Only the Brave Trivia Quiz

Answer: Age

Age is a no-exceptions criteria for a firefighter. You must be at least 18, and no more than 28-35, depending on the department. For those in the age range, subjective criteria are also considered. Say you have a problem in your driving history, bad credit or you've made some mistakes in your past. Be open and honest about it in an interview. They run a criminal, background and even social media check on you anyway. If you can show you've worked to change past problems, they are just like "Liberty Mutual" car insurance--They won't hold a grudge over one mistake.

If you are underage, try the "junior firefighters". For the brave past the age limit there are volunteer opportunities.

Answer: Education

Increasingly, firefighters need knowledge. A high school diploma or GED is essential, but many departments look for medical, emergency or paramedic training, entry-level firefighter certificates, and even familiarity with your city's streets and structures. To heap on the appeal, take a forestry, communication and team-building course. No one expects a new firefighter to know all about fighting fires, and they won't be impressed if you pretend you do.

A solid foundation in the basics though, and the fact you committed to an education before you apply, puts you way ahead. Book learning ain't everything, but it's important for getting the job, passing the written exams, and fighting fires.

Answer: People have more stuff

Firefighters have a greater challenge in the 21st century because the typical house is stuffed with stuff. More furniture, more clothes, more office supplies, and lots of computers, TV's and related equipment. This stuff makes a home burn faster, higher and hotter as well as some of it being prone to explode. Another problem with tons of stuff: it impedes your fast exit, and trips up firefighters trying to get around inside.

Regards women, they must meet the same tough standards as men, though gals fail the physical test more often than men. Every team member brings a unique skill, and a female, lighter, smaller fighter can be an advantage. The first woman firefighter in the USA was probably Molly Williams of New York City, in 1815.

Answer: Foam

Happily the arsenal of a firefighter includes more than water, which may not be available, and isn't the best opponent for all fire types. To burn, fire requires the right amounts of fuel, oxygen, and heat. Water works by reducing heat and oxygen. Fire extinguishers use carbon dioxide to cool a fire. Sand, fire blankets and certain chemical "inhibitors" are also useful. But a gas fire must be smothered and coated, depriving it of oxygen and reducing fumes, which is what fire-fighting foam does.

Since a small fire often becomes a big one IN LESS THAN 30 seconds, as a firefighter you will often be called to extinguish home fires started with hot oil or grease.

Answer: Police

Fire fighters are among a brave group of qualified souls called "first responders". These include ambulance dispatchers, police, emergency medical staff, investigators, and natural disaster personnel. First responders arrive first at emergency situations, and provide immediate assessment and assistance.
(If you chose "doctors", they are most often called upon later, after an ambulance arrives at a hospital, or sometimes in route).

Other first responders have remote settings training, and helicopter, small aircraft and waterway pilot skills. First responders must be especially brave, fit and emotionally solid, because they encounter a fresh scene, with unknown risks. For instance a car crash, heart attack, arson, bomb, contagious disease; a sniper or a bus full of kids perched precariously on a cliff.

Because it is horrific and dangerous, be aware of your own stress symptoms and seek help when needed. Firefighters post-traumatic stress (PTSD) has been shown to equal that of combat veterans. (International Association of Firefighters, September 2016). One study found full-blown PTSD in almost 13% of firefighters. Be proud and strong; but have the courage to seek help. Here's a fact: the married have lower levels of PTSD.

Answer: Station cleaning chores

There is a special life for firefighters, including long shifts living at the fire station, with repeated cleaning of the engines and living spaces as well as making meals and doing dishes at work. There may be lots of time on edge just waiting; and long hours battling a fire. It's "hurry up and wait". You may just sit down to lunch or drift into much-needed sleep when the call comes in. Sometimes you won't see your family for a while.

Once called, whether hungry or tired, you must rapidly and accurately assess risk, understand the complexities of every unique fire, work in all types of weather, and interact with terrified people and animals. Perhaps the most difficult downside is this: sometime you will fail to save someone. Your friends may be injured or die. You will feel psychological stress. There will be a toll on your family. And you better be good with a dishrag and a mop. These are some reasons that only the brave take on this job.

Answer: Essential ladder skills

Fire departments use tests such as the CPAT (Candidate Physical Agility Test) or Firefighter Physical Performance Test to determine if a candidate has the physical ability to do the work. A test is composed of stations, and the candidate quickly walks a distance from one station to another as he or she passes each event. Test events include a walk up stairs while wearing heavy gear, drag a fire-hose, strike with a sledgehammer (forcible entry), crawl through a dark tunnel, rescue a mannequin, and also raise, extend and lower a ladder. All events must be completed correctly and in just a few minutes. Happily some of your future "family" of firefighters will be there to cheer, encourage and protect you as you test. Speed run is a police candidate test, swimming is for lifeguard exams and cognitive aptitude is a widely used exam since the early 1900s.

It's not a physical component, however.

Answer: Make good decisions

Often a firefighter has to make difficult decisions, and fast. As they consider hiring you, your superiors probably will ask you to make choices involving moral dilemmas, life and death situations, and personal values, to determine if you are a reliable and trustworthy person.

The Oral Exam Panel may purposely stress or pressure you to see if you think fast, keep a cool head, maintain integrity, and would follow the chain of command. Apparently a lot of candidates walk out of this Oral Exam in frustration. Veteran firefighters say don't let the examiners rattle you--stay focused on the problem they present and give your best level-headed answer.

Answer: Daily variety

The benefits to a firefighting life are many. Pride in the high level of integrity and physical performance, great service to the community, the reality of saving lives, free time between calls, fabulous workmates who become family, challenging problems to solve, and giving station tours. But a benefit every firefighter must love is that every day is unpredictable. You never know if you'll arrive at a high rise, brush fire, car accident, natural disaster, or hazardous materials accident. You may calm, reassure, treat, extract or help prosecute a citizen. You may hold a person as they die. Firefighters assist in other countries and at massive forest fires in other states. While the station has required routines, the calls have endless variety.

A common interview question is, "Why do you want to become a firefighter?" Think it through. What payoff are you looking for? For many something happened in life that inspired the desire, and you can share that story, but keep it short.

Answer: Hotshots

On June 28, 2013 lightning started a fire in Arizona. It was 101 degrees (38 C) and the land was dry. Strong winds pushed the fire across 2,000 acres (810 ha), where on June 30th it quickly overran and killed 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots, a special forces firefighting crew. The 2017 movie "Only the Brave" tells their story. By July 1st over 400 firefighters held the line, as the fire grew to 8,300 acres (3,400 ha). The September 11, 2001 attacks killed 343 firefighters, with many more dying of related conditions in following years.

There are real dangers to firefighting. Yet there are also delightful and fun duties, like rescuing a kitten, lifting up the grateful from a home fall, teaching fire safety, and riding in community parades. Are you the next courageous firefighter?