A new fire captain interview question was added to our fire officer interview guide today.  It was sent to us by Joshua in New York.  Anytime a customer purchases our guide and is asked an interview question that was not in the guide, we add it.

You are called for a report of an odd odor in a single family home.  You arrive and notice a minor haze in the home accompanied by a smell of smoke.  As you investigate you notice smoke coming from a gable vent.  What actions will you take?

This is a very good fire officer interview question.  It will test the candidates knowledge of response procedures (calling for a full alarm), attic fire strategy and tactics, and his ability to establish a safe and effective action plan.  Regardless of what department you are from, several key points of this question must be answered the same.

First the candidate should explain that he suspects a fire in the attic space, this would require a full fire response, rather than just his single unit that was sent for an odor investigation.  After the full alarm is dispatched, the candidate should provide them with at minimum an on scene report.  He then should verbalize evacuating the family from the home and his strategy/tactics for controlling the fire.  Depending on department policy, or lack thereof, any number of options may be acceptable, ranging from going up into the attic with a hand line, making an attack through the gable vent, or even use of a piercing nozzle.  A good answer might also include what the incoming units will be assigned.  IE Primary search, water supply, utility control, salvage/overhaul, secondary search, etc.

Fire Captain interview questions are challenging.  Be prepared for your interview with our fire officer interview guide.  It has over 80 interview questions that were used in real interviews.