Want To Be A Firefighter? Here’s What It Takes

Firefighting is one of the most satisfying federal careers in NYC. However, FDNY is also one of the hardest departments to be accepted.

In this post, we walk you through the FDNY recruitment process to guide you on how to pass each part of the exam. We also discuss how to train the abilities you’ll need for the exam.

Here’s what it takes to become a firefighter in NYC.

The FDNY Recruitment Process

The NYC Firefighter Exam is a series of tests designed to evaluate your competency in the field. The exam measures your mental skills as well as your physical abilities. Here’s how it goes.

The FDNY Written Exam

Like all DCAS exams, the NYC Firefighter written exam doesn’t require you to have any technical knowledge about being a firefighter. The exam uses layman’s language and is designed to be understood by people of all backgrounds. The written exam is an aptitude test, which includes multiple-choice questions that evaluate your fundamental skills such as problem-solving, cognitive abilities, comprehension, and observation.

You can’t prepare for this exam the same way you’d prepare for a science or math exam. The best way to prepare is by taking. You can practice sample problems and work with an instructor on your weakest fundamental mental abilities.

The Interview

Firefighting requires excellent teamwork and communication skills. Firefighters need to come up with and agree on a plan of action and work in sync with each other on the mission. This requires firefighters to be able to bond with their teammates. Leadership skills are also valued in firefighting.

The interview is the one part of the exam where the FDNY can examine a candidate’s social competency. The interviewers note everything from how the candidates handle themselves to how enjoyable their company is. They also see how seriously the applicant takes the job and their motivations for joining the FDNY. Dressing nicely and showing passion for firefighting will deliver the right message.

The Physical Exam

There are few other careers where physical fitness is as important as firefighting. Firefighters need to respond to calls and get to the destination quickly and immediately. A single unfit member can slow the whole team down and cost actual lives.

This is why the FDNY has a rigorous physical test Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), which evaluates physical strength and agility. After passing the written exam, you’re called for this exam, which is still the most important part of this process. The FDNY offers workout sessions to prepare for the physical test, which you can prepare for through endurance exercises for your major muscle groups in your local gym.

The Medical Exam

Firefighters need to be as internally healthy as they need to be physically fit. Training firefighters is an investment, and the FDNY would like you to stay in optimal health throughout your career. Firefighting also has occupational hazards, making the job more dangerous for certain people.

For example, hyperthermia can cause health problems in people with heart disease and hypertension. People with heart disease (especially those who are new) are also vulnerable to heart attacks due to shock on the job.

The FDNY medical exam looks at your medical history to identify any degenerative diseases that may impair you from doing your duties or pose a risk to your health. The exam also looks for any long-term genetic disorders.

Psychological Evaluation and Drug Test

Firefighters need all four basic skills of emotional intelligence. They need self-awareness and self-management skills to regulate their emotional state better. They can be called at any time, and they need to gather motivation almost instantly to give their best on the mission.

Social awareness and relationship management skills as also sought. These skills require a brain free from psychological disorders, and the FDNY has a test dedicated to psychological evaluation.

You can’t work for the FDNY if you suffer from substance abuse disorder. The half-life of most drugs ranges from a few hours to a day, but traces of drugs are there in your blood even weeks after the last dose. The FDNY drug test can detect these drugs.

Now, let’s look at groups of abilities you’ll need to pass the exam and how to improve those abilities.

Abilities Needed To Be a Firefighter and How to Improve Them

Physical Abilities

The first thing you can do to improve your chances of passing the medical and physical exams is to eat healthier. Cut down on empty calories such as processed foods and simple carbs such as sweets. Eating foods rich in nutrients and fiber can protect you. Also, keep your juices flowing with some light aerobic exercise every day.

Aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training can increase your stamina for the physical exam. Hit the gym every now and then to train for endurance.

Emotional Intelligence

Your prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for emotional regulation. As an adult, the best thing you can do to keep yourself psychologically healthy is avoid stressful situations and get proper sleep every night.

Cognitive Abilities

Proper sleep helps you maintain your capacity to process large amounts of information. However, the best way to train your brain for the problems you’ll have in the written exam is by enrolling yourself in prep classes. That’s where we come in.

Civil Service Success is the leading institute in NYC for civil service exam prep classes. Our NYC Firefighter Exam trains you for every aspect of the written exam. Our Nassau and Suffolk Police Exam Prep Classes and NYC Sanitation Exam Prep Classes are also the finest in the city. We’re soon starting our prep classes for the Sanitation Exam 2060 DCAS.

Want to prepare yourself for the FDNY Exam the right way? Get in touch now!