The Oral board interviews are the first round of interviews and usually after the written test and sometimes after the CPAT. However, each department has their way of doing things. In preparation for Oral board interviews, I had gotten a lot of good advice from firefighters and captains across several different departments, and they all had very similar elements, and very similar questions.

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Related: Search for firefighter jobs. Don't just say you like it, anyone can make that claim. Focus instead on your history with the industry, and if you can, tell a story about it. Good answer: "I have always appreciated and admired those who put their lives on the line to protect our communities. My interest piqued in firefighting after I witnessed a post-crash rescue. I heard the calling as I watched the first response team pull civilians to safety. It was then I knew that this is what I was meant to do. Bad answer: "I graduated four years ago from the University of Michigan, with a Bachelor's degree in Biology — but I decided that wasn't the right path for me. I switched gears and got my first job working in a fire department. Then I went on to work in another department and started participating in training courses.
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Make FireRescue1 your homepage. Think of your answers in terms of how you'd react. For weeks you notice that someone has been eating your cereal and drinking the milk that you bring in. You have already asked everyone to please not do so and have even begun labeling your food. One morning you walk into the kitchen and senior firefighter Bob is helping himself to the last of your milk and cereal. He is obviously very upset and angry. While on scene at a medical aid you are asked to go back to the engine to get a piece of equipment. In route to the engine you notice that its placement is blocking traffic. Traffic is backing up and an irate citizen is yelling for you to move the engine. You are not the engineer.
Make FireRescue1 your homepage. Whether you are looking to be hired as a firefighter or looking to hire firefighters, you'll want to consider these oral interview questions. If you are an officer who sits on a candidate review panel, here are a list of questions to help you get at each candidate's character. If you are a candidate looking to land a job on a fire department, take notice — these and questions like them are likely coming your way. Be prepared. Tell us a little about yourself and how your education, training, and experience have qualified you for this position. What's an important value to you and give an example of how this value affects your life? Give an example of your loyalty to the fire department.