Ireland Firefighter Recruitment Aptitude Test (Ireland)

Read the following Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) notice: 'When wearing Breathing Apparatus (BA), firefighters must work in teams of at least two. Each team must have a designated leader who is responsible for monitoring air pressure gauges and communicating with the BA Entry Control Officer. No team shall enter a hazardous environment without a active telemetry link unless specifically authorised by the Incident Commander.' Based on this notice, which of the following is true?

• AFirefighters may enter hazardous environments alone if they are designated team leaders.
• BThe BA Entry Control Officer is responsible for monitoring individual air pressure gauges.
• CA telemetry link is generally required for entering a hazardous environment with breathin…
• DBreathing Apparatus teams must be authorised by the telemetry link before entering.

In a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) directive, the word 'corrosive' is used. What is the correct definition of a 'corrosive' substance?

• AA substance that ignites spontaneously when exposed to air.
• BA substance that causes visible destruction or irreversible alterations in human skin tis…
• CA substance that emits radiation and poses an inhalation risk.
• DA substance that dissolves easily in water but is harmless to skin.

Identify the option where all words are spelled correctly according to Irish/British English spelling standards.

• AThe officer conducted a safety check on the breathing apparatas, noting the pressure was…
• BThe crew carried out routine maintainance on the hydraulic cutting equipment.
• CIt is neccesary to wear high-visibility clothing when working on public roads.
• DFirefighters must liaise with the Gardai to coordinate road closures at an incident.

Read the following instruction on hydrant usage: 'Prior to connecting a hose, the hydrant must be flushed to clear any debris. Open the hydrant valve slowly for 5-10 seconds until the water runs clear. Close the valve before connecting the standpipe. Failure to flush may damage the pump on the fire appliance.' What is the primary reason for flushing the hydrant?

• ATo test if the water pressure is high enough for firefighting.
• BTo prevent dirt and debris from damaging the pump of the fire engine.
• CTo fill the standpipe with water before connecting the hose.
• DTo clean the external casing of the hydrant assembly.

Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct and most appropriate for a formal incident report?

• AThe watch responded to the house fire and they done a quick search of the premises.
• BUpon arrival, the crew observed smoke issuing from the first-floor window and immediately…
• CWe seen a lot of smoke coming out of the roof so we got the ladders off of the truck.
• DThe driver of the vehicle was treated by paramedics who arrived at the scene very quick.

In a safety memorandum, the phrase 'preclude the use of' is used. What does 'preclude' mean in this context?

• ATo encourage or recommend.
• BTo prevent or make impossible.
• CTo delay or postpone.
• DTo test or evaluate beforehand.

Read the domestic safety recommendation: 'In Ireland, standard domestic smoke alarms should be tested weekly by pressing the test button. The batteries should be replaced annually, unless it is a sealed 10-year alarm. The entire unit must be replaced every 10 years, as the internal sensors degrade over time and may fail to detect smoke.' What must be replaced every 10 years according to this advice?

• AOnly the batteries of the smoke alarm.
• BThe test button mechanism.
• CThe entire smoke alarm unit.
• DThe internal wiring of the house.

Choose the option that correctly spells the word describing a substance that catches fire easily.

• AFlammable
• BFlammibel
• CFlameable
• DFlamabel

Read the shift log entry: 'Watch A responded to a commercial alarm at 03:15. On-site inspection revealed a faulty detector head in the warehouse area. The system was isolated, and keyholders were advised to contact their service engineer. Watch B must monitor this location during patrols as the automatic detection is temporarily compromised.' What action is required of Watch B?

• AContact the service engineer to repair the system.
• BConduct physical patrols to monitor the warehouse area.
• CRe-activate the isolated detector head in the warehouse.
• DReport the keyholders to the local authority.

Which of the following sentences exhibits correct pronoun agreement and verb conjugation?

• AEach of the firefighters are responsible for checking their own personal protective equip…
• BEach of the firefighters is responsible for checking his or her own personal protective e…
• CEvery firefighters is responsible for checking their own personal protective equipment.
• DAll of the firefighter is responsible for checking their own personal protective equipmen…

In structural firefighting, what does the term 'flashover' refer to?

• AThe rapid cooling of a room using a fine water mist.
• BThe sudden transition of a fire from growth stage to fully developed stage where all comb…
• CThe failure of a floor structure due to intense heat.
• DThe ignition of unburnt gases in the smoke layer outside the room of origin.

Read the protocol: 'When an emergency call is received, the mobilising system automatically selects the nearest available appliance. If the primary appliance is on another shout, the secondary appliance from the adjacent station is mobilised. Crews must acknowledge dispatch within 30 seconds of the alarm sounding.' Under what condition is the secondary appliance mobilised?

• AWhen the primary appliance does not acknowledge the dispatch within 30 seconds.
• BWhen the primary appliance is already deployed on another emergency call.
• CWhen the incident is determined to be a false alarm.
• DOnly when the Incident Commander requests additional backup.

Select the correct meaning of the word 'adjacent' as used in a building floor plan report: 'The fire originated in the kitchen and spread to the adjacent dining hall.'

• ADirectly above.
• BDirectly below.
• CNext to or sharing a common wall.
• DIn a separate building across the street.

Which of the following sentences contains a spelling error?

• AThe technician inspected the relief valve to ensure it operated correctly.
• BAll personnel must wear their high-visibility tabards at the scene of a road traffic coll…
• CThe crew used a centrifugal pump to draw water from the cannal.
• DThe station commander received a pack of informational leaflets on fire safety.

Read the maintenance instructions: 'Chemical Protective Suits (CPS) must be pressure-tested after every use or annually, whichever comes first. If a suit fails the pressure test, it must be marked with a red tag and immediately removed from service. Only certified service personnel are permitted to repair a red-tagged suit.' According to this text, what must happen if a suit fails a pressure test?

• AIt must be repaired by the firefighter who used it.
• BIt must be tagged in red and taken out of active service.
• CIt must be discarded in the standard refuse immediately.
• DIt must be re-tested twice to confirm the failure.

Choose the sentence that is written in the active voice and is most concise.

• AA search of the building was conducted by the breathing apparatus team.
• BThe breathing apparatus team searched the building.
• CThe building had a search conducted in it by the team using breathing apparatus.
• DSearching of the building was done by the team.

In a equipment operating manual, the term 'depressurise' is used. What does it mean to 'depressurise' a system?

• ATo increase the pressure to its maximum limit.
• BTo release the internal pressure or gas/liquid flow from a system.
• CTo clean the system with high-pressure water.
• DTo shut down the electrical supply to a pump.

Read the public safety advisory: 'In the event of a chip pan fire, do not throw water onto the pan. Water will instantly vaporise, expanding rapidly and throwing boiling oil into the air, which escalates the fire. Instead, turn off the heat source if safe to do so, and smother the flame with a fire blanket.' Why does water escalate a chip pan fire according to the text?

• AWater contains oxygen which feeds the flames.
• BWater vaporises instantly, throwing hot oil into the air.
• CWater reacts chemically with cooking oil to produce flammable gases.
• DWater lowers the flashpoint of the cooking oil.

Identify the sentence that contains a spelling error in a standard English context.

• AThe firefighter demonstrated excellent manoeuvring skills with the heavy rescue vehicle.
• BWe noticed a draught of cold air coming from the basement door.
• CThe watch commander approved the weekly training programme.
• DPlease check the pressure guage on the oxygen cylinder to verify it is full.

Read the incident command guidelines: 'The first arriving officer at an incident shall assume command and establish a command post. This officer must conduct a rapid size-up of the scene, transmit a briefing to control, and assign tasks to the arriving crew. Command remains with this officer until formally transferred to a higher-ranking officer.' What must the first arriving officer do before transferring command?

• AWait for a higher-ranking officer to arrive before taking any action.
• BConduct a size-up, transmit a briefing to control, and assign tasks to the crew.
• CExtinguish the fire completely.
• DEstablish a media briefing area outside the hot zone.

A fire hose delivers water at a rate of 450 litres per minute. If the hose is run continuously for 14 minutes, how many litres of water are used?

• A5,400 litres
• B6,300 litres
• C6,750 litres
• D7,200 litres

A water tender tank holds 1,800 litres of water when full. If the water gauge indicates the tank is 75% full, how many litres of water are in the tank?

• A1,250 litres
• B1,350 litres
• C1,400 litres
• D1,450 litres

To produce fire-extinguishing foam, a firefighter must mix foam concentrate with water in a ratio of 3:97 (3% foam concentrate to 97% water). To prepare 1,500 litres of foam solution, how many litres of foam concentrate are needed?

• A30 litres
• B45 litres
• C50 litres
• D150 litres

A fire engine travels at an average speed of 80 km/h on its way to an incident. If the incident is 20 km away, how many minutes will it take the fire engine to arrive at the scene (excluding dispatch time)?

• A12 minutes
• B15 minutes
• C18 minutes
• D20 minutes

Water pressure in a hose line drops by 0.6 bar for every 10 metres of hose length due to friction. If a hose line is 80 metres long, what is the total pressure drop from the pump to the nozzle?

• A3.6 bar
• B4.2 bar
• C4.8 bar
• D5.4 bar

A firefighter's standard shift pattern averages 42 hours per week. If a firefighter earns an hourly rate of €24.00, what is their average weekly gross pay?

• A€968.00
• B€1,008.00
• C€1,048.00
• D€1,080.00

1 litre of water has a mass of exactly 1 kg. A portable water tank has a rectangular base measuring 2 metres by 1.5 metres and is filled with water to a depth of 0.8 metres. What is the total mass of the water in kilograms? (1 cubic metre = 1,000 litres)

• A1,800 kg
• B2,400 kg
• C2,800 kg
• D3,000 kg

A fire station receives a call. The turnout time (time from alarm to appliance leaving station) is 1 minute 45 seconds. The drive time to the scene is 6 minutes 30 seconds. What is the total response time in minutes and seconds?

• A7 minutes 15 seconds
• B7 minutes 45 seconds
• C8 minutes 15 seconds
• D8 minutes 30 seconds

A fire station responds to 1,600 calls in a year. If 35% of these calls are false alarms, how many genuine calls did the station respond to?

• A560 calls
• B960 calls
• C1,040 calls
• D1,120 calls

During a training exercise, a crew is told that 5/8 of the station's total stock of breathing apparatus cylinders must be pressure-tested. If the station has 48 cylinders in total, how many cylinders do NOT need to be tested?

• A18 cylinders
• B20 cylinders
• C30 cylinders
• D36 cylinders

An incident commander estimates that a fire requires a total of 15,000 litres of water to extinguish. The pump on the primary appliance has been running for 8 minutes at a flow rate of 1,200 litres per minute. How much more water is estimated to be required?

• A3,600 litres
• B4,200 litres
• C5,400 litres
• D6,000 litres

A warehouse storage unit measures 12 metres in length and 8.5 metres in width. Fire regulations state that the maximum stacking height for combustible goods is 4 metres. What is the maximum volume in cubic metres of stored goods allowed in this unit if the space is filled completely?

• A102 cubic metres
• B204 cubic metres
• C306 cubic metres
• D408 cubic metres

A thermal imaging camera reports that the surface temperature of a hot door is 145 degrees Celsius. If the temperature increases by 12% over the next five minutes, what is the new temperature reading?

• A157.0 degrees C
• B162.4 degrees C
• C167.4 degrees C
• D172.2 degrees C

Two pumps are supplying water to a manifold. Pump A supplies water at a rate of 550 litres per minute, and Pump B supplies water at 450 litres per minute. The manifold has three outgoing hoses, which distribute the total water equally. What is the flow rate in each of the three outgoing hoses?

• A300 litres per minute
• B333.3 litres per minute
• C350 litres per minute
• D400 litres per minute

A tank containing 2,000 litres of water begins to leak. If the water level drops at a rate of 15 litres every 45 seconds, how many minutes will it take for the tank to empty completely?

• A80 minutes
• B100 minutes
• C120 minutes
• D150 minutes

A building hallway requires one smoke detector for every 7.5 metres of its length. If the hallway is 45 metres long, how many smoke detectors are required in total?

• A5 detectors
• B6 detectors
• C7 detectors
• D8 detectors

A county's fire service responded to 2,400 incidents in 2024. In 2025, the number of incidents increased by 8.5%. How many incidents did the service respond to in 2025?

• A2,584 incidents
• B2,604 incidents
• C2,624 incidents
• D2,654 incidents

A firefighter records the following times for completing a standard hose-run drill across five attempts: 85 seconds, 92 seconds, 78 seconds, 88 seconds, and 82 seconds. What is the firefighter's mean (average) drill completion time?

• A82 seconds
• B84 seconds
• C85 seconds
• D87 seconds

A rescue team is using a map with a scale of 1:2,500. On the map, the distance between the staging area and the incident command post is 18 centimetres. What is the actual distance on the ground in metres?

• A250 metres
• B360 metres
• C450 metres
• D540 metres

A 999 emergency call is logged at 23:54:15. The 'stop' message (indicating the incident is under control) is received at 00:32:45 the following morning. What was the total duration of the response in minutes and seconds?

• A36 minutes 30 seconds
• B38 minutes 30 seconds
• C38 minutes 45 seconds
• D40 minutes 15 seconds

A colleague consistently fails to clean their assigned area of the station kitchen during shift handovers. What is the most appropriate initial course of action?

• AReport the colleague to the Watch Commander immediately for breach of duties.
• BSpeak directly and politely to the colleague, explaining the impact of the uncleaned area…
• CRefuse to clean your own assigned areas to demonstrate the unfairness of the situation.
• DClean the area yourself without saying anything to avoid any crew friction.

During a training drill with a hydraulic cutting tool, you notice a colleague has forgotten to lower their safety visor/goggles. What should you do?

• AWait for the officer in charge of the drill to notice and correct them.
• BImmediately and clearly tell the colleague to stop and lower their visor.
• CComplete the training drill and then mention it to them afterwards in private.
• DSay nothing, as you do not want to embarrass them in front of the rest of the watch.

At the scene of a house fire, an extremely distressed resident attempts to run past the safety cordon to rescue their pet dog. What is the most appropriate action?

• AAllow the resident to enter at their own risk, as pets are highly valued.
• BPhysically block their entry, explain the life-threatening danger, and immediately notify…
• CAccompany the resident into the burning building to ensure they remain safe.
• DIgnore them and focus on securing the hose line, as cordons are managed by the Gardai.

A Station Officer gives you a direct instruction to complete a routine maintenance task on an appliance. You do not fully understand how to perform one of the steps. What is the best action?

• AGuess how to perform the step and proceed, to show initiative and confidence.
• BAsk the Station Officer or an experienced colleague for clarification immediately.
• CSkip that specific step and complete the rest of the maintenance checklist.
• DAvoid the task and hope the shift ends before the Station Officer checks your progress.

While participating in a school fire safety visit, you notice a fellow firefighter pocketing a small electronic item from a classroom. What is the most appropriate action?

• AConfront them privately and ask for a share of the item's value to keep quiet.
• BSpeak to them privately, advising them to return it immediately, and report the incident…
• CIgnore it, as you do not want to cause division within the crew or damage your colleague'…
• DDiscuss it with other watch members first to build a consensus on what to do.

A journalist approaches you at the scene of a major road traffic collision and asks for details about the casualties and the suspected cause of the crash. What is the correct response?

• AGive them a brief summary of what you saw, keeping details anonymous.
• BPolitely refer the journalist to the Incident Commander or designated Media Liaison Offic…
• CTell the journalist that the details are confidential and walk away without speaking.
• DSpeculate on the cause of the crash to help raise public safety awareness.

A member of your watch is struggling with the physical demands of standard drills and asks you to help them by covering up their poor performance during evaluations. What is the most appropriate response?

• AAgree to help them, as loyalty to your watch members is the most important value.
• BRefuse to cover for them, explain the safety risks of sub-standard performance, and offer…
• CReport them to the Watch Commander immediately without discussing it with them first.
• DRefuse to work on the same watch during future live incidents.