Whether you have been a volunteer firefighter, EMT on an ambulance or have had no previous involvement in the fire service, preparing for the testing process is essentially the same. You’ll need to focus your efforts on preparing for each step in the testing process. Here are some recommendations:

Written Test

The entry-level firefighter test used by Westport Fire Department will be administered remotely online. The test has been validated with Firefighters and Company Officers and measures critical skills and abilities candidates must possess the first day on the job. This test will measure a variety of cognitive and noncognitive aptitudes.

An optional study guide can be purchased but is not required. Applicants may order the “Online Firefighter Test Candidate Orientation Guide” 

The Online Firefighter Test Candidate Orientation Guide is a helpful tool to prepare for the exam and can be downloaded as a .PDF file and saved or printed. Payments can be submitted via a PayPal account or on FPSI’s site using a credit/debit card. Once payment is submitted, the download link will be located on the order details-checkout status page. Applicants must pay close attention to ALL instructions on both the vendor and PayPal’s websites to access the instant download successfully!

If you also are looking to prepare for written firefighter exams in general, we recommend you consider the resources listed below. Whatever approach you choose, be sure to allow yourself a number of weeks to prepare for this test.

• Google or go to Amazon searching for “Firefighter Exam and Interview Prep Manuals” or something similar
• Be certain that you use a resource that includes sample test questions so that you are better prepared when you take the actual test Human Resources Director Interview

For those who pass the written online test, the first step in our interview process is to meet with the Town’s Human Resource Director. As you have probably noticed from the other sections on this site, Westport is a unique community. It has an interesting mix of demographics and also places a high priority on the customer service aspect of our first responders. The interview with the HR Director is conducted to determine the following:

• That you have become familiar with the Town of Westport
• That you are the type of person that will be a good Town of Westport employee
• That you will be comfortable with any diversity, equity or inclusion related matters that you encounter as a Westport firefighter to prepare for the Town of Westport questions in this interview, we recommend that you review the background information on the Town at Discover Westport
and the Town Profile

Oral Interview

An oral interview is a formal conversation with structured questions. These questions are typically situation-based, with no 100% right or wrong questions. The panel will not only want to know your answer, but also what you based your answer on. A panel of Westport fire personnel and possibly outside representatives will conduct your oral interview. It is possible and recommended that you spend time preparing for your oral interview. Let’s talk about that a bit.

Opening Statement

You will almost always be asked to tell the panel a little bit about yourself and how you have prepared for a position with the Westport Fire Department. This is an opportunity to spend 2 to no more than 4 minutes providing a opening statement that will allow the panelists to get to know you a little. How do you
prepare?

• This is the point where candidates are the most nervous, so be absolutely sure that you are well prepared for the opening statement
• Develop an outline of what you want to cover in the opening statement, do not write it out in paragraph form and try to memorize it
• Working from your outline, practice your opening statement (out loud) at least 15 to 20 times. It will be slightly different each time, but you will eventually become much more comfortable delivering it.
• Have a resume, but don’t just provide a verbal version of it in your opening statement

Situational Questions

These questions can be tricky if you don’t think through them in advance. People
will offer you assistance and you will see lots of preparation videos online.
Remember a few things when it comes to where you go for prep, for example:

• Do you know how many times the person offering assistance took the written exam and/or oral interview before they passed? In other words, sometimes free advice is worth less than what you paid for it.
• Remember that questions and responses tend to be somewhat differ when it comes to the East Coast vs. West Coast – stick to the East Coast approach
• Remember that The following presentation will provide even more insight into the oral interview
process:

Some Firefighter Oral Interview Final Tips

• Come dressed in the appropriate attire
• Share your passion for firefighting
• Provide strong examples of previous experience and how it relates to customer service and operating in a public safety role
• Be honest about the challenges you faced and how you overcame them
• Show your willingness to commit to a career with our department
• Be prepared to talk about integrity and ethics as well as diversity, equity and inclusiveness
• Practice answering common interview questions
• If you prefer a structured approach to entry level oral interview preparation, consider searching Amazon or other websites for Firefighter Oral Interview Prep Workbook or something similar