The CPS firefighter test (Cooperative Personnel Service Test) is a challenging cognitive ability and behavioral test that is used in the hiring process of numerous fire departments in the US and Canada to select suitable candidates.
By combining complex questions and a tight time limit of under a minute per question on average, the CPS fire test is not one to be taken lightly.
On this page we will review essential information regarding the test, and answer CPS practice test questions that will give you a glimpse of what to expect.
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The CPS firefighter test is a cognitive and behavioral test that includes six sections and a strict time limit of two and a half hours.
The six sections of the CPS firefighter test contain seven possible areas of cognitive and behavioral abilities. In the following section, we will review every element of the CPS fire test and answer CPS practice test questions to give you a picture of the types of questions you will be answering on the real test.
Read the following instructions, identify the relevant information, and answer the question below.
Dealing With a Personal Fire
If your clothes catch fire don’t run around; you will fan the flames and make them burn faster. The correct thing to do is to lie down as this makes it harder for the fire to spread and reduces the effect of flames on your face and head (flames burn upwards), smother the flames, and cover the flames with heavy material, like a coat or blanket; this blocks the fire's source of oxygen. Roll around – rolling smothers the flames.
If your escape route is blocked:
If you’re on the ground floor, go out of a window – throw bedding or cushions onto the ground outside to break your fall. If you can’t open the window, use a heavy object to break it at the bottom corner and cover any jagged edges with clothing, a towel or a blanket. Lower children as far as possible before letting them drop. Get an adult to break their fall if you can. Lower yourself by your arms from the window ledge before dropping.
If you can’t get out, get everyone into one room: choose a room with a window and, if you can, put cushions, towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block smoke; open the window and call for help. Think now about which room might be best for this – you need a window that can be opened and, if possible, a phone for calling 999.
Which of the following statements is correct?
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
You've just solved a reading comprehension question, which is one of two verbal sections on the CPS exam:
All test sections are as follows:
No. | Section Name | Number of Questions |
1 | Understanding Oral Information | 10-15 |
2 | Understanding Written Information | 20-30 |
3 | Mathematical Ability | 20-30 |
4 | Mechanical Ability | 25 |
5 | Teamwork, Public Relations, and Community Living (SJT questions) |
15 |
6 | Written Communication | 15-20 |
Regardless of the exact composition of your cognitive aptitude test, the total number of questions will always be 100.
What is the value of X?
x/2 = (x+1)/3
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
The correct answer is B.
X/2 = (x+1)/3 | / Find a common denominator |
3x/6 = 2(x+1)/6 | / Multiply both sides by 6 |
3x = 2(x+1) | / Multiply out the brackets |
3x = 2x+2 | / Subtract 2x from each side |
x = 2 |
Another way to solve the equation is cross multiplying both sides of the equation by the respective denominator:
x/2 = (x+1)/3 | Cross multiply by the respective denominator |
3*x = 2*(x+1) | Open the brackets |
3x = 2x + 2 | Move variables to one side of the equation and numbers to the other side |
3x - 2x = 2 | |
x = 2
|
Firefighters use a lot of math in their operations, and must be able to perform complex calculations while under the pressure of performing life-saving activities. For example, firefighters must be able to understand what hose length is needed to reach the scene of the fire, which ladder is the correct height, or how much water is still in the tank and if it is sufficient. The section contains multiple-choice questions that cover two main aspects of mathematical ability: word problems and arithmetic reasoning.
Let's review a couple of questions that represent the mathematical ability section of the CPS firefighter test:
A shop owner bought some shovels for $5,500. The shovels were sold for $7,300, with a profit of $50 per shovel. How many shovels were involved?
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
The correct answer is 36.
The total profit from the sale is the selling price minus the cost of purchase, which is $7300-$5500= $1800.
If the total profit is $1800 and each shovel accounts for $50 profit, the amount of shovels is 1800/50=36.
Be it the firetruck, hoses, ladders, pulleys, or any other of the many tools of the trade, the firefighter relies heavily on being to apply mechanical principles effectively. The mechanical aptitude section measures your basic understanding of mechanics, and how they relate to the many tools that that you will be using on the job. The questions in this section can be especially tricky under a strict time limit, so brushing up on your mechanical aptitude is essential.
Danny received a bunch of colorful helium balloons for his birthday. One of the balloons was not attached properly and flew away.
Assuming the temperature remains constant, what will be the volume of the balloon at a very high altitude?
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
Wrong
The correct answer is B.
In order to answer this question one should know the Ideal Gas Law:
PV=nRT
where P =pressure, V = volume, n = number of moles of gas (amount of gas), R = Gas constant, T = temperature.
Since we know the temperature is constant, the right side of the equation will also be constant (providing the amount of gas in the balloon remains constant, meaning: PV = Const, at all times.
As the balloon raises atmospheric pressure decreases since the amount of air above it the balloon is reduced (similar to hydrostatic pressure).
If the pressure decreases (as the balloon raises) then the volume must increase in order for P*V to remain constant.
A firefighter must be able to navigate quickly and effectively, be it en route to the site of an incident, or inside a structure. This is why understanding how to read a map well is a crucial part of every firefighter's toolbox. In this section of the CPS fire test your spatial reasoning abilities will be tested, as well as your ability to use a map effectively. Let's have a look at a representative question:
If a firetruck is heading Northeast and then turns right, left, right, and right again, in which direction is it then headed?
Wrong
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
The correct answer is D.
During the last fire, the hose got caught in the truck. It took an extra five minutes to loosen the hose and lay it out long enough to reach the fire. Following this incident, your captain calls in Tom, the firefighter from your fire department who performed the last equipment check before you left. You know that your captain is upset after this dangerous error, and you know that Tom will get in trouble. You also remember that it was you who rolled the hose last and that you did it while talking on the phone, which may have distracted you.
What would be the worst response to this situation?
Wrong
Wrong
Correct!
Wrong
The correct answer is Talk to the captain, confess what you did, but emphasize that this is exactly why equipment checks are important.
Worst response: C
Competencies: Integrity (ethics), Interpersonal relations (teamwork)
Explanation: Following a dangerous incident, your teammate Tom is expected to be blamed for failing to spot a potential hazard in his inspection. Tom indeed should have found the error, but you are the one who caused it. You have a chance to either take responsibility for your part or to let Tom take all the blame. Notice that you are being asked about the worst response to the situation.
In response A, you wait. This seems like a passive response or a response that postpones your need to decide. However, deciding to wait is also a decision. Your first response is not to take responsibility. This is not a positive response, yet it is not the worst.
In response B, you take your share of the responsibility. You don't take the full blame, and indeed Tom has his part too. But you show solidarity and ethics. This is the best response.
Response C might be confusing. First, you confess to your part of the blame – you weren't focused enough while rolling the hose. You go on to emphasize why equipment inspections are important. While this is true, and they are indeed important, emphasizing it here seems to be an attempt to take the blame from you and turn it to Tom. You appear to be responsible, but in fact, you are trying to eat the cake and have it too – presenting yourself as ethical by confessing your part but also dodging the reprimand by pointing to someone else. This is the worst response.
In response D, you fail to confess your part in the incident and act insensitively to your teammate's situation. However, here you don't make things worse for him by trying to get your captain more upset with him. This is a negative response, but it is not the worst.
This section is similar to a personality test, but with a focus situational judgment, i.e. how you are likely to react in the daily interpersonal interactions typically encountered in fire departments and on the job as a firefighter.
The reason this section is included in the CPS test is that firefighters must live and work together for extended periods in close quarters, as well as interact with civilians experiencing extremely difficult moments. Firefighters are therefore expected to hold certain personality traits that will ensure they can handle these situations professionally.
Did you know that fewer than 20% of candidates pass the CPS in many fire stations? This is why accurate and thorough prep is essential!
The CPS test is a product of CPS HR, a company specializing in recruitment solutions for government and public sector jobs.
However, registeration for the exam is done through your local fire department, via their official recruitment office.
The CPS Exam is typically taken in-person in a location selected by your department. The test is proctored.
No. Calculators are not allowed on the CPS firefighter test.
After completing the CPS, which is the written exam section of the hiring process, several steps will typically follow. The process may take several weeks to several months, and it may be a good idea to ask your recruiters what to expect.
The CPAT, or physical ability test, is the phase many prospective firefighters are concerned about. However, even candidates who are not in shape can usually reach the goals set by the physical exam if they begin practicing several weeks ahead of time.
Aside from the written and physical exams, many departments will require a psychological test, a background check, a medical evaluation, and a drug screening.
Some may also schedule in-person interviews or invite you to participate in an "assessment center", which usually involves group exercises.
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