Prepare for the CPS Firefighter Test
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. For comprehensive CPS test prep that will elevate you chances of passing the test, we recommend our specialized prep pack which includes:
- CPS Practice Tests that cover all the cognitive abilities tested in the CPS firefighter test. They includes audio recordings for the oral information questions, mechanical aptitude tests dealing in various physics and mechanics, and guides that pinpoint the most important aspects of each challenge the CPS fire test holds.
- Full Practice Test for the behavioral section of the test, allowing you to understand the traits that are being examined and how to put your best foot forward.
- Full score reports that will allow you to learn from your mistakes through immediate feedback for each question. No question remains unanswered after taking the CPS/OS practice tests!
- Study guides that dive deeper into the theory behind the different elements of the test, giving you a better understanding of each topic and elevating your skills.
Our CPS Firefighter Test prep pack has recently undergone an extensive process of research and development by our test experts, ensuring that you get the most accurate prep available.
CPS Firefighter Test Practice
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What is the CPS Firefighter Test
The CPS firefighter test is a cognitive and behavioral test that includes five sections: understanding written and oral information, mathematical ability & numerical Skills, maps and diagrams, mechanical aptitude, and an behavioral section. It includes 100 multiple choice questions and is limited to two hours.
The CPS firefighter test is divided into five sections and these will 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 in the real test.
Is the CPS fire test not what you're looking for? Visit our main firefighter test page for more prep opportunities.
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CPS Firefighter Test Sections
Verbal -
- Understanding Oral Information (listening exercise) – When reacting to an emergency, firefighters must operate in very loud environments and be able to decipher spoken verbal information accurately - this is often a matter of life or death. In this section, you will listen to recordings and answer questions related to the information in them.
- Reading Comprehension – During an emergency, there is usually an LED sign with scrolling texts explaining the situation, so it is important that your reading comprehension skills are up to par. This involves being able to identify crucial information in a text, and to read quickly and accurately - exactly what this section of the test measures.
CPS Practice Test Question - Reading Comprehension
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?
Pass Your CPS Firefighter Test
The competition for every firefighter position is fierce, meaning that in order to begin your rewarding career in firefighting you will need to get a high score to help you stand out. The key to achieving your goal is preparation, plain and simple.
With JobTestPrep's CPS fire test preparation pack you will receive the keys to success that you need - including CPS practice tests, study guides, score reports and more.
Mathematical Ability
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:
CPS Practice Test Question - Mathematical Ability
What is the value of X?
x/2 = (x+1)/3
CPS Practice Test Question - Word Problems
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?
Did you know that the passing under 20% of candidates pass the CPS in many fire stations? This is why accurate and thorough prep is essential!
Maps & Diagrams
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:
CPS Practice Test Question - Maps & Diagrams
If a firetruck is heading Northeast and then turns right, left, right, and right again, in which direction is it then headed?
The correct answer is D.
Mechanical Aptitude
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.
CPS Practice Test Question - Mechanical Aptitude
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?
Situational Judgement Test
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.
CPS Practice Test Question - Situational Judgement Test
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?
Please not that our CPS Test preparation pack doesn't currently prepare for the situational judgement section - we're working on an update as we speak!
Prepare For The CPS Firefighter Test
The CPS fire test combines many different cognitive ability assessments, and under a strict time limit this can be a highly challenging. To ensure that you have the highest chances of getting the score you deserve on the test and get to the next stage of the hiring process, you need to treat this test seriously and work hard towards it.
With our accurate prep materials, including CPS practice tests and study guides that will help you prepare both for the question types and the time constraints of the test, you can be sure that you will arrive at the test ready to ace it.
Firefighter Tests - Prep Resources
JobTestPrep has a wide array of prep materials including practice tests and study guides for firefighter tests, aimed to help candidates overcome the tough hiring process and begin their career in the fire stations of their choice.
Visit our free firefighter practice questions page to learn more about firefighter tests and our many other prep opportunities. For example, you can prepare for the Gledhill Shaw test, learn about the requirements of the IO solutions firefighter test, the firefighter physical test and more.