Reply #19: The questions about fire science are on a test that one has to pass tobecome a firefighter [View All]

[CTyankee]

in the first place. If they don't know the basics there with a question such as you posit, they have no business being firefighters to begin with.

Testing for promotion to leadership positions is a whole other area. A multiple choice pencil and paper test is not good at determining such leadership qualities. Simulation is a good way to test whether a firefighter has command presence, ability to make good decisions in high pressure situations, ability to lead the firefighters, etc. Actual performance reviews of each test taker's past performance of duties should also factor heavily.

The test New Haven gave relied on ability to memorize and that has little to do with the test takers ability to lead in dangerous situations requiring quick thinking and wise decisions...

Oh, and BTW, the New Haven test had a question asking whether a fire truck at a fire should be parked facing uptown or downtown. Well, New Haven does not even HAVE such an orientation. So much for relevance of this vaunted "test."