CritiCall Practice Test with Free Questions, Answers, and Explanations
Updated August 07, 2025
What Is the CritiCall Test? How It Drives Success in Police, Fire, and EMS Jobs
A Difficult Test That Reflects Real-World Demands
The CritiCall test is known for being challenging and for good reason. It’s designed to simulate the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of a 911 dispatch center. From multitasking and data entry to decision-making under pressure and prioritizing information quickly, the abilities assessed in this test are the same ones you'll use on the job. Each module in the test is focused on a specific skill required in the emergency dispatch role, ensuring that you are thoroughly tested on the core competencies that will help you succeed in the field.
The Test’s modules
Let's dive into some Criticall sample questions that simulate the real exam.
To help you prepare, we've divided this Criticall practice test into "Common Modules", which are frequently used by most agencies, and "Additional Modules", which are not as ubiquitous.
The first four modules covered on this practice test are the "Common Modules".
Common Modules
If you know which modules you'll be tested on, that’s great! But we also recommend practicing modules that aren’t part of your test if they are related to a skill you need to strengthen. This extra practice will not only help you prepare for any surprises but also boost your overall abilities and confidence, setting you up for success in your career.
Now let’s go over each key skill and the modules that reflect it!
Attention to Detail
Attention to detail is so critical in the role of an emergency dispatcher that there are 6 distinct modules in the test designed specifically to assess and improve this ability. As a dispatcher, you must capture and process precise details under pressure - whether it’s locations, emergency types, or descriptions of the situation. Even the smallest mistake can delay a response and have serious consequences. If you find yourself struggling with this skill, we recommend practicing all 7 related modules, even those not directly covered in your test. This extra practice will help strengthen your overall attention to detail, sharpening your ability to spot discrepancies, improve accuracy, and handle complex data with confidence.
You can go over the modules relevant for this skill, learn more about each test and try some example questions by clicking at the modules' name!
Free CritiCall Practice Test - Questions, Answers, and Explanations
Criticall Test Prep Info Video
The CritiCall is the most popular pre-employment test used to screen applicants for 911 dispatcher and call-taker roles across the U.S and Canada.
Common modules:
The CritiCall Typing Test is designed to examine your ability to accurately and efficiently input data, which is a crucial skill for 911 dispatchers.
The minimum typing speed required from a 911 dispatcher and 911 operator candidate is set by the agency you’re applying to. That said, it’s recommended to reach a typing speed in the CritiCall typing test of 35 WPM and above, and to be able to type at this speed for at least 5 minutes.
Here's how it looks:
*source: JobTestPrep CritiCall Practice Tests
💡To practice your typing speed and accuracy, type along to an audiobook. Let it get a few words ahead of you and see if you can keep up with good accuracy.
The CritiCall Data Entry test evaluates your ability to correctly enter data, such as names, license plate numbers / VIN numbers, addresses, telephone numbers, and other alphanumeric characters into their appropriate fields.
There are two Data Entry versions:
(1) Split screen with the data on one side and empty fields on the other one.
(2) An audio recording of an emergency call with a person who says all the details. You’ll need to fill out the boxes only with what you hear.
You'll be graded on the speed and accuracy of the data you enter into the correct boxes. You'll also need to respond quickly to any emergency messages that appear at the bottom of the screen (similar to the Decision-Making section).
Failing to respond to a decision-making message within 15 seconds after the message appears will result in a lower score.
Here's how the first Data Entry version (non-audio) looks in JobTestPrep's practice pack
JobTestPrep’s CritiCall preparation pack includes thorough practice for the Data Entry part, which is one of the most important modules of the exam. This practice will help improve your data entry skills and multitasking abilities (multitasking between data entering and responding to emergency messages).
💡 Practice your multi-tasking by typing a conversation you hear on the news or radio while holding a conversation with someone in the room.
Additional modules:
The map reading test requires orientation abilities and following instructions and directions.
Map Reading is a crucial skill for a 911 dispatcher since it requires the ability to orientate in and understand navigation to a scene of an emergency. It requires spatial reasoning skills, following instructions, and usage of directions (north, south, east, and west, and adjusting to left and right according to the current direction).
The CritiCall map reading questions will usually consist of two types:
- Best route: you'll need to find the most direct route between two locations.
- Orientation: you'll need to follow directions from a given starting point and determine where you will be at the endpoint.
A Map Reading guide and 13 practice tests with hundreds of map reading questions, and a variety of maps can be found in our CritiCall Preparation Pack.
Let’s go over an example question!
Map Reading - Question 1
Answer the following question based on this map:
A man fainted at a grocery store on Lord Cir. A dispatcher ambulance is currently parked on the narrow road next to the medical center, between 29th St and King Cove.
What is the most direct route of the ambulance to reach the Lord Cir entrance of the store?
Answer:
The correct answer is (C).
💡 Use “reference locking” to prevent errors under time pressure.
Instead of scanning the entire map repeatedly for every step, lock your eyes on one fixed reference point, like a major landmark or the north arrow, and use it as your mental anchor for all directions. This prevents accidental flips (e.g., mistaking left for west) and reduces cognitive load when switching between the question and the map.
The CritiCall Cross-Referencing practice test is a module designed to assess how well you can locate and verify information quickly and accurately using multiple sources—a critical skill for 911 dispatchers who must match details from callers, databases, and maps under time pressure.
What You’ll See in the Test
- You’ll be given two or more data tables or lists (e.g., license plates, names, addresses, or case numbers).
- Each question will ask you to match or verify a specific detail by cross-referencing the data between these tables.
- The goal is to determine if the information provided (like a phone number or vehicle ID) is correct, mismatched, or missing.
What It Measures
- Attention to detail: Spotting discrepancies in similar-looking data.
- Speed and accuracy: Working quickly without sacrificing precision.
- Multi-tasking: Handling multiple sources of information simultaneously.
💡 Chunk the Search – Don’t Scan Randomly
When you cross‑reference two tables, your brain naturally wants to jump back and forth between them, which wastes time and causes mistakes. Instead:
- Lock on the key identifier first (case number, name, or license plate).
- Isolate it in chunks – scan down one table vertically until you find it, then immediately cross over to the other table.
- Use your finger or cursor as an anchor to avoid losing your place as you switch tables.
By treating the task like two mini one‑direction searches rather than frantic back‑and‑forth scanning, you’ll maintain speed and accuracy under the timer.
The next module aims to test your attention to detail and focus. You will need to be methodical to ensure that no mistakes are made. Proceed to the Character Comparison module, which demands attention to even the slightest details, methodical work, staying focused, and working quickly yet thoroughly.
💡 Use a fixed scanning order to avoid mistakes.
Compare characters left to right (or top to bottom) every time, without skipping around. This consistent pattern reduces eye fatigue and prevents missed differences, especially with long strings of numbers or letters. If something doesn’t match, mark it immediately—don’t rely on memory to revisit it later.
The next and final module we will cover is the Probability Module which requires both numerical and reasoning skills.
💡 Convert words to fractions quickly.
Probability questions often describe chances in words (“2 out of 5,” “half the calls,” “1 in 4”). Immediately rewrite them as fractions or percentages to see the math clearly and compare options faster. For example, “1 in 4” = 25%, “2 in 5” = 40%. This speeds up decision‑making and prevents mistakes under time pressure.
Decision-Making & Problem-Solving
In the fast-paced and often high-stakes world of emergency dispatch, quick and sound decision-making is essential. Dispatchers need to assess each situation and make critical decisions, such as prioritizing calls, determining the type of response required, or providing immediate advice to callers. Strong problem-solving skills are crucial in adapting to unexpected situations, assessing risks, and ensuring that the most appropriate resources are dispatched to manage the emergency effectively.
- Life Safety Comes First
- If a situation poses an immediate threat to life or serious injury, it takes top priority.
- Examples: A shooting in progress, heart attack, house fire with people inside.
- Crimes in Progress Are Higher Priority
- Active crimes (e.g., robbery in progress, assault happening now) are more urgent than those reported after the fact.
- Ongoing situations often require multiple services (e.g., police + EMS).
- Property Damage Is Secondary
- Incidents involving only property damage (e.g., a car break-in from last night) are lower priority than threats to people.
- These might still require dispatch, but not urgently.
- Medical Emergencies Require EMS
- Any scenario involving injury, chest pain, difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, etc., needs an EMS response—even if police or fire are also dispatched.
- Fire-Related Incidents Require Fire Department
- Structure fires, smoke, gas leaks, or fire alarms need fire services—even if no injuries are reported.
- Multi-Agency Response When Appropriate
- Some situations require more than one service:
- Car accident with injury → Police + EMS
- Car accident blocking traffic → Police + Tow
- House fire with injury → Fire + EMS + Police
- Follow Jurisdiction and Protocol
- Police handle law enforcement and public safety.
- Fire responds to fires, rescue, and hazardous materials.
- EMS handles medical issues, even minor injuries.
Common modules:
This section of the assessment will require:
- Determining which appropriate emergency agency to send to a scene - Fire Department, Police, EMS, or Utility.
- There will be specific instructions to help you decide which appropriate agency you should send (each department might have its own policies).
- This section usually has a 30-minute time limit.
Example from the CritiCall Test:
Example from JobTestPrep's Practice:
💡Learn the CritiCall decision-making rules in advance. There are pre-determined rules for choosing the right emergency services to dispatch to a scene. Knowing them in advance can help you choose the right option quickly and avoid losing points on the test.
Additional modules:
The next CritiCall test practice module refers to the 911 Dispatcher's ability to make difficult decisions while prioritizing. The Prioritization module will present you with different scenarios of varying urgency levels.
Prioritizing scenarios correctly is crucial and may be the difference between a successful response and a disaster. It requires you to consider both time and response urgency - for example, whether the situation is ongoing, whether there is any current danger to civilians, how serious an injury is, and so on.
Prioritization - Question 1
- A man calls in reporting about his loud neighbors. He claims they are having a loud argument. Sounds of glass shattering and a scream for help were heard.
- The municipal garbage men crew found a dead homeless man in an alley in the city's commercial area. His corpse had signs of brutal violence on his head and chest. Gang graffiti was sprayed next to him.
Which situation is more urgent?
The correct answer is (A).
In prioritization questions, When deciding, follow scales. These scales will help you determine which scenario is the most urgent:
Scenario A depicts a possibility of abuse and violence that could be stopped (screams for help). A plausible outcome of this scenario is serious injury and physical harm (code 1).
Scenario B is an incident, which presents a dead homeless person. This incident is also code 1, but this case already happened, and the criminals are known. According to the time scale, incident A has priority on this call.
💡 Use “tier grouping” instead of ranking one by one.
First, group all items into three urgency tiers—high, medium, low—based on the given criteria. Once grouped, rank only within each tier. This method prevents constant back‑and‑forth comparisons and helps you stay fast and consistent, especially when there are many similar‑looking tasks.
Next, you will face the Mathematics Module, comprised mostly of word problems in a variety of difficulty levels. The Mathematics Module requires numerical abilities, an understanding of basic arithmetic operations, the usage of fractions, decimals, and more. It also requires an ability to translate written problems into equations – while knowing which equations should be used (i.e., remembering that time multiplied by speed equals distance).
You can find math study guides and practice tests of increasing difficulty in our CritiCall PrepPack.
For more math assessing exams, check out our Free Wonderlic Test Practice.
Memory and Attention: Techniques for Retaining Relevant Information
For an emergency dispatcher, memory is a key skill that goes beyond simply remembering information—it’s about knowing what to focus on and how to retain crucial details under pressure. Dispatchers must quickly absorb vital information from each call, like the nature of the emergency, location, and specific instructions from first responders, while filtering out irrelevant details. While memory might seem like a fixed ability, there are various strategies that can help you focus on what’s most relevant during a call. With practice, you can train your mind to identify and retain the most important information, and your ability to quickly recall these details under pressure can greatly improve and influence the success of the emergency response.
Common module:
This part of the CritiCall test involves listening to brief stories or details about specific individuals. Your task is to summarize the key information from the calls and accurately enter it into the designated fields.
This section is available in three different formats, and each agency may select one or more of them:
- Short stories, each followed by a single multiple-choice question about the information presented.
- A caller's personal information and a brief story, followed by multiple-choice questions.
- The same as the second format, with an added challenge of responding to emergency alerts that pop up at the bottom of the screen, similar to the Decision-Making section.
You’ll be able to write notes on your computer while you listen to the recording. These notes will be helpful afterward when you answer the questions.
Focus on the Who, What, Where, and When
When listening to a simulated emergency call, train yourself to filter out small talk or irrelevant details and focus on the core information:
- Who is involved? (Name, gender, role victim, suspect, caller)
- What happened? (The incident type: assault, theft, accident, etc.)
- Where did it happen? (Address, location type store, home, street corner)
- When did it happen? (Is it happening now? Was it earlier today?)
Bonus Tips:
- Don’t try to remember everything. Focus on facts that would matter to emergency responders.
- Take quick notes if your practice system allows it. Jot down key names, numbers, or locations.
- Practice active listening with real or simulated 911 calls (YouTube has some anonymized examples), and try summarizing them in 1–2 sentences.
Additional modules:
CritiCall memory recall questions require listening to voice recordings of letters and numbers, and then repeating the recorded sequence.
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💡Focus on relationships, not just raw data.
Instead of memorizing isolated facts (e.g., “car is blue, plate 584”), remember how the details connect (e.g., “blue car has plate 584”). Creating a mental link between attributes makes recall easier and reduces confusion when multiple similar items appear in the test.
Communication & Language: Understanding and Conveying Information Clearly
In the high-pressure environment of emergency dispatch, communication skills go beyond simply speaking clearly they involve the ability to understand and process information quickly. Dispatchers must be able to interpret a wide range of information from callers, often under stress, and extract the essential details without misunderstanding or miscommunication. At the same time, they need to relay this information back to responders in a clear, concise, and organized manner. A dispatcher’s ability to both understand and communicate effectively ensures that critical information is transmitted accurately, allowing for a rapid and appropriate emergency response.
Additional modules:
911 Dispatchers require more than just prioritizing skills, typing and summarizing abilities. The next module - Reading Comprehension- assesses the verbal skills necessary to understand and respond to texts. As the examples demonstrate, reading comprehension requires careful reading, verbal proficiency, an understanding of context, and summarization techniques. Some of the texts may be lengthier, contain more details, or be at a higher English level.
💡 Scan the questions first, then read with purpose.
Before reading the passage, glance at the questions so you know what information to look for—this prevents wasting time on irrelevant details and helps you read actively, not passively. As you read, mentally tag sentences that answer those questions instead of trying to memorize everything.
Next is another verbal module – Sentence Clarity, which focuses on using proper English and the ability to rephrase or clarify sentences. The Sentence Clarity module requires excellent verbal skills, proficiency in English, and a sharp eye for errors. It involves selecting how a sentence should be phrased, as well as being able to rephrase it in the most effective way.
💡 The clearest sentence is the one that communicates the idea most directly and unambiguously, even if it’s longer or uses simpler words. Eliminate options that introduce extra details, vague pronouns, or complicated phrasing—clarity is about precision and ease of understanding, not brevity.
The following module is another verbal module – Spelling.
The Spelling module requires proper English, verbal proficiency, as well as listening abilities. The questions, which may involve sentence completion or correction, could include recorded words or not.
💡Visualize the word in context.
If you’re unsure of a spelling, picture how the word would appear in a sentence or on a sign (e.g., “Police Department” or “Emergency Call”). Seeing it in a familiar context often triggers recognition and helps eliminate options that look wrong even if you can’t explain why.
Multitasking & Working Under Pressure
Emergency dispatchers are required to handle several tasks simultaneously, answering calls, coordinating responders, updating records, and more - while staying calm and focused. Multitasking is essential to the role, and this is reflected in the test structure. In fact, this skill is so important that it’s integrated into almost all modules. For example, tasks like data entry and call summarization often come in "multitasking" versions, where you must complete the task while managing additional responsibilities at the same time. Many of these tests also include time constraints to simulate the high-pressure environment dispatchers face, where every second counts. Being able to juggle multiple tasks efficiently, while maintaining accuracy and composure, is key to successful emergency response.
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FAQS
Retake policies vary—some agencies allow retries after 30–90 days, others limit attempts. Check with your hiring agency for specifics
Agencies select 11–20+ modules. Review your test invitation or call the agency’s non-emergency line to confirm.
Arrive early with ID; expect a computer-based test with headphones for audio sections. No personal items (e.g., pens, paper) are allowed.
Use our free sample questions above to mimic the test’s format.
A proficient typing speed is crucial for 911 dispatchers to efficiently manage emergency communications. Many agencies require a minimum typing speed of 35 to 40 words per minute. However, specific requirements can vary by agency. Achieving a higher typing speed while maintaining accuracy can enhance performance in this demanding role.
You don’t have to be a genius to be a 911 dispatcher, but the role requires quick decision-making, multitasking, clear communication, and staying calm under pressure. Strong preparation, especially through practice tests, helps develop these essential skills and boosts your chances of success.
The hardest part of being a 911 dispatcher is managing high-pressure situations, such as handling life-or-death emergencies, while remaining calm and focused. Dispatchers must multitask effectively—listening to callers, entering data, and coordinating with responders—all in real-time. Emotional resilience is crucial, as dealing with traumatic calls can be mentally and emotionally taxing.
If you are looking for a different test, or are not sure which test is relevant for your position, contact us, and we'll do our best to ensure you get the most accurate preparation for your upcoming exam.
Useful Links
If you are interested in a career with the force, check out some of our police-related pages:
Or, learn about other civil service exams we offer prep for:
Customer reviews
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Based on 975 reviews
I was prepared as could be for taking my exam, and as others have mentioned, the study guides are very similar to the actual CritiCall test. Great resource.
These modules were all very accurate and gave me a great idea of what to expect as well as the ability to prepare and improve before taking the test. Passed first try thanks to the information gleaned from the test prep package
Good
Could provide more questions to practice
Could provide more questions to practice
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