FIRE OFFICER 4TH EDITION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Most Fire Departments are structured on the basis of four management principles: -
Correct Answers -Unity of Command
Span of Control
Division of Labor
Discipline
Unity of Command - Correct Answers -The concept by which each person within an
organization reports to one, and only one, designated person.
Span of Control - Correct Answers -The maximum number of personnel or activities that
can be effectively controlled by one individual (usually 3-7). Many experts believe that
span of Control should not exceed more than 5 people.
Division of Labor - Correct Answers -Breaking down an incident or task into a series of
smaller, more manageable tasks & assigning personnel to complete those tasks.
Discipline - Correct Answers -The guidelines that a department sets for firefighters to
work within.
4 Functions of Management (PLOC) - Correct Answers -Planning
Organizing
Leading
Controlling
4 Functions of Management:
Planning - Correct Answers -Developing a scheme, program, or method that is worked
out beforehand to accomplish an objective.
Short-range planning: up to a year.
Medium-range planning: 1-3yrs in advance
Long-range planning: longer than 3yrs in advance.
4 Functions of Management:
Organizing - Correct Answers -Putting resources together into an orderly, functional,
structured whole.
4 Functions of Management:
Leading - Correct Answers -Guiding or Directing in a course of action.
,4 Functions of Management:
Controlling - Correct Answers -Restraining, regulating, governing, counteracting, or
overpowering.
Rules & Regulations: - Correct Answers -Directives developed by various government
or government-authorized organizations to implement a law that has been passed by a
government body.
Rules & Regulations do not leave any room for latitude or discretion!
Policies: - Correct Answers -Formal statements that provide guidelines for present &
future actions. Policies often require personnel to make judgements.
Gives the officer latitude in situations.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's or SOG's): - Correct Answers -A written
organizational directive that establishes or prescribes specific operational or
administrative methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designed
operations or actions.
Provides a UNIFORM way to deal with emergencies with different crew members.
Mediation: - Correct Answers -The intervention of a NEUTRAL third party in an
industrial dispute.
4 times in a Firefighter's career when a major change occurs in how the individual
relates to the formal fire department organization. - Correct Answers -1. Firefighter
completes the probationary training period.
2. Firefighter promotes to Company Officer.
3. Company Officer promotes to Chief Officer.
4. When a Firefighter retires.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles: - Correct Answers -Supervisor
Commander
Trainer
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
Supervisor - Correct Answers -Fire Officer functions as the official representative of the
Fire Chief. Supervise the company in a manner consistent with the rules & Regulations
of the Fire Department.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
,Commander - Correct Answers -At an emergency incident, the Fire Officer is expected
to function as a COMMANDER & to exercise strong direct supervision over the
company members. Develop a Command Presence.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
Trainer - Correct Answers -Fire Officer has the responsibility of making sure the
Firefighters under their command are confident & competent in their skills.
Recommendations to develop training skills:
-Develop a Personal Library
-Know the Neighborhood
-Use problem-solving scenarios
3 activities that are necessary to ensure a good working relationship with your
Supervisor (Battalion Chief): - Correct Answers --Keep your supervisor informed
-Make appropriate decisions at your level of responsibility.
-Consult with your supervisor before taking major disciplinary actions or making policy
changes.
Hostile Work Environment - Correct Answers -An environment that can result from the
unwelcome conduct of Supervisors, co-workers, customers, contractors, or anyone else
which whom the victim interacts on the job, and the unwelcome conduct renders the
workplace atmosphere intimidating, HOSTILE, or offensive.
Actionable Item - Correct Answers -Employee behavior that requires an immediate
corrective action by the Supervisor; dozens of lawsuits have shown that failing to act in
the face of such behavior will create a liability and a loss for the department.
4 Components are Central to the Leadership Concept: - Correct Answers --Leadership
is a process.
-Leadership involves influence
-Leadership occurs in groups
-Leadership involves common goals
Leadership: - Correct Answers -A complex process by which a person influences others
to accomplish a mission, task, or objective & directs the organization in a way that
makes it more cohesive & coherent.
Produced be 3 sub processes:
1. Establishing direction. Vision for the future
2. Aligning people. Getting folks to cooperate
3. Motivating & Inspiring.
, Management: - Correct Answers -Looks at short time frames - a few months in to the
next fiscal year. Leaders are looking at longer time frames.
"Managers accomplish activities & master routines, whereas leaders influence others
and create visions for change."
"Managers are people who do things right & leaders are people who do the right thing"
Trait Approach: - Correct Answers -An emphasis on the traits of an effective leader.
-Intelligence
-Self Confidence
-Determination
-Integrity
-Sociability
The 'Trait Approach' does not look at the 'situational effects' of leadership on a group.
Situational Leadership - Correct Answers -A leadership approach where a supervisor
adjusts the style of leadership to fit the developmental level of subordinates. During
emergency operations, it means adjusting the style of leadership based on the changing
conditions of the incident.
Skills Approach (Leadership) - Correct Answers -Developed by Robert Katz (3-skill
approach for personal development. An emphasis on the skills or capabilities of a
leader. Focuses on the leader, identifies a set of skills that can be developed:
-Technical
-Human
-Conceptual
The Behavioral Approach (Leadership): - Correct Answers -An emphasis on the
personality characteristics of a leader. Focuses on what leaders do & how they act.
Falls into 2 General types of behaviors (combined for success):
Task Behaviors-Help group members to achieve their objectives.
Relationship Behaviors-Help followers FEEL comfortable with themselves, with each
other, & the situation that they're in.
Blake & Mouton's Managerial Grid
Impoverished/Indifferent Management: - Correct Answers -'NEUTRAL'; Lowest level of
concern for both results & people. Goes through the motions of work, doing enough to
get by but rarely making a deliberate effort to do more. Relies heavily on instructions &
process. Reliance on instructions avoids the need to take personal responsibility for
results. Ignore/Overlook problems, unless instructions specify how to react to a
particular issue. "It's not my problem."
Blake & Mouton's Managerial Grid
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Most Fire Departments are structured on the basis of four management principles: -
Correct Answers -Unity of Command
Span of Control
Division of Labor
Discipline
Unity of Command - Correct Answers -The concept by which each person within an
organization reports to one, and only one, designated person.
Span of Control - Correct Answers -The maximum number of personnel or activities that
can be effectively controlled by one individual (usually 3-7). Many experts believe that
span of Control should not exceed more than 5 people.
Division of Labor - Correct Answers -Breaking down an incident or task into a series of
smaller, more manageable tasks & assigning personnel to complete those tasks.
Discipline - Correct Answers -The guidelines that a department sets for firefighters to
work within.
4 Functions of Management (PLOC) - Correct Answers -Planning
Organizing
Leading
Controlling
4 Functions of Management:
Planning - Correct Answers -Developing a scheme, program, or method that is worked
out beforehand to accomplish an objective.
Short-range planning: up to a year.
Medium-range planning: 1-3yrs in advance
Long-range planning: longer than 3yrs in advance.
4 Functions of Management:
Organizing - Correct Answers -Putting resources together into an orderly, functional,
structured whole.
4 Functions of Management:
Leading - Correct Answers -Guiding or Directing in a course of action.
,4 Functions of Management:
Controlling - Correct Answers -Restraining, regulating, governing, counteracting, or
overpowering.
Rules & Regulations: - Correct Answers -Directives developed by various government
or government-authorized organizations to implement a law that has been passed by a
government body.
Rules & Regulations do not leave any room for latitude or discretion!
Policies: - Correct Answers -Formal statements that provide guidelines for present &
future actions. Policies often require personnel to make judgements.
Gives the officer latitude in situations.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's or SOG's): - Correct Answers -A written
organizational directive that establishes or prescribes specific operational or
administrative methods to be followed routinely for the performance of designed
operations or actions.
Provides a UNIFORM way to deal with emergencies with different crew members.
Mediation: - Correct Answers -The intervention of a NEUTRAL third party in an
industrial dispute.
4 times in a Firefighter's career when a major change occurs in how the individual
relates to the formal fire department organization. - Correct Answers -1. Firefighter
completes the probationary training period.
2. Firefighter promotes to Company Officer.
3. Company Officer promotes to Chief Officer.
4. When a Firefighter retires.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles: - Correct Answers -Supervisor
Commander
Trainer
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
Supervisor - Correct Answers -Fire Officer functions as the official representative of the
Fire Chief. Supervise the company in a manner consistent with the rules & Regulations
of the Fire Department.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
,Commander - Correct Answers -At an emergency incident, the Fire Officer is expected
to function as a COMMANDER & to exercise strong direct supervision over the
company members. Develop a Command Presence.
Fire Officer's Duties divided into 3 Roles:
Trainer - Correct Answers -Fire Officer has the responsibility of making sure the
Firefighters under their command are confident & competent in their skills.
Recommendations to develop training skills:
-Develop a Personal Library
-Know the Neighborhood
-Use problem-solving scenarios
3 activities that are necessary to ensure a good working relationship with your
Supervisor (Battalion Chief): - Correct Answers --Keep your supervisor informed
-Make appropriate decisions at your level of responsibility.
-Consult with your supervisor before taking major disciplinary actions or making policy
changes.
Hostile Work Environment - Correct Answers -An environment that can result from the
unwelcome conduct of Supervisors, co-workers, customers, contractors, or anyone else
which whom the victim interacts on the job, and the unwelcome conduct renders the
workplace atmosphere intimidating, HOSTILE, or offensive.
Actionable Item - Correct Answers -Employee behavior that requires an immediate
corrective action by the Supervisor; dozens of lawsuits have shown that failing to act in
the face of such behavior will create a liability and a loss for the department.
4 Components are Central to the Leadership Concept: - Correct Answers --Leadership
is a process.
-Leadership involves influence
-Leadership occurs in groups
-Leadership involves common goals
Leadership: - Correct Answers -A complex process by which a person influences others
to accomplish a mission, task, or objective & directs the organization in a way that
makes it more cohesive & coherent.
Produced be 3 sub processes:
1. Establishing direction. Vision for the future
2. Aligning people. Getting folks to cooperate
3. Motivating & Inspiring.
, Management: - Correct Answers -Looks at short time frames - a few months in to the
next fiscal year. Leaders are looking at longer time frames.
"Managers accomplish activities & master routines, whereas leaders influence others
and create visions for change."
"Managers are people who do things right & leaders are people who do the right thing"
Trait Approach: - Correct Answers -An emphasis on the traits of an effective leader.
-Intelligence
-Self Confidence
-Determination
-Integrity
-Sociability
The 'Trait Approach' does not look at the 'situational effects' of leadership on a group.
Situational Leadership - Correct Answers -A leadership approach where a supervisor
adjusts the style of leadership to fit the developmental level of subordinates. During
emergency operations, it means adjusting the style of leadership based on the changing
conditions of the incident.
Skills Approach (Leadership) - Correct Answers -Developed by Robert Katz (3-skill
approach for personal development. An emphasis on the skills or capabilities of a
leader. Focuses on the leader, identifies a set of skills that can be developed:
-Technical
-Human
-Conceptual
The Behavioral Approach (Leadership): - Correct Answers -An emphasis on the
personality characteristics of a leader. Focuses on what leaders do & how they act.
Falls into 2 General types of behaviors (combined for success):
Task Behaviors-Help group members to achieve their objectives.
Relationship Behaviors-Help followers FEEL comfortable with themselves, with each
other, & the situation that they're in.
Blake & Mouton's Managerial Grid
Impoverished/Indifferent Management: - Correct Answers -'NEUTRAL'; Lowest level of
concern for both results & people. Goes through the motions of work, doing enough to
get by but rarely making a deliberate effort to do more. Relies heavily on instructions &
process. Reliance on instructions avoids the need to take personal responsibility for
results. Ignore/Overlook problems, unless instructions specify how to react to a
particular issue. "It's not my problem."
Blake & Mouton's Managerial Grid
