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The National Fire Select Test is now available online! This test is being used to screen thousands of firefighter applicants across the United States and qualify them for employment opportunities with a growing list of participating departments.
What is the National Fire Select Test Program?
The National Fire Select Test Program is a service of "Fire & Police Selection, Inc." (FPSI) that focuses exclusively on testing applicants interested in obtaining entry-level firefighter positions with fire departments across the U.S. and in Canada. Applicants who use our services will take the test online and have their test scores considered by multiple fire departments without having to travel around testing with dozens of fire departments in hopes of obtaining a job. An applicant living in California – for instance – can take a written test in California and may be considered for job openings in Nevada, North Carolina, Texas, Washington, or Florida without ever leaving his/her home.
FPSI is a consulting firm that specializes in the development and validation of pre-employment and promotional tests that are used by human resources and fire departments across the country. FPSI has tested millions of firefighter applicants across the United States, from numerous departments, and has received remarkable feedback on overall applicant quality.
We offer a wide variety of tests measuring reading ability, mathematical reasoning, writing abilities, map reading, mechanical aptitudes, human relation skills, verbal communication, and physical abilities. Teamed with Biddle Consulting Group, Inc., a company with over 35
years of experience in fire and police testing and currently the top EEO consulting firm in the United States, FPSI is positioned as a unique leader in personnel testing. FPSI is known in the industry for quality defensible tests and has never lost an audit/case on any product.
How many agencies will consider my test score?
FPSI has over 600 human resources and fire departments in the U.S. and Canada who currently use our services for their entry-level firefighter recruitment processes. We are confident that a fair number of these clients will agree to consider test scores from our National Fire Select Program testing process. Click here to view the growing list of departments that have agreed to consider NFST applicant test scores!
What is the fee for taking the National Fire Select Test and why do I have to pay to test?
The cost for taking the National Fire Select Test™ is $24.95. This cost will help to cover the expenses associated with the test process (e.g., test development, website programming, database management, I.T. costs, etc.). While some applicants may wonder why they should pay a fee to test for a job, it is important to consider the amount of money that is incurred traveling from one city to another to take a firefighter examination. Given that multiple departments across the country will consider the applicant’s test score, the fee associated with this service will result in a huge savings to the applicant down the road.
How do I pay to take the National Fire Select Test™?
After you complete the online application form, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the actual online test. You must have a credit card to pay for the test.
Are there additional fees?
There are no additional fees required by the applicant. The applicant out-of-pocket expense is $24.95 per test administration. However, there is an optional online practice test that can be purchased for $10.00 to help you prepare for the actual written test.
What if I pay for the test but never actually take the test? Will I be refunded?
No. Once your completed application is submitted and your credit card is charged for the online test, your fee is non-refundable. You do, however, have up to six months to take the test after your payment has been made.
What will the written test measure?
The test components will include reading ability, mechanical aptitudes, mathematical reasoning, writing abilities, personality traits in addition to other constructs identified as critical to job performance.
Is the test validated?
Every item on the National Fire Select Test™ come from versions of our validated entry-level firefighter written tests which have either content or criterion-related validity which meet the requirements of the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978).
Has the examination ever been challenged in court?
No. Since the incorporation of FPSI in 1997, none of our selection tests have been challenged in court. FPSI takes great care to ensure that all tests exceed the requirements of testing standards and develops test items in a way that measures an appropriate level of skills and abilities which reduces the likelihood of candidate challenges.
How do the services provided by National Fire Select Program compare to those offered by "Fire Hire™?"
The biggest difference between the National Fire Select Program and FIREHIRE™ is that you can take the National Fire Select Test when it's convenient for you, and you don't have to travel or even leave the comfort of your own home.
According to Fire Hire™, "FIREHIRE™ is a corporation run exclusively by professional career firefighters and firefighter/paramedics." Applicants sign-up to take a written test and their scores are provided to about 35 agencies throughout California and the United States. Unlike FPSI, Fire Hire™ is not a private consulting firm staffed with highly-skilled Industrial/Organizational Psychologists who are trained in testing and high-level statistical analyses. Additionally, Fire Hire™ is used predominately by smaller fire districts and departments in California who do not conduct their own recruitment but instead rely on the list of candidates produced from the Fire Hire™ process.
Applicants who test with National Fire Select Program have the comfort in knowing that our written tests are used across the U.S. and Canada each year to screen millions of candidates for entry-level firefighter jobs. National Fire Select Test™ test scores could be considered by more than 600 fire departments who are current clients of FPSI which greatly increases the odds of the successful applicants obtaining a firefighter position.
How long is my test score good for?
Your test score is good for one year from the date you complete the online test or for a length of time as determined by the participating fire departments.
Can I retest to improve my National Fire Select Test™ score?
Yes. You can retest every six (6) months to improve your test score. The cost is $24.95 each time you take the National Fire Select Test™ written test. If you receive a test score that is higher than your previous test score, the highest score will be recorded in the database (as long as your last test score is not more than one year old). The expiration date of the test score will be one year from the date you achieved the highest test score.
How do I update my personal information if I move?
You will be able to access your contact information using the unique PIN provided to you upon applying for the online test. Be sure to save the email and keep your PIN in a safe place. You can change your contact information as often as you need and changes will be immediately reflected in our database.
How do I register for a National Fire Select Test™?
Click here to apply and test online for the National Fire Select Test.
Will I have to test again?
Given that the online National Fire Select Test is administered via the web in an unproctored setting, it may be necessary to confirm that your score is representative of your skills and abilities. Any fire department that is interested in including you in their recruitment process may require you to take a "confirmatory" short-form test that is designed to statistically determine whether your online test score is valid. This is a common practice anytime an applicant takes a test in an unproctored or non-secure setting.
How do I get my test scores?
After you complete the online test and submit your final answers, you will immediately be notified of your test band online and, optionally, by email as well. You will not be provided with an item by item score report, however, you will be provided with an overall score band, sub-scale score percentages, as well as an indication as to how close you were to scoring in the next highest band.
Do I have to notify agencies about my test score?
No. You are strongly discouraged from attempting to contact agencies directly with any information about your test score as the departments will only accept certified information provided by FPSI. FPSI will automatically make available the most-recent scores to departments every two weeks with updated lists of successful candidates.
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