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Testing
There have been numerous discussions lately revolving around the subject of firefighter testing or testing processes.
It does not matter if you are in a volunteer, combination or paid department, there is no way around testing and testing standards. For the sake of this discussion we will leave the standards as they are. In other words, there is the CPAT test and we will just leave it as it is.
What do you think the most important aspects of testing are?
written?
agilities?
oral exams?
backgrounds?
medical exams?
I know they are ALL important aspects, but where do you stand on what the most important aspect(s) are?
I obviously see the good to all the phases I have listed and have ideas as to why they are good or bad.
Is there any one test over another that you think gives a good profile of who you are hiring for the job at hand?
How should future firefighters prepare themselves?
It does not matter if you are in a volunteer, combination or paid department, there is no way around testing and testing standards. For the sake of this discussion we will leave the standards as they are. In other words, there is the CPAT test and we will just leave it as it is.
What do you think the most important aspects of testing are?
written?
agilities?
oral exams?
backgrounds?
medical exams?
I know they are ALL important aspects, but where do you stand on what the most important aspect(s) are?
I obviously see the good to all the phases I have listed and have ideas as to why they are good or bad.
Is there any one test over another that you think gives a good profile of who you are hiring for the job at hand?
How should future firefighters prepare themselves?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Station10Capt106 on
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to begin with I think that agilities & medical exams & background checks are the most important for new firefighters. As they gain experience and work up the leadership ladder then written & oral exams become more and more important.
Firefighters begin their career with primarily hands on work. As they gain leadership positions then their role starts taking on more administrative tasks which will require more proficencies with writting and clerical skills along with financial duties.
John
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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on
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You tell them Jake, You the Man
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Permalink Reply by Jake Fireman on
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm good answers so far
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I have to agree with you Jake, and Jeff, very good answer
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So both Jeff and John think that a written exam should be administered when?
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Permalink Reply by Trainer on
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Good topic Jake;
All aspects of testing have a purpose, Jeff covered them pretty well but I would like to comment on the written exam. Now I’m a vol and for us if your under 50 and no health or legal issues we’ll give you a year to prove yourself but I do have close ties to a large paid dept.
Newbie training begins with 6 weeks at boot camp/fire collage and covers the practicals, at this point they have about 5 grand in your training. You then begin the climb to FF III and paramedic, certification required, at this point it’s not the time to find out you don’t do well on exams, so to me it’s beneficial to find out this info before you even start. As I said: all aspects of this testing have a purpose and most are tailored to the needs of that department.
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Very Good Answer DT, I think you covered it ALL.
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no slingin here (although Im sure you will get it)
WOW do you do research or something, I heard lately that you don't. Oh well.
Jack, I was actually asking for just what you answered. I like to hear the different types of testing from around the US.
My vollie dept testing was run much like a paid departments testing is.
Here is the way many test in Southern California for a paid department.
*Go and get ytour EMT-B card
*Go to a college fire academy
*Go and get your CPAT card
*The department posts a position where you will have anywhere from 100-1000 applicants PER OPENING>
*Fill out an application---yes it weeds out many, it is surprising how many can not fill out an application.
*Take the written exam (usually not fire specific)
*Oral Interview
*Chiefs Interview (made the list)
*Medical
*Background w/ polygraph (like the background..against the poly)
*Psych Exam
Then depending on the size of the department, you may or may not have to go to their fire academy.
Also you may or may not need to be a certified Paramedic already. That is the trend that has been happening for years.
* Then a probationary period of 12-18 months. Believe me you had BETTER NOT miss a day of duty in that probationary period!!!!
As far as the social club (racoons...lol) of vollies...I totally agree with you. I think that every department whether it be career or volunteer needs to understand that they serve and represent the community and they are therefore part of that communities workforce. There should be probationary periods, and as one gets deeper into that probation there should be more standards applied.
I think the longer probationary period in a vollie company is totally appropriate. In a career department on probation we work 2880 hours on a 12 month probation and 4320 hours on a 18 month probation. Thats working 10-24 hour shifts per month. Volunteers work nowhere near that many hours. Maybe if vollie departments began the longer probie periods they could weed out what they dont want, the ff could weed themselves out, and you would see who really wanted to do the job and who just wanted the t-shirts.
DISCLAIMER....NOT A CAREER V> VOLLIE DISCUSSION!!!!!
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I feel all departments should operate that way.
LOL>>>Yes we don't want to discourage people...even if they shouldnt be here!
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