CPS Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CPS facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. An officer states: 'Priority is rescue first, then containment, then overhaul.' What is the second priority? → Containment
2. Which class of fire involves ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, and cloth? → Class A
3. Henny is 16 years younger than Jill. How old is Jill if the sum of their ages is 30? → Jill is seven years old.
4. When a firefighter uses a screwdriver, which simple machine principle is being applied? → Wheel and axle
5. Round 4,687 to the nearest hundred. → 4,700
6. A balloon rises in air because the gas inside is what compared to the surrounding air? → Less dense
7. When two springs of equal stiffness are connected end to end (in series) and a weight is hung, the total stretch compared to one spring is? → Twice as much
8. An engine company uses 60 gallons of fuel per day at $4.50 per gallon. What is the weekly fuel cost? → $1,890
9. Which type of heat transfer occurs when heat moves through a material by direct molecular contact? → Conduction
10. A hose weighs 2.5 pounds per foot. How much does 80 feet of hose weigh? → 200 lbs
11. An emergency broadcast reports: 'Fire at 842 Oak Street, apartment 4B, reported at 09:15.' What is the apartment number? → 4B
12. Which of the following has the closest meaning to a particular: → Specific
13. A firefighter climbs 18 steps per floor. If the fire is on the 7th floor and each step is 8 inches high, how many total feet does the firefighter climb? → 84 feet
14. Which of these is an example of a third-class lever? → A pair of tweezers
15. A mutual-aid crew from another department uses slightly different terminology than yours on scene. To work together effectively you should: → Confirm meanings and use clear plain language to coordinate
16. At a multi-casualty incident, you must decide who to treat first. Which approach is correct? → Use triage to prioritize the most salvageable critical patients
17. While performing an emergency evacuation of a building, you notice a civilian who appears confused and is moving toward the fire. You should: → Physically guide the civilian away from the fire toward the exit
18. Friction between two surfaces generally does what to motion? → Opposes motion
19. A pump must lift water to a higher floor. Doubling the height the water must be raised does what to the work required? → Doubles it
20. Which of the following words has the closest meaning to sad: → Cry
21. A dispatch log reads: 'Call received 22:47, Engine 5 dispatched 22:49, on scene 22:56.' What was the total response time from call received to arrival on scene? → 9 minutes
22. What is 9 squared minus 4 squared? → 65
23. Dispatch assigns Ladder 12 to the rear of the building and Engine 5 to the front. Which unit is assigned to the rear? → Ladder 12
24. A spring is compressed and held in place. What type of energy does it store? → Potential energy
25. Which sentence contains a grammatical error? → The hose line was advanced careful through the smoke-filled hallway.
26. If 4 hoses each weigh 18 pounds, what is their combined weight? → 72
27. Instructions: 'Connect to hydrant 4, not hydrant 6, because hydrant 6 is out of service.' Which hydrant should be used? → Hydrant 4
28. During cleanup, you notice a damaged hose that could fail on the next call. What should you do? → Tag it out of service and report it for repair or replacement
29. You notice a fellow firefighter showing signs of heat exhaustion during overhaul. What is the best first action? → Report it to the officer and get them to rehab/medical
30. Order: 'Charge the line only after the nozzle team confirms they are in position.' When is the line charged? → After the team confirms position