FCTC Situational Judgment Scenarios Questions and Answers

Question 1

You are a probationary firefighter performing station duties.
A senior firefighter, whom you respect, tells you to skip a required safety check on a piece of equipment to save time before shift change.
He says, 'We've been doing it this way for years, and it's always fine.
Don't worry about it.' What is the MOST appropriate action to take?

Accepted Answer

Perform the required safety check properly, politely stating that you must adhere to the official department policy.

Answer

Follow the senior firefighter's direction to avoid conflict and show you are a team player.

Answer

Report the senior firefighter's comment to your company officer immediately.

Answer

Pretend to complete the check quickly to satisfy the senior firefighter, then do it correctly later when no one is watching.

Question 2

While conducting a morning apparatus check, you notice that your partner, an experienced firefighter, missed a critical step in the SCBA inspection. They have already signed off on the check sheet. What is your immediate and MOST appropriate response?

Accepted Answer

Privately and respectfully bring the oversight to your partner's attention so they can correct it.

Answer

Correct the issue yourself and say nothing to avoid embarrassing your partner.

Answer

Immediately report the discrepancy to your company officer to ensure it's officially documented.

Answer

Make a note to watch your partner more closely on future checks.

Question 3

At the scene of a multi-vehicle accident, a bystander who is uninjured is loudly arguing with police officers and attempting to re-enter the immediate scene to retrieve personal belongings from their car. This action is creating a distraction and a safety hazard. Which of the following is the BEST course of action for a firefighter to take?

Accepted Answer

Ask a law enforcement officer to handle the individual, as scene security and crowd control are their primary responsibilities.

Answer

Physically restrain the individual to prevent them from entering the scene.

Answer

Ignore the bystander and focus on your assigned fire/rescue tasks.

Answer

Yell at the individual that they are creating a hazard and to leave the area immediately.

Question 4

You are inside a burning building performing a search with your crew. Your Company Officer gives you an order to proceed down a hallway to the left. Moments later, the Incident Commander (IC) comes over the radio and gives a direct order for 'all personnel to evacuate the structure immediately.' What should you do?

Accepted Answer

Immediately acknowledge the IC's order on the radio and exit the structure with your crew.

Answer

Look to your Company Officer and wait for them to confirm the IC's evacuation order.

Answer

Quickly check the hallway to the left before exiting, since you were already given that order.

Answer

Ask the IC for clarification on why the evacuation order was given before taking action.

Question 5

During overhaul operations after a house fire, you discover a small, fire-resistant safe that is partially open. Inside, you can clearly see jewelry and documents. What is the proper procedure to follow?

Accepted Answer

Do not touch the contents, immediately notify your company officer, and stand by the safe to ensure its security until the officer or a fire investigator takes custody of it.

Answer

Remove the items and give them directly to the homeowner to ensure they receive their property quickly.

Answer

Close the safe and leave it for the homeowner to find later.

Answer

Take a photo of the contents with your personal phone as evidence before securing it.

Question 6

You respond to a medical call for a patient who has fallen. Upon arrival, the patient, who is conscious and alert, becomes verbally hostile, using foul language and refusing all care. They are not a threat to themselves or others, but they refuse to let you perform an assessment. What is the most appropriate action to take?

Accepted Answer

Calmly attempt to explain the importance of an assessment and, if they still refuse, carefully document the refusal of care according to your department's protocol, ideally with a witness signature.

Answer

Leave the scene immediately, as the patient has refused care.

Answer

Inform the patient that you cannot leave until they allow you to perform a full medical assessment.

Answer

Request law enforcement to respond and compel the patient to accept medical treatment.