CPAT

In 2022, FCTC published the first issue of its biannual newsletter, The FCTC Advantage. The newsletter is designed to help FCTC stay better connected with participating and prospective fire agencies in California, local unions who support FCTC, and HR personnel involved in fire department hiring. It provides an opportunity for readers to get a glimpse of FCTC and the many programs in place to enhance recruitment, test preparation, and accessibility. Rigorous and job-specific, the CPAT is the internationally recognized standard for assessing physical ability for entry-level firefighters. Successful candidates receive the FCTC CPAT Card of Completion, an increasingly universal indication that an individual has the core physical skills to be a front line firefighter. The Written Test is a rigorous, fair and fully validated test developed by an Advisory Committee of subject-matter experts and fire service professionals under the guidance of the Cal-JAC.

Preparing for the Written Test

It is a general-knowledge test consisting of 100 questions customized for firefighter candidates, drawing examples from the fire service itself. FCTC maintains a list of eligible candidates to be used by California fire departments during their hiring process. If you are on the FCTC Statewide Eligibility List, you will be seen by fire departments up and down California that are looking to hire. Candidates who pass the CPAT and the FCTC Written Test are placed on the Statewide Eligibility List (SEL), which is used by over 150 fire departments in their hiring processes. The SEL is a powerful tool for fire departments to utilize alongside their own recruitment efforts to cast a wider net and capture a larger and more diverse pool of applicants who have met the minimum requirements desired for hire. The Firefighter Candidate Testing Center’s Written Test provides departments with an effective baseline assessment of a candidate’s ability to handle core tasks required of a firefighter.

  • Once a fire department has accepted the Cal-JAC CPAT, it has access to a pool of candidates who have completed the CPAT at any FCTC facility.
  • FCTC also provides a complete online Orientation Guide, with detailed information about the test events.
  • The FCTC CPAT is administered by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) at one of four FCTC locations  Livermore, Sacramento, South El Monte and San Diego County (Carlsbad).

The FCTC CPAT is administered by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) at one of four FCTC locations  Livermore, Sacramento, South El Monte and San Diego County (Carlsbad). Since 2004, more than 30,000 candidates have taken the CPAT through Cal-JAC. The FCTC written test is administered on-site at our FCTC facilities. Test participants are not allowed to bring anything into the test or take anything away. A signed, legally-binding non-disclosure agreement covers every individual involved with the creation and administration of the test, including the advisory committee. Candidates will then have 2 hours to complete 100 multiple choice questions.

  • On test day, you will be required to show proper government-issued identification.
  • The Firefighter Candidate Testing Centers — formerly the CPAT Testing Centers — were established in 2004 by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC).
  • Candidates also fail if they do not complete the eight events within the 10-minute, 20-second time limit.
  • Technical guidance and validation was conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Savitsky, a recognized national expert with 30 years of experience in public safety personnel development.
  • The general knowledge test evaluates candidates’ ability to think critically and process information and is specifically tailored to the job of an entry-level firefighter in California.

Statewide Eligibility List (SEL)

The FCTC Written Test has been validated in accordance with standards established through the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures, based on a comprehensive survey of department needs. Technical guidance and validation was conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Savitsky, a recognized national expert with 30 years of experience in public safety personnel development. Dr. Savitsky conducted the validation for the Candidate Physical Ability Test. The FCTC Written Test was developed from the ground up by a 16-member panel of experts — fire chiefs, line firefighters, recruitment officers and human resource professionals, from departments large and small.

In order to better prepare candidates for the Written Test, FCTC has created a free study guide that covers all four sections of the exam, providing study tips and sample questions for prospective test takers. The Cal-JAC knows just how physically and mentally demanding the profession can be. FCTC also offers preparatory sessions for both the fctconline CPAT and the Written Test for maximum success. In addition to orientation, candidates have the option to sign up for at least two (2) timed practice runs prior to the test itself. Unlike orientation, practice tests are a full-scale simulation of the test.