Albuquerque Fire Department Training Division 
Fire Cadet Applicant Handbook and 
Written Test Study Guide 
This booklet provides information regarding the position of Fire Cadet with the City of Albuquerque. Included is information about the job itself as well as specific information about the entire application and selection process, including testing requirements. 

INTRODUCTION 
This pamphlet was developed for fire cadet applicants by the City of Albuquerque's Human Resources Department and the Fire Department. It explains the entire application process from open enrollment up to the first day of the Academy. It includes information on each step in the selection process. Reviewing this handbook and preparing yourself for each step may improve your chances of passing the tests and becoming a fire cadet with the Albuquerque Fire Department. 
If you are looking for a challenging and fulfilling career as a member of the Albuquerque Fire Department, you are encouraged to study this booklet, attend all optional preparation sessions, and work to improve any area of personal weakness you might identify. A firefighter's normal duties require not only physical stamina and strength but also a high degree of mental alertness. Our standards for selection are high, but only because the demands of the job are challenging. 
Some applicants underestimate the high standards required to be a firefighter; as a result, they do not prepare adequately to ensure success in each step of the selection process. Candidate Physical Agility Tests (CPAT) Workshops will be offered so that applicants can become familiar with the simulated job tasks prior to the actual test. 
Our experience with previous selection processes demonstrates that proper physical conditioning is essential to success. Don't wait until the Open Enrollment period to begin a training program; start right away! A program which develops the upper body and leg strength will improve the likelihood of success in the CPAT. The importance of general body stamina cannot be emphasized too strongly. Maintaining the level of fitness, even after the CPAT will certainly help make your first weeks at the Academy more successful. As a firefighter, you will be required to maintain a high level of fitness throughout your career. 
You may wish to visit a fire station if you have never done so. A visit will help you experience the environment and decide whether or not you feel you would be comfortable working in the "close quarters" of a station. A visit to a station is certainly not a prerequisite to selection, but it may help you decide if this is the career for you. 
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APPLICATION PROCESS 
The Albuquerque Fire Department does not supply applications for jobs within the fire department. Applications may only be obtained on-line during the Open Enrollment period at the beginning of each year. The Open Enrollment period will be announced in the Albuquerque Journal Sunday edition in the classified ads section before and during the Open Enrollment period. To access applications, log on to cabq.gov/fire, and follow the Jobs link.
Applicants for fire cadet must be 21 years of age by the end of the open enrollment period, have a high school diploma or GED, and be a United States citizen or legal resident, and possess a current State of New Mexico EMT License at the Basic level or higher. 
The City of Albuquerque is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment or the provision of services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry. The City of Albuquerque strives for diversity in the workplace; women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals upon request pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
If your applications is accepted, you will be given an appointment to take the Written Examination. Applicants that are successful on the written exam will proceed to the Pack test.  The Pack test is a work capacity test used to qualify individuals for wildland firefighting duty.  Applicants qualifying for the CPAT will be given a schedule of the optional workshops and timed practice tests.  You are encouraged to attend all of these sessions. Attendance at the workshops/timed practice tests will not be taken into consideration when making hiring decisions, but it is believed you may improve your test performance by attending all sessions. 
Applicants who successfully complete the CPAT will be given a Recruit Candidate Investigation Questionnaire to complete and to return at the structured oral interview.
Applicants that successfully pass all hiring process steps will be considered for selection by the Fire Chief.  Conditional job offers are made to between fifteen to forty candidates selected by the Fire Chief. A number "alternates" may also be identified in the event that some of those offered a position decline the offer. 
Job offers are conditional because they are dependent upon passing a medical/physical examination, a drug and alcohol screening, and a background investigation. Candidates to whom an offer has been made, and who pass these final phases, may begin the Academy within several weeks. 
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WRITTEN EXAMINATION 
The written entrance examination is designed to measure the skills and abilities you need to succeed as a fire cadet and, later on, to succeed as a firefighter. The test will measure skills you will have obtained during the course of your education from elementary school through high school. You will have two (2) hours and fifteen (15) minutes to complete the test which consists of 100 multiple-choice questions covering seven different skill areas. Management of time is critical while taking the exam. The first 15 items are listening comprehension, and they will be presented to you through a tape recording. The remaining 85 questions measure basic math; ability to read charts, maps and diagrams; mechanical reasoning; language mechanics; reading comprehension; and EMS knowledge. Instructions for the test will be read to you; you will have copy of the written test instructions to refer to as well. A brief description of each test section follows. Some sample questions for each test section are also included in this handbook. 
The first section of the test measures listening comprehension. The questions in this part of the test will measure your ability to listen to facts and answer questions based on what you heard. Sometimes you will have to think about what you heard and come to a conclusion in order to decide the most correct answer to a question. 
EMT-B questions. These questions will test your EMT-B knowledge critical thinking, behavioral, and scene assessment. 
Basic math. It contains the same type of math you will use on the job. Firefighters must be able to do math with fractions or decimals. You must be able to divide, multiply, add, or subtract whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. You must also be able to solve simple algebra problems with one unknown number. You are not allowed to use a calculator at the test. 
Read charts, maps, and diagrams. You will need to know directions (north, south, east, and west) and be able to understand drawings. 
Mechanical reasoning ability. The questions are designed to help us find out if you are able to put objects together in specific ways or to figure out how a mechanical item works. The questions also help us determine how logical you are and if you can reason your way through a problem. 
Language mechanics.  The questions measure your English language skills. You need to know proper spelling, punctuation, word meanings, and grammar. You do not need to know the names of all the parts of speech, but you do need to know how to write correct sentences. 
Reading comprehension. You will read several passages and answer questions based on the passage. You can refer to the passage as often as you like while answering the questions. 
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Practice Test 
Listening Comprehension 
Directions: Have someone read the following passage to you. After listening to the passage one time, answer the first three questions. 
"Elevators, in some crude form or another, have been of service to man for centuries. Archimedes was said to have invented an elevator for hoisting materials, and elevators provided the only means of entrance into monasteries during the middle ages. 
"There are basically two types of elevators in operation today: traction and hydraulic. Building height quickly limited the use of hydraulic elevators, and traction elevators became the answer." 
	1. 	Elevators, in one form or another, have been in use: 
A.	since 1802. 
B.	for centuries. 
C.	before the time of Archimedes. 
D.	since the invention of hydraulics. 
Correct Answer: B 
	2. 	Who is credited with inventing the elevator? 
A.	Archimedes 
B.	Socrates 
C.	Aristotle 
D.	Benjamin Franklin 
Correct Answer: A 
	3. 	High rise buildings are most likely to: 
A.	use a hydraulic elevator. 
B.	use a traction elevator. 
C.	have elevators of inferior quality. 
D.	present a fire hazard because of the use of elevators. 
Correct Answer: B 
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Reading Charts, Maps, and Diagrams 

Directions: Answer the next two questions based on the above drawing and the information presented in the question. 

E.	
F.	

 

 

4.	Water flows into the system at point A. It moves to point B where a chemical is added to the water. 
Where does the water and chemical mixture go next? 

A.	To point C 
B.	Back to point A 
C.	To point D 
D.	It is not possible to determine the answer from the drawing and the information given. 

Correct Answer: A 

	5. 	After leaving point C. the mixture flows to: 

A.	point D. 
B.	point E. 
C.	point F. 
D.	either point D, E, or F. 

Correct Answer: D 

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Mechanical Reasoning 
Directions: Below you are shown several parts which need to be matched up. Following the picture of the parts to be put together, you will see four pictures showing how the pieces might fit. You are to pick the drawing which shows the right way for them to go. (See the example which follows.) 
Example: Each of the parts shown below is marked with one or more numbers. The number should be matched up to the same number on another piece shown. The parts are to be put together by moving them around (in your mind) so that the places on the shapes having the same numbers are matched up. 

The 1 on the circle is joined to the 1 on the triangle. The 2 on the rectangle is joined to the 2 on the triangle. Parts cannot be flipped over to make them fit together, but they can be turned around. There are several ways the puzzle can be solved, but only one of the right ways will be offered to you as a choice for the right answer. Three of the choices will be wrong. (A choice may be wrong because a piece has been flipped over rather than just rotated.) A right answer would like this: 

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Language Mechanics 
6. 	Which pair of words fits best into the two blanks in the following sentence? I'm going to vote 
	________________ of whether or not I think my _____________________will win. 
A.	irregardless people 
B.	regardless candidate 
C.	Democrat guys 
D.	absentee ballot 
Correct Answer: B 
7.	The underlined parts of the sentence below are either correct or contain an error in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or word usage. There will be either one error or no errors in the sentence. If the segment underlined "A' is wrong, select A for the answer, if "B" is wrong, select B. If there is no error, select E. 
John's problem is that he doesnt know how to take "no" for an answer when it comes to borrowing
	ABC 	D 
money! No error 
	D 	E 
Correct Answer: B 
	8. 	Which of the following words is misspelled? 
A.	January 
B.	Wednesday 
C.	Feburary 
D.	Tuesday 
Correct Answer: C 
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Reading Comprehension 
Directions: Read the following passage. Answer questions 9 through 11 after you finish reading. You may reread the passage as many times as you like. 
1 - Officer 2 - Driver 
3 - Right Side 4 - Center 
5 - Left Side 
Operations at a hydrant: 
2   Pull engine to hydrant side of street. Stop truck, tailboard beyond hydrant. 
1   Signal #4 person to secure hydrant. 
4   Take loop and secure hydrant. Signal driver to proceed. Connect hose and open hydrant.    
     Walk to fire, straightening hose, return hydrant wrench to Driver. 
2   Proceed to fire building. 
	9. 	Who is responsible for pulling the engine to the hydrant side of the street? 
A.	The driver 
B.	The officer 
C.	The lieutenant 
D.	The information is not known from reading this passage. 
Correct Answer: A 
	10. 	Who signals to the center person to secure the hydrant? 
A.	The driver 
B.	The left side person 
C.	The right side person 
D.	The officer 
Correct Answer: D 
	11. 	What is the last thing the Driver is to do in this passage? 
A.	This information is not known from reading this passage. 
B.	Stop the truck with the tailboard beyond the hydrant. 
C.	Proceed to the fire building. 
D.	Get the hydrant wrench from the center person. 
Correct Answer: C 
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G.	
Pack Test and Candidate Physical Ability Test 
Pack test definition and a CPAT Preparation Guide and Orientation Guide may be downloaded from the City of Albuquerque's Website, www.cabq.gov/fire/recruit.html. 
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers 
Question: I missed passing the written test by one point! That's so close to passing. Can I test again? 
Answer: Each year during the selection process we receive several hundred applications. We feel very strongly about giving all candidates the same opportunities. Since we cannot retest all applicants, we do not allow anyone to retest until the next recruitment. 
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Question: My son (or my husband, brother, boyfriend, girlfriend, daughter, wife) took the test and failed. Can you tell me what his (her) score was? 
Answer: Test information is confidential and cannot be given out to anyone except the applicant, even at the applicant's request. You may tell your scores to anyone, but we can provide that information only to you personally. 
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Question: Can you tell me what area of the test I did poorly on so I can study it for next time? 
Answer: Again, we can't tell you because we could not possible provide this service to all applicants. 
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Question: I can't make it to the test at my scheduled time (or date). Can I reschedule? 
Answer: Exceptions to scheduling shall be determined by the Training Division Commander. Rescheduling is may be allowed for circumstances such as a death in the immediate family or  hospitalization due to a sudden injury or illness. Documentation will be required. Any rescheduled test must be taken before the testing for that phase is completed (usually in the same work week). 
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Question: If! have a disability, should I even bother to apply? 
Answer: Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals upon request pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have a question related to accommodation, please contact the City of Albuquerque ADA Coordinator at 768-3969. 
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Question: How important is my written test and scores for the Fire Chief's selection? 
Answer: The Fire Chief looks at you as a whole person, whereas the other parts of the selection process tend to look at you in specific and distinct areas. Scores are important, but so are the things you accomplished in your life, as noted on the Recruit Candidate Investigation Questionnaire. You should complete this form carefully and truthfully to ensure that the Fire Chief knows as much about you as possible. 
Punctuality is critical. 
If you are late for any test, you are out of the process! 
A driver's license (or other picture ID) and proof of your EMT license is required for each phase of the hiring process! 

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