IO Solutions Firefighter Selection Tool (FST) Exam Prep - Practice Tests and Study Guide

The online FST firefighter exam assesses the essential cognitive competencies and behavioral characteristics required for the position. You do not need any prior firefighting experience or knowledge to answer exam questions.

The FST, one of the Selection Works exams, was formulated to highlight those candidates who possess the skills and traits of successful firefighters. The fireman online test is comprised of two parts—ability and personality—which are both predictive of job performance.

Please note that while we do not provide an exact test simulation, our PrepPack™ is customized in a way that provides excellent comprehensive practice for every type of question that may appear on the actual test. Using our practice resources and study guides will significantly improve your chances of acing the test and securing your place at the top of the eligibility list.

Check out our free FST exam Practice Test with questions taken directly from the PrepPack

Scores are based on the number of correct answers, with no penalty for incorrect answers. Therefore, it is beneficial for you to answer every item, even guessing when necessary. The score for the FST skills section is a composite of the individual score on each of the eight competencies assessed. Likewise, the overall behavioral score is calculated through a merger of the results of each part of the personality section.

The Firefighter Selection Tool (FST) is made up of two sections: Personality and Behavioral Section and Cognitive Aptitude Section.

This section of the IOS FST contains two subsections: Behavioral Characteristics and Biodata.

The behavioral characteristics section is in fact a personality test. It assesses a number of behavioral traits, such as your work preferences, attitudes, motivations, and interpersonal relations, along with your biodata. Expect a five-point agreement scale format, from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” Included in this section are 120 items that must be answered within a time-frame of 30 minutes. Your answers should portray your attitudes and reactions to many aspects of the work environment in the field of firefighting.

The biodata portion of the Firefighter Selection Tool assesses your experiences and background as they pertain to the job.

Section II includes a skill set of eight competencies in a multiple-choice format. There are 80 questions that must be answered within two hours.

• Spatial Orientation – Through the use of maps, diagrams, and layouts, you are asked to identify the shortest route from Point A to Point B. Spatial Orientation also involves locating your position within a specific environment.
• Information Ordering – Your ability to sequence statements and actions pursuant to rules, procedures, time, or logic is assessed. You are presented with various types of items: selecting the alternative with the correct action sequence, identifying the first or last action to take, and identifying what action precedes another specified step.
• Deductive Reasoning – You are presented with a set of rules or procedures. Your task is to apply the rules/procedures to a scenario and the questions that follow.
• Inductive Reasoning – After reading a problematic scenario or set of witness statements, you are asked to find the cause of the problems—an errant witness or other connecting links in the given material.
• Written Expression – This competency involves grammar, punctuation, English usage, vocabulary, and spelling. One question type involves the selection of the sentence that contains an error.
• Written Comprehension – A moderately long passage is presented. Subsequent questions ask you to summarize, analyze, recall information, or draw conclusions based on the information contained in the passage.
• Mathematical Reasoning – Expect to see diagrams, charts, or formulas. To answer the questions, apply the correct math functions to the information found within the given material.
• Visualization – Your task is to identify objects or people after they have been rearranged or altered.