Take The Tests

Signing up for every exam you qualify for — regardless of location or agency — exposes you to the testing system. Every test is practice, and practice makes you better. Fire departments purchase their exams from a small number of testing agencies, which means there is an excellent chance you will see the same questions, or entire exams, repeated across departments. The candidate who has seen an exam before has a significant advantage.

In California, nearly all departments buy their exams from one or two sources. That practically guarantees repeat questions. The more tests you take, the more likely you are to have encountered the material before — and the more comfortable you'll be under pressure.

Several publishers sell practice exam books for firefighter entry exams, drawing from actual questions used in past testing cycles. Check your county library or fire service publication services. These books give you a direct look at the format, question types, and subject areas you'll face on the real exam.

Don't stay in one area waiting for local departments to test. That's why there are so many other candidates waiting — they don't want it badly enough. The real truth is that fire service is largely the same everywhere: big trucks, wet stuff on the red stuff, and work that matters. No matter where you get hired, you're going to love it.

If you get hired far from home and eventually want to transfer back, stay a few years, build your skills, and then pursue a lateral. By then you'll be an experienced firefighter and the testing will be far easier. Chase your dreams aggressively — don't stand in a field holding a glass waiting for a cow to back up and fill it.