response that feels right. Overanalyzing the statement or looking for hidden meaning can often cause you to misunderstand the statement and respond in a manner that does not reflect your true personality. Sample Personality-Attribute Statements Please rate the sample personalityattribute statements using the scale previously provided. Be as open and honest as you can when making your ratings. Remember, there are no correct or incorrect answers. 1) I am sometimes nervous around friends whom I have not seen for a long time. 2) I enjoy trying to make others feel comfortable in new situations. 3) When I am uncertain of how to do a task, I will usually ask for clarity.
Personality Attributes
The information presented in this section of the study guide will assist you in becoming familiar with the structure of the personality-attributes section of the exam. Sample statements are provided to orient you to the different item formats. The items appearing in this section are significantly different from the questions appearing in the cognitive-ability section in terms of design and requirements for your response. It is important to note that the statements in this section are not scored in terms of correct or incorrect answers. These items are presented as a series of statements for you to respond to by marking the answer that best fits your opinion. The following fivepoint scale is provided for you to record your response to each statement presented:
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4) I am more assertive than most of my friends. 5) Most people feel stressed when they get home from work or school. It is very important that you complete this section of the examination, as your score is based on BOTH the cognitive portion of the exam and the personality section. Please answer all personality items honestly and candidly. This test may uncover any attempts to make yourself appear as better or different than the way you really are. In other words, choosing the answer that you believe will make you look good may very well lead to a lower score on the personality portion of the test.
After Taking the Practice Exam

Following the exam will be an answer key so that you can check your answers. If you find that you have answered a question incorrectly, go back to that question and try to figure out why you did not originally choose the correct answer. Make a mental note if you seem to be making the same types of mistakes repeatedly, then try to formulate a new strategy for answering those questions. You may also wish to consult the tips listed in this study guide to improve your skills in each of the cognitiveability areas tested to find a new questionanswering strategy or to learn how to practice a certain skill.
Practice Exam
Before Taking the Practice Exam
On the following pages, you will find a 100-question sample examination, consisting entirely of cognitive-ability questions. The actual test consists of 105 cognitive-ability items and 50 personalityattribute items and must be completed in two-and-a-half hours (150 minutes). Because the practice test has less items than the number of cognitive-ability items that will appear on the actual test, we recommend that you spend no more than two hours (120 minutes) completing this practice test so that you can recreate the conditions of the real exam as accurately as possible. Try, if possible, to take this examination in a quiet room with few distractions. We also recommend that you complete the entire test before consulting the answer key. In other words, the best way to prepare for the exam is to treat this practice test as if it were the real thing!
Good luck on the NFSI and in your firefighting career!
National Firefighter Selection Inventory Practice Examination

Questions 1-3 are based on the passage below. Engine 13 is dispatched at 9:38 a.m. to the scene of a car accident at the intersection of Elm and Forest. They arrive at the scene at 9:45 a.m. and find that a pick-up truck broadsided a compact car. The driver of the compact car, a female in her midthirties, is trapped in the car. Firefighters Royer and Brown work to extricate the driver from the vehicle. Firefighter Blair checks on the driver of the truck, a male in his late forties. Firefighter Hamrick directs the flow of traffic until the police arrive.
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The police arrive at the accident scene at 9:51 a.m., and an ambulance arrives at 9:53 a.m. Firefighters Royer and Brown remove the drivers side door from the compact car and successfully free the trapped driver by 9:57 a.m. The driver of the compact car is loaded into the ambulance at 9:58 a.m. and arrives at St. Andrews Hospital at 10:05 a.m. She is treated for minor injuries and released. The driver of the truck did not sustain any injuries. 1) How much time elapsed between the time that Engine 13 arrived at the scene and the time that the driver of the compact car was freed from the car? a. b. c. d. e. 8 minutes 12 minutes 13 minutes 20 minutes 27 minutes
Question 4 is based on the passage below. Firefighters were called to the scene of a garage fire at 157 South Deerfield Road. The garage was not attached to the home, and the fire was quickly contained. Firefighter Robbins speaks to the owner of the home, Mr. Reynolds, and asks if he knows how the fire may have started. Mr. Reynolds tells Firefighter Robbins that he had some old firecrackers stored in the garage. He also states that he saw some neighborhood kids playing around by the garage earlier in the afternoon. Firefighter Robbins enters the garage to see if he can find any other clues as to how the fire started. In the garage, he finds a few burned firecrackers, an overturned box and a few used matches. 4) How did the fire most likely start? a. Mr. Reynolds had a gas leak in his car that was ignited by a disregarded match. b. Kids from the neighborhood left a burning cigarette in the garage. c. Mr. Reynolds intentionally started the fire, using matches. d. Kids from the neighborhood were playing with firecrackers in Mr. Reynolds garage and started the fire. e. There is no apparent cause for the fire. Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 5-9. A driver of a gray BMW who is traveling over the speed limit on the highway loses control of the vehicle, crosses the median and collides with an oncoming car, a red
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2) Which firefighter directed traffic until police arrived? a. b. c. d. e. Firefighter Royer Firefighter Brown Firefighter Hamrick Firefighter Blair Firefighter Green
3) At what time did the police arrive at the scene? a. b. c. d. e. 9:51 a.m. 9:53 a.m. 9:57 a.m. 9:58 a.m. 10:05 a.m.
Toyota. Several drivers who witness the accident pull over to assist those involved in the accident. A woman in her late thirties uses her cell phone to call 911. Firefighters arrive at the scene and assess the situation. They find the driver of the BMW, a man in his early forties, unconscious and bleeding. The driver of the Toyota, a woman in her early twenties, is conscious but is complaining of pain in her chest and abdomen. Her car had an airbag that was deployed. The firefighters determine that the driver of the BMW must be extricated from the vehicle so that his injuries can be assessed and treated. They cautiously remove the driver from the vehicle and discover that the driver had sustained a deep cut on his left arm. Shortly after they finish the assessment, the driver regains consciousness and is able to communicate how he feels. The driver of the Toyota is able to step out of the vehicle without assistance. The firefighters assess her condition again after she is out of the car and continue to monitor her condition until an ambulance arrives. Both drivers were transported to the hospital for their injuries and were released later that same day. 5) What is MOST likely to have caused the Toyota drivers injuries? a. b. c. d. e. The airbag. The steering wheel. The windshield. The drivers side door. The dashboard.
6) What is an appropriate title for the passage? a. The Dangers of Speeding. b. Assessing Accident Victims Injuries. c. The Dangers of Airbags. d. How to Treat a Deep Wound. e. Witnesses Can Save Lives. 7) Which of the following is an accurate description of the driver of the Toyota? a. b. c. d. e. A man in his late forties. A man in his early forties. A woman in her late thirties. A woman in her early thirties. A woman in her early twenties.
8) What is the MOST likely reason that the driver of the BMW lost control of his vehicle? a. b. c. d. e. He was speeding. He was drunk. He fell asleep. He hit the median. He was on his cell phone.
9) What injury did the driver of the BMW sustain? a. b. c. d. e. A cut on his right leg. A cut on his left leg. A cut on his right arm. A cut on his left arm. An abdominal injury.
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 10-12. There are four classes of fires. The following is a description of each. Class A: This type of fire involves ordinary combustibles; wood, paper and rubber are
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some common examples of these combustibles. Water is commonly used to cool these materials when they are burning. Class A foams can also be used. Class B: This type of fire involves flammable and combustible liquids and gases. Gasoline, oil and paint are examples of these types of liquids. Oxygen exclusion, by using a smothering or blanketing effect, is the most effective way of extinguishing these types of fires. Class C: This type of fire involves energized electrical equipment. Computers, household appliances and transformers are examples of this type of equipment. The fastest way to extinguish these types of fires is to de-energize high-voltage circuits and then fight the fire. Halon and carbon dioxide are used to control this type of fire. Class D: This type of fire involves combustible metals. Aluminum, titanium and potassium are some examples of these types of metals. Different extinguishing agents are used to control fires caused by the ignition of each type of metal. Water and other common means of extinguishing fires are not effective in fighting this type of fire. 10) Firefighters are called to a fire at a warehouse. The warehouse is a storage area for a local paint manufacturer and contains paints and oils produced by the company. What class of fire are the firefighters battling? a. b. c. d. Class A Class B Class C Class D
11) Firefighters are dispatched to a fire at an office building. The fire began when a transformer overheated. What method would be BEST for the firefighters to use to fight this fire? a. Use a smothering effect to create oxygen exclusion. b. Use water to control the fire and then de-energize the transformer. c. Use a Class A foam. d. De-energize the high-voltage circuits and use halon to control the fire. e. Use carbon dioxide. 12) Firefighters are battling a Class A fire. What method should they use to fight the fire? a. De-energize the high voltage circuits. b. Use halon to control the fire. c. Use a blanketing effect. d. Use water to cool the material. e. Use carbon dioxide to control the fire.
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Use the information below to answer questions 13-14. The American Burn Association has three categories of burns:
Category Major Percent of Body Burned 25% or greater 15-25% Area Burned Hands, face, feet or genitalia All areas except hands, face, feet or genitalia All areas except hands, face, feet or genitalia Type of Exposure Electric or inhalation Nonelectric and noninhalation Nonelectric and noninhalation
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 15-19. Locating the fire within a structure can often be a difficult task. Firefighters must rely on clues given at the scene. Smells can often tell firefighters what type of material is burning. Different materials have distinct odors when burned. Smoke color can also provide aid to firefighters in locating a fire. Burning paper and cloth produces a light gray smoke; furniture gives off a dark gray smoke when it is burned; wood produces a medium brown smoke when it is burned. The color of the smoke is slightly different in different lighting and weather conditions. In cold weather (temperatures below 10 degrees F), almost all smoke appears to be white. While fires that involve wood appear to be darker brown in the daylight, at night, the smoke would appear to be lighter at night compared to the dark sky. When a building is especially large, it can be difficult to locate a fire. In these cases, firefighters can use methods that will allow them to speed up the time it takes to locate the fire. One method is for firefighters to go to the roof of the structure and look down the walls of the structure to see where smoke might be seeping out of windows. Another method that can be used when attempting to locate a fire is feeling the walls and doors within the structure. Hot walls or doors, or walls or doors that have discoloration and blistering, can indicate that the fire is close.
Moderate
Minor
15% or less
13) Firefighters respond to a car fire. They find a man who has burns covering 20 percent of his body. The burns are on his arms and chest. What category of burns has he suffered? a. b. c. d. Major Moderate Minor Cannot be determined
14) A woman is found at the scene of a house fire. She has burns covering 30 percent of her body, including parts of her face and hands. What category of burns does the woman have? a. b. c. d. Major Moderate Minor Cannot be determined
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15) What is the best title for this passage? a. b. c. d. e. The Colors of Smoke. How to Locate a Fire. Fighting Fires With Heavy Smoke. Firefighting Techniques. Unusual Odors in Fires.
19) Which of the following was NOT a method described for locating fires? a. Looking at the sides of the building from the roof to find smoke that is seeping out. b. Listening for the sound of water in buildings that have sprinklers. c. Looking for walls and doors that are discolored or blistering. d. Smelling for materials that produce a distinct odor when burned. e. Looking at the color of smoke that is produced. Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 20-23. Engine Company 12 was dispatched to a fire at 4:18 p.m. at a local shopping complex. A security guard called 911 and reported that he saw smoke coming from the back of one of the stores in the complex. The shopping plaza is located at the corner of Sheffield and Byrne. Engine Company 12 arrived at the scene at 4:24 p.m. The firefighters found a small amount of smoke coming from the back of a womens clothing store. They evacuated the clothing store and the adjacent stores. The evacuation was complete at 4:28 p.m. The firefighters then proceeded to look for the source of the smoke. The firefighters found a small fire in a trashcan in the stockroom of the clothing store. The firefighters were able to put the fire out quickly using a hand-held fire extinguisher by 4:33 p.m. After the fire was extinguished, the firefighters examined the contents of the trashcan to determine what caused the fire to ignite. In the trashcan they found a discarded cigarette.
16) In daylight and warm temperatures, smoke from ____ is light gray and smoke from ____ is dark gray. a. b. c. d. e. paper; furniture furniture; paper furniture; wood wood; furniture paper; wood
17) What color is the smoke that is given off by burning furniture when the temperature is over 10F and it is daylight? a. b. c. d. e. Light brown Dark brown Light gray Dark gray White
18) Which would produce a smoke that appears as white smoke? a. Wood burned at twilight in warm weather. b. Paper burned in daylight in temperatures above 10F. c. Furniture burned at night in warm weather. d. Cloth burned in the day in temperatures above 10F. e. Wood burned in daylight in temperatures below 10F.
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Firefighter Jansen spoke to the owner and employees of the womens clothing store. He explained that the fire was started by a discarded cigarette. He explained that it is important to dispose of cigarette butts properly. Engine Company 12 left the shopping plaza and returned to the station house at 5:14 p.m. 20) What time did the firefighters extinguish the fire? a. b. c. d. e. 4:18 p.m. 4:24 p.m. 4:28 p.m. 4:33 p.m. 5:14 p.m.
23) How much time elapsed between the time the firefighters extinguished the fire and the time they returned to the station house? a. b. c. d. e. 31 minutes 35 minutes 38 minutes 41 minutes 46 minutes
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 24-27. There are five types of building construction. Below is a description of each of these types. Type I: This type of construction is fireresistive. The materials used in this type of structure are either noncombustible or limited combustible. These structures are compartmentalized, which helps retard the spread of the fire. The contents of these structures are the greatest hazards in this type of construction. Type II: This type of structure is noncombustible or limited combustible. It is made primarily from noncombustible or limited combustible materials, but other types of materials may be used in limited quantities. The contents of these structures are also the greatest concern in this type of building, but the failure of the roof is also a concern. Type III: This type of structure is ordinary construction. The exterior walls in these structures use noncombustible or limited combustible materials. The interior walls are constructed from wood. The spread of fire and smoke through concealed spaces is the primary concern in this type of construction.
21) Who reported the fire? a. The owner of the womens clothing store. b. The owner of an adjacent store. c. The security guard. d. Firefighter Jansen. e. A passing shopper. 22) What did the firefighters do BEFORE they looked for the source of the smoke? a. b. c. d. Talked to the stores owner. Talked to the security guard. Extinguished the fire. Evacuated the womens clothing store and adjacent stores. e. Searched the contents of the trashcan.
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Type IV: This type of structure is heavytimber construction. The exterior and interior walls are constructed of noncombustible or limited combustible materials. Beams and floors are made of solid or laminated wood. The large amount of combustible material due to the structural timbers and contents of the structure are the primary hazard concerns. Type V: This is wood-frame construction. The exterior walls are made primarily from wood. The spread of fire to other structures is a great concern when fighting fires in this type of structure. 24) Firefighters are fighting a fire in a structure that is made primarily from noncombustible or limited combustible materials with other types of materials used in limited quantities. What type of construction is the building? a. b. c. d. e. Type I Type II Type III Type IV Type V
26) Firefighters are fighting a fire in structure that has Type V construction. What is the primary concern in fighting a fire in this type of structure? a. The contents of the structure. b. The spread of smoke and fire through concealed spaces. c. The spread of fire to other structures. d. The large amount of combustible material due to the structural timbers. e. The failure of the roof. 27) In Type IV construction, ____ and ____ are made of solid or laminated wood. a. b. c. d. e. interior walls; beams interior walls; floors exterior walls; floors interior walls; exterior walls beams; floors
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 28-30. Firefighters need to wear specialized clothing to protect them from the uncontrolled heat that they encounter when fighting a fire. There are five features that are used to evaluate this clothing. Thermal resistance refers to the ability of material to provide a protective barrier between the heat and the body by reducing the amount of external heat that passes through the material to the body. Thermal capacity is the ability of material to absorb and store heat. This feature works well until the maximum heat capacity is reached, and it then gives off heat to the wearer.
25) Firefighters are fighting a fire in a structure where their primary concern is the spread of smoke and fire through concealed spaces. What type of construction is the structure? a. b. c. d. e. Type I Type II Type III Type IV Type V
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Reflectivity is the ability of the material to reflect radiant heat. Light-colored or polished fabrics reflect heat better than dark or rough surfaces. Flammability is the ease of ignition of the material. Firefighters often wear noncombustible garments that will burn but do not ignite quickly. Durability is the characteristic of the garment that makes it resistant to falling apart when subjected to excessive heat. When the garment falls apart, it loses its protective features. 28) Which feature of the garment refers to its ability to absorb and store heat? a. b. c. d. e. Thermal resistance Thermal capacity Reflectivity Flammability Durability
30) The fire chief orders protective clothing that has high thermal resistance, a high thermal capacity, low reflectivity, high durability and is not flammable. What is the greatest concern regarding these garments? a. They allow a lot of heat to reach the body. b. They will not reflect a high level of radiant heat. c. They can only absorb and store a low level of heat. d. They will fall apart easily when exposed to extreme heat. e. They will ignite easily. Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 31-33. School fires present some unique problems to firefighting. One of the primary problems facing firefighters at the scene of a school fire is the amount of confusion. With so many people being evacuated, it is often difficult to determine whether or not everyone is safely out of the building. Children are shaken by these events, and they do not behave in a rational manner, creating more concerns for the firefighters. Because of these concerns, it is very important for firefighters to search the building. Ventilation is also important. Firefighters should ventilate the school to conduct smoke and heat away from escape routes, making rescue efforts easier. Firefighters should also place lines to prevent the fire from entering stairways or corridors. This may allow firefighters to isolate the fire to one area of the school. In older schools, firefighters need to be cautious of the ventilation ducts. These ducts can be means by which the fire
29) The thermal resistance of a garment refers to its ____. a. resistance to falling apart b. ability to provide a protective barrier c. ability to store and absorb heat d. ability to reflect radiant heat e. ease of ignition
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spreads even though they may not be visible. Firefighters need to be aware of the special concerns that are present at a school fire. Being aware of these problems can help them prepare for them. 31) Which is NOT discussed as a concern in school fires? a. The ventilation ducts in older buildings. b. Confusion at the scene. c. The difficulty in determining whether or not everyone is out of the school. d. The large open spaces of gyms and cafeterias. e. The irrational behavior of children. 32) What would be the most appropriate title for the preceding passage? a. Unique Problems of School Fires. b. Children Who Do Not Behave Rationally. c. The Ventilation Systems of Old Buildings. d. Preparation for Firefighters. e. Preventing School Fires. 33) Why is it important for firefighters to search the building? a. Because firefighters need to conduct smoke and heat away from escape routes. b. Because firefighters need to properly ventilate the school. c. Because children do not behave in a rational manner in these situations. d. Because it is difficult to determine whether or not everyone is safely out of the building. e. Both c and d.
Use the following passage to answer questions 34-35. Firefighters use different lifts for different situations. The seat lift/carry is used when two firefighters are available to carry the victim. Following are the steps for the seat lift/carry in no particular order. 1. Carry victim to safety. 2. Situate the victim in a seated position. 3. Lift victim, using your legs. 4. Position the victims knees so that both of you can put a hand under the victims knees. 5. Place your hand under the victims knees and put your arm across the victims back. 34) What is the logical order of the above statements? a. b. c. d. e. 5, 1, 3, 2, 4 1, 3, 5, 2, 4 5, 2, 4, 3, 1 2, 4, 5, 3, 1 2, 1, 4, 5, 3
35) According to the above statements, what should the firefighters do after they put their arms around the victims back? a. Carry the victim to safety. b. Situate the victim in a seated position. c. Lift the victim. d. Position the victims knees. e. Place their hands under the victims knees.
31
Use the information below to answer questions 36-39. Rope Fiber Characteristics
Resistance to Electrical Conductivity Resistance to Acids Resistance to Oil Melting Point Type
39) Which type of rope has poor resistance to electrical conductivity but has good resistance to acids and oils? a. b. c. d. e. Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton
Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton
480F 500F 275F 330F N/A
Poor Good Good Good Poor
Good Good Good Good Poor
Good Good Good Good Poor
Use the information in the following passage to answer question 40. Firefighter Wood is concerned with the odd behavior of Firefighter Barrowski. Firefighter Barrowski is normally an outgoing and friendly individual. Lately Firefighter Wood has noticed that he is withdrawn and agitated. Firefighter Barrowski has been spending an unusual amount of time at the fire station. He has taken every available shift and often comes in on his days off. Firefighter Barrowski always talked about what he and his wife did on their vacations and days off. Now he never talks about her and refuses to answer when other firefighters inquire about how his wife is doing. 40) Based on the information given in the paragraph above, what is the most likely reason for Firefighter Barrowskis behavior? a. b. c. d. e. Financial problems Marital problems Alcohol problems Physical illness Boredom
36) A firefighter is using a rope that melts at 330F, has good resistance to electrical conductivity, acid and oil. What type of rope is he using? a. b. c. d. e. Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton
37) Which of the following ropes has the worst resistance to acids? a. b. c. d. e. Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton
38) Firefighters are using a rope at a fire in an office building. The rope begins to melt when the temperature in the building reaches 500F. What type of rope are they using? a. b. c. d. e. Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton
32
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 41-43. There have been a large number of fires in the area recently. The following are descriptions of each fire: House: (July 18) The cause of the fire was determined to be a candle that was left unattended. There was substantial damage to the living room and kitchen, but damage to the rest of the house was limited because firefighters were able to contain the fire. Office building: (July 23) The cause of the fire was determined to be faulty wiring. The third and fourth floors suffered from fire and smoke damage. The first and second floors suffered water damage. Restaurant: (August 4) The cause of the fire was found to be a grease fire that began in the kitchen. The stove on which the fire originated was destroyed, but there was no damage outside the kitchen. Factory: (August 10) The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Much of the machinery and structure of the factory was destroyed because it took firefighters over five hours to contain the blaze. High School: (August 12) The cause of the fire was determined to be a Bunsen burner in a chemistry lab. The lab had fire damage, and adjacent rooms suffered water damage. 41) Which fire caused the least amount of damage? a. b. c. d. e. House Office building Restaurant Factory High School
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42) Which fire took over five hours to contain? a. b. c. d. e. House Office building Restaurant Factory High School
43) What was the cause of the fire in the office building? a. b. c. d. e. A burning candle. A grease fire. A Bunsen burner. Faulty wiring. The cause has not yet been determined.
Use the information in the following passage to answer questions 44-46. Specific types of fires require specific types of water streams. There are three types of water-stream patterns: solid, fog and broken. A solid stream is designed to produce a stream that is very compact and produces little spray. There are several advantages to using a solid stream. Solid streams maintain better visibility, have a greater reach and greater penetration power than other types of streams. The solid stream also is less likely to disturb thermal layering of heat and gases than other types of streams. The solid stream does have disadvantages. It cannot be used for foam application, and it does not allow for different stream-pattern selections. A fog stream is composed of very fine water droplets to expose the maximum water surface for heat absorption. There are several advantages to the fog stream. The discharge pattern of the fog stream can
be adjusted. The amount of water being used can be controlled. It aids in ventilation and dissipates heat. The fog stream also has disadvantages. It cannot reach as far as solid streams. It is susceptible to wind currents and may contribute to fire spread. A broken stream breaks the water into coarsely divided drops. There are several advantages to the broken stream. It absorbs more heat per gallon than solid streams. It has greater reach and penetration than a fog stream. The main disadvantage of this type of stream is that it can conduct electricity. 44) Which of the following is an advantage of a solid stream? a. b. c. d. It absorbs more heat per gallon. It has a greater reach. It can be used in foam application. It allows for different stream patterns to be selected. e. The amount of water being used can be controlled. 45) What is the main disadvantage of a broken stream? a. It does not have as much reach as a fog stream. b. It absorbs less heat than a solid stream. c. It does not allow for different stream patterns to be selected. d. It cannot be used in foam application. e. It can conduct electricity.
46) Firefighters are battling a fire at an apartment building. The firefighters are most concerned about visibility in the structure. What type of stream(s) should they use? a. b. c. d. e. Solid stream or fog stream. Broken stream or fog stream. Fog stream only. Solid stream only. Broken stream only.
Choose the word that is spelled correctly to complete the following sentences. 47) Burning chemicals often emit ______ substances, which can cause serious health problems for those who are exposed. a. b. c. d. e. tosic tosek toxik toxic toxec
48) Saving lives is always one of the first ______ at the scene of a fire. a. b. c. d. e. considerations consideratons concideratons conciderations concederations
49) To achieve maximum water supply, it is often best to attach multiple hoselines between the _______ and the fire pump. a. b. c. d. e. hidrante hidrant highdrant hydrante hydrant
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50) Most departments have standard _____ procedures, which are predetermined plans on how emergencies will be handled. a. b. c. d. e. opurating opperating operating oppurating opirating
54) It is important to obtain a ______ assessment of the damage caused by the fire. a. b. c. d. e. preesice precyse presise precise pricice
51) When driving a fire ________, the driver must be cognizant of the fact that he/she has little control over the way members of the public react towards him/her. a. b. c. d. e. apparatus aparatous apparatous aparatus aperatous
For questions 55-56, please identify which one of the underlined words is spelled incorrectly. 55) The vaccum test is performed to check the priming device, pump and hard intake hose for air leaks. a. b. c. d. e. vaccum performed device intake leaks
52) Pumping engines usually have an _____ that shows the temperature of the coolant in the engine. a. b. c. d. e. indecater indicator indikator inndicator indicatir
56) Emergency medical service vehicles commonly respond to fire and hazardous materials incidents to treat and transport injured civillians and to stand by in case an emergency responder needs medical assistance. a. b. c. d. e. hazardous incidents civillians responder assistance
53) Getting the fire engine into the station requires the driver to be skilled in ______ the vehicle. a. b. c. d. e. maneuvering manuvering manuvearing mannuvering mannuevering
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Choose the appropriate word or phrase to complete the following sentences. 57) There ___ many different types of cutting tools used in the fire service. a. b. c. d. e. is was are will had
61) Firefighter Wells began ____ decent down the ladder. a. b. c. d. e. their there them her hers
62) The fire engine arrived sooner than ______. a. b. c. d. e. is expected will be expected expected it been expected was to been expected
58) The firefighters who had saved the lives of two young children who had been trapped in the backseat of a car after a serious car accident received an award _____ the mayor. a. b. c. d. e. to at from by for
63) By the first week of May, the chief ____ the new budget to the commission for approval. a. b. c. d. e. will have submitted have submit had submit has submitted is submitted
59) The alarm ____ the firefighters when it rang early in the morning. a. b. c. d. e. waken woken wake woke woked
64) Handling a nozzle on a large-size hoseline can be ____ accomplished by three firefighters than one firefighter. a. b. c. d. e. more easily easier more easy most easier easily
60) Hose should ____ to the fire floor by the stairway. a. b. c. d. e. have been brung be brought have brang be bring have bring
65) The cause of the fire _____ to be a smoldering cigarette. a. b. c. d. e.

36
believed believing is believed had believed has believed
66) A training film that examined two types of hazardous materials situations ____ to the recruits at the academy. a. b. c. d. e. were shown was shown showed was showed had been showed
71) The garage began to _____ in the middle of the night. a. b. c. d. e. burned burnt burn burns burning
67) The commission is prepared to give ____ opinion. a. b. c. d. e. their theyre there its its
72) The firefighters discussed the problems _____ the department was facing. a. b. c. d. e. that what of from for
________________________________ 68) Firefighter Carol is taller than ____. a. b. c. d. e. me I us all of them we be Please calculate the correct answers to the following questions. 73) A fire truck is called to a fire at an apartment complex. The fire truck is traveling an average of 35 mph. It will take the fire truck 12 minutes to reach the fire. How far away is the apartment complex? a. b. c. d. e. Four miles Five miles Six miles Seven miles Eight miles
69) In the firehouse, Firefighter Green was ______ than the other firefighters. a. b. c. d. e. more lively livelier lively the liveliest most lively
70) Firefighter Lewis ____ that the structure was unsafe. a. b. c. d. e. known know knew knowed new
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74) There is a car fire at the intersection of State and Lake. This intersection is four miles away from the local firehouse. Due to rush hour traffic, the fire truck is only able to travel an average of 12 mph. What is the minimum amount of time it will take the fire truck to reach the car fire? a. b. c. d. e. 15 minutes 18 minutes 20 minutes 25 minutes 33 minutes
78) A firefighter must climb six flights of stairs to reach the fire in an office building. Each flight of stairs has 18 steps. How many total steps must the firefighter climb to reach the fire? a. b. c. d. e. 72 90 108 126 144
75) What is the square root of 400? a. b. c. d. e. 10 12 15 16 20
79) While working at the scene of a fire, firefighters in your department used three hoses. One of the hoses was 150 feet long; the second hose was 175 feet long; the third hose was 125 feet long. What is the total length of the first two hoses? a. b. c. d. e. 175 feet 275 feet 325 feet 400 feet 450 feet
76) Firefighters enter a room that is filled with smoke. The room is eight feet long and 12 feet wide. What is the area of the room? a. b. c. d. e. 20 square feet 48 square feet 96 square feet 100 square feet 112 square feet
77) Ladder Company 8 is called to a fire at an office building. The office building is five stories tall. Each story has a height of 18 feet. How tall is the building? a. b. c. d. e. 82 feet 90 feet 120 feet 144 feet 156 feet
80) There was a fire in a small, single-family home. The house has a living room that is 10 feet by 12 feet, a bedroom that is six feet by eight feet, a bathroom that is six feet by six feet and a kitchen that is 12 feet by 11 feet. The entire kitchen and living room sustained smoke and water damage. Assuming that these are the only two rooms that were damaged, how many square feet of the house were damaged? a. b. c. d. e. 84 square feet 120 square feet 132 square feet 252 square feet 284 square feet
38
81) At 12:35 p.m., a fire alarm went off at a local elementary school. At 12:37 p.m., the fire department received a phone call from the school reporting a fire in a classroom. At 12:39 p.m., the fire truck left the station. The fire truck arrived at the school at 12:46 p.m. The fire was extinguished at 1:35 p.m. How much time elapsed between the time that the fire alarm rang and the time that the fire truck arrived at the school? a. b. c. d. e. 4 minutes 9 minutes 11 minutes 35 minutes 49 minutes
84) A fire is reported at a chemical plant on the east side of the city. The fire engine travels an average of 38 miles per hour. It takes the engine 15 minutes to get to the chemical plant. How far away is the chemical plant? a. b. c. d. e. 7.1 miles 7.4 miles 8.6 miles 9.2 miles 9.5 miles
Use the information below to answer questions 85-86. Captain Cellar must order new equipment for Company 5. The following is a list of items that Captain Cellar wants to order, along with the price of each item. Item 150-ft. hose A-frame ladder Hammerheaded pick Circular saw Battering ram Price $300.00 $600.00 $125.00 $185.00 $78.00
82) A fire engine is carrying several hoses of different lengths. The hoses that are being carried are as follows: two 125foot hoses, three 75-foot hoses, five 150-foot hoses and one 175-foot hose. What is the average length of the hoses? a. b. c. d. e. 105 feet 113 feet 124 feet 127 feet 135 feet
83) For ladders that are 35 feet in length or less, the reach of the ladder is one foot less than the designated length. For ladders that are over 35 feet in length, the reach of the ladders is two feet less than the designated length. What is the reach of a ladder that has a length of 35 feet? a. b. c. d. e. 36 feet 35 feet 34 feet 33 feet 32 feet
85) Based on the information provided in the table, what is the total cost for all of the items Captain Cellar wants to order? a. b. c. d. e. $933.00 $988.00 $1,023.00 $1,210.00 $1,288.00
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86) Captain Cellar determines that there is not enough money in his budget to order all of these items. He decides not to order the most expensive item and the least expensive item. What is the total cost of the remaining items? a. b. c. d. e. $333.00 $345.00 $563.00 $610.00 $725.00
Use the following table to answer questions 89-91. Fires by Area and Year 2000 2001 Residential Area 95 104 Industrial District 59 45 Commercial Area 39 47 Highway 42 ? Total 235 231 2002 92 48 43 36 ?
Please calculate the correct answers to the following questions. 87) Firefighter Couligan has three sections of hose and two couplings joining the sections. Each section of hose is 20 feet long, and each coupling is four inches long. He needs the entire hose to be 90 feet in length. Approximately how much more hose does he need? a. b. c. d. e. 22.0 feet 24.6 feet 29.3 feet 30.0 feet 33.3 feet
89) What was the total number of fires in 2002? a. b. c. d. e. 183 219 222 231 236
90) How many fires occurred on the highway in 2001? a. b. c. d. e. 31 35 39 42 47
88) 79 + v225 23 = _____. a. b. c. d. e. 56 68 71 83 96
91) What percent of total fires in 2000 occurred in residential areas? a. b. c. d. e. 31 percent 36 percent 39 percent 40 percent 43 percent
40
Please calculate the correct answers to the following questions. 92) Carbon monoxide has a flammable limit that is five times greater than acetylene. If carbon monoxides flammable limit is 12.5, what is the flammable limit for acetylene? a. b. c. d. e. 2.5 5.0 17.5 24.0 62.5
95) The equation that is used to calculate friction loss in a hoseline is: FL=CQ2 L. Given that the friction loss coefficient (C) = 38, the flow rate (Q) = 12 and the length of hose (L) = 0.5, what is the total friction loss (FL)? a. b. c. d. e. 228 836 1,224 2,522 2,736
93) Manila rope will begin to char at 177C. If firefighters are fighting a fire in a building that has a current temperature of 59C, how many times hotter must the building get before the rope begins to char? a. b. c. d. e. 2.3 2.5 2.8 3.0 3.3
Use the following table to answer questions 96-98. Information from the table has been purposefully omitted. Please calculate the missing information, if needed, to answer the questions. The city has experienced rapid growth, and the fire department needs to have an accurate idea of how many of each type of structure the city has. Structure Type Single-Family Homes Apartment Buildings Low-Rise Commercial High-Rise Commercial Parking Garages 2000 5526 236 112 8 30 145 10 42 2002 Increase 6738 1212 23 33 2 12
94) .20 is equivalent to what fraction? a. b. c. d. e. 5/6 2/3 3/8 1/4 1/5
96) Which type of structure had the greatest percentage of increase? a. b. c. d. e. Single-family homes Apartment buildings Low-rise commercial structures High-rise commercial structures Parking garages
41
97) In 2000, what was the ratio of high-rise commercial structures to low-rise commercial structures? a. b. c. d. e. 4:22 2:9 1:24 1:14 1:4
100) The department divides its budget into four components: salaries; equipment; maintenance; training. Last year, 48 percent of the departments budget was used to pay salaries; 23 percent was used to purchase equipment; 13 percent was used for maintenance. What percentage was used for training? a. b. c. d. e. 16 percent 18 percent 23 percent 24 percent 27 percent
98) How many apartment buildings existed in 2002? a. b. c. d. e. 236 241 247 253 259
Please calculate the correct answers to the following questions. 99) Commercial buildings are required to have one 2-1/2 gallon fire extinguisher present for every 3,000 square feet of floor area. The floor area of a shopping center is 16,000 square feet. The shopping center currently has three fire extinguishers. How many more must it purchase? a. b. c. d. e. 1 2 3 6 none
42
Answer Key Question 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Answer B C A D A B E A D B D D B A B A D E B D C D D B C C E B B B D A E D C D E B A B C

43
42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83
D D B E D D A E C A B A D A C C C D B D C A A C B E B B C C A D C E C B C C D C D C
84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
E E D C C B B D A D E E E D E C A
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What are the 11 areas assessed on the exam?

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STUDY GUIDE

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General Exam Information

Tips for the Day of the Exam

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Nine Basic Test Rules

General Strategies for Taking the NFSI

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Strategies for Analyzing and Avoiding Errors

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Instructions for Using the Answer Sheet

10. A B C D E Erase any answers you wish to change completely.

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Problem Sensitivity Definition

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The answers to sample questions 5 and 6 are as follows: 5. C 6. E

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40 feet 80 feet 120 feet 160 feet

3.3 seconds 5.3 seconds 7.3 seconds 9.3 seconds

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After Taking the Practice Exam

Good luck on the NFSI and in your firefighting career!

National Firefighter Selection Inventory Practice Examination

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Nylon Polyester Polyethylene Polypropylene Cotton

480F 500F 275F 330F N/A

Poor Good Good Good Poor

Good Good Good Good Poor

Good Good Good Good Poor

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65) The cause of the fire _____ to be a smoldering cigarette. a. b. c. d. e.

believed believing is believed had believed has believed

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75) What is the square root of 400? a. b. c. d. e. 10 12 15 16 20