Since firefighting is a difficult job that requires strength and dedication, during an interview, you’ll be asked difficult and situational questions to assess your physical and critical thinking abilities.
The interviewer will ask you general questions at first, followed by specific questions about your firefighting qualifications, experiences, skills, and knowledge.
This article provides the most frequently asked questions and answers during a firefighter job interview.
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Most Frequent Firefighter Interview Questions and Answers
1. Tell Me A Little Bit About Yourself
I am a highly alert firefighter with a proven track record of dealing with fire emergencies. My interest in becoming a firefighter began in my early adolescence when I discovered what the job entailed and since then, I’ve done everything I can to achieve my goal of becoming one.
2. Why Do You Want To Work As A Firefighter?
Since I was a child, I knew I wanted to work in a field where I could help people and my community, and becoming a firefighter was a natural fit.
Firefighters arrive on the worst day of a person’s life, putting themselves in danger to mediate the tragedy.
I’ve always admired that and realized as I grew older that I wanted to be that person for someone else.
During my training, I discovered that it is something I am capable of doing consistently and I want to take a stand for my community.
That is my primary reason for becoming a firefighter.
3. What Steps Do You Take To Maintain Your Physical Fitness?
I currently keep my fitness level up by working out four to five days per week and I’ve discovered that a high-intensity interval training approach works best for me, allowing me to build strength, stamina, and burst energy.
I also play in a recreational basketball league for part of the year, this allows me to have fun while also working on my cardio and hand-eye coordination.
If I am hired, I will immediately begin participating in the department’s fitness program to maintain my physical capabilities and bond with my new colleagues.
4. What Are Some Of The Duties That You Have Performed In The Role Of A Firefighter?
As a firefighter, I was responsible for a variety of tasks, including the use of firefighting equipment.
My work entails responding to calls to fight fires and extinguish them before they ravage people and places.
In addition, I’ve been busy rescuing people from fires and transporting them to safe areas.
My work also includes mitigating chemical spills and preventing fire damage through the development and implementation of educational programs.
5. What Are Some Of The Skills That You Possess Which Make You An Excellent Person To Hire As A Firefighter?
I am a physically strong individual who understands firefighting and I am skilled at planning and carrying out rescues and am willing to go the extra mile to save people.
I can conduct surveys and inspections to help prevent fire damage. I am also capable of ensuring optimal equipment operation by performing maintenance on time and efficiently.
6. What Do You Like Most About This Work?
What I like about this job is that no two days are alike. Every day is different and presents new opportunities for me to learn something new.
7. What Do You Dislike About This Work?
This job is fantastic because it allows me to help people. However, it saddens me when I am unable to assist someone in an emergency.
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8. How Do You Handle Conflict In The Workplace?
Firefighters face conflicts daily, but they are rarely amongst themselves. Because we work in a high-pressure environment, we focus more on the work at hand rather than arguing amongst ourselves.
9. Have You Ever Done Something Outstanding?
As a firefighter, I have performed numerous heroic acts. But the one that stands out in my mind is when I saved the life of a 2-year-old boy after three other firefighters had given up.
I was able to extinguish the fire around him and pick him up before leaping onto the safety net.
10. What Do You Think Is The Most Important Quality In A Firefighter?
I believe that a firefighter must be completely dedicated to the job. When working as a firefighter, dedication to their team and service to the community is essential.
11. How Do You React In Adverse Situations?
When faced with adversity, I’ve always been very practical. During an emergency, I automatically direct my energy toward helping so I don’t become overwhelmed.
12. How Do You Handle Situations Where You Don’t Know The Answer?
When I’m unsure about something, I don’t mind asking for help since my indecision or lack of knowledge could endanger others.
13. How Would You Respond To An Order That Puts You Or Others In Great Danger?
Safety is always the priority in any scene, regardless of the scenario. Firefighting is inherently dangerous but the safety of yourself and your crew is the top priority on any scene.
If I see anything that I believe is unsafe, I will notify my officer and clarify the order. If I was told to continue anyway, I’ll trust my officer’s experience and knowledge and complete the task at hand.
14. Would You Ever Refuse An Order?
I would refuse an order if it puts me in a situation that puts my life and members of my team in danger.
15. What Is Your Biggest Strength?
My greatest strength, I believe, is my ability to handle difficult situations with sound judgment.
16. What Is Your Biggest Weakness?
My greatest flaw is probably my willingness to do more than I can physically or emotionally handle.
17. How Would You Deal With An Angry Citizen?
My first thought would be to ensure the citizen is safe, then I’d calmly listen to them and do my best to resolve whatever was bothering them.
18. How Does Your Family Manage Your Schedule As A Firefighter?
I get three days off per week to spend with my family. Even if I am called for a mission during those three days, they understand since my work is critical.
19. Do You Think Our Country’s Public Education Programs Need To Be Improved?
I believe that people should be informed more openly about fire hazards and we must educate people on how to avoid them.
With so much technology everywhere and the corresponding wiring hotspots, fire hazards have become quite common.
20. How Do You Think The Role Of Firefighters Will Change In The Future?
I believe that technology will soon replace the majority of this work, but firefighting requires a human touch as well, which is why I believe technology such as robots will serve as assistants.
They will aid firefighters in fighting fires by shortening the extinguishing time. I also believe that technology will be able to predict fire hazards before they become dangerous.
21. What Is The Most Challenging Part Of Working As A Firefighter?
Making the right decision at the right time is, in my opinion, the most difficult aspect of working as a firefighter. Making decisions on the move is difficult, especially when someone’s life is in danger.
22. If You Saw A Firefighter Steal An Item From A Scene, What Would You Do?
If I saw another firefighter remove a person’s property from the scene, I would follow all department reporting guidelines.
While I understand that teamwork and comradery are essential for team success, we also have a responsibility to those we assist. Our communities must trust us, which takes precedence in the end.
23. How Would You React If You Saw A Fellow Firefighter Doing Something Nefarious?
I’d approach a coworker first to confirm what I saw. If I’m correct about what I saw and there’s no reasonable explanation for what they did, I’ll report them to the boss.
24. What Is Your Relationship With The Local Police?
I get along well with the local cops and have frequently collaborated with them on investigations.
25. Do You Think Regular Fire Drills Are Important?
Yes, I believe that regular fire drills are very important because they keep firefighters alert and make them realize the importance of being vigilant.
26. If You Had A Choice To Save A Child Or An Elderly Person, Which One Would You Choose To Save, And Why?
To be honest, saving someone based solely on their age is not a criterion. I would save the person closest to me first, and then move on to the next.
27. How Good Are Your Investigation Skills?
I am a thorough individual who has been repeatedly chosen by detectives to assist with crime scene investigations. My expertise in investigating post-fire scenes exceeds that of my colleagues.
28. What Motivates You?
Tests motivate me, I thrive on challenges and gain a very satisfying sense of accomplishment when I complete difficult tasks.
29. What Does Preventative Maintenance Mean To You?
When you work as a firefighter, preventative maintenance is critical because when a call comes in, there is no time or opportunity to check if the equipment is operational.
It is critical to keep all firefighting tools and equipment in perfect working order at all times.
30. Are You Up To Work For Several Hours Without Breaks In Emergencies?
Definitely! I have good physical stamina and am well aware that working for several hours without breaks is quite common in this profession.
31. What Are Your Skills As Far As Post-fire Administrative Work Is Concerned?
At my former job, I am solely responsible for keeping post-work logs. I am an expert at handling administrative tasks such as preparing and submitting detailed incident reports to management.
32. In Your Opinion, How Important Is It To Familiarize Yourself With The City Where You Work?
I believe it is critical to know all of the routes in your jurisdiction so that you do not have to look for alternate routes to a fire scene, wasting time that could be spent saving lives and property.
33. If We Decide To Hire You, When Can You Join Us?
I can start with you in 20 days when my notice period expires.
34. Where Do You See Yourself 5 Years From Now?
Within the next five years, I hope to be a firefighting crew supervisor.
35. Do You Have Any Questions For Me?
I’m curious about the firefighting protocols that you use at your facility.
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Prepare For Your Firefighter Interview
The interviewers will be looking for evidence that you possess the assessable qualities so you’ll have to demonstrate how you meet the assessable qualities.
So during your preparation, you should focus on providing specific examples of how you can meet the qualities being evaluated.
You should also carefully consider why you want to be a firefighter, you must have a genuine reason for wanting to join because firefighters are caring individuals, which is why they are held in such high regard by members of society.
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Finally, and this is more important than any other factor, you should make every effort to appear genuine, dependable, professional, and conscientious.
To top it up, practice with the most frequently asked firefighter interview questions and answers already provided in this article.
Have a great day.