The written firefighter exams are required for entry-level paid positions as firefighters. The exams vary but all test your ability to read and understand English, as well as your capacity to learn and perform the work of a firefighter.

Most exams include questions about the following: understanding job information; applying laws, rules, and regulations to job situations; recognizing appropriate behavior in job situations; understanding mechanical devices; and remembering details of a floor layout. In addition to the written portion, you must also participate in an interview and a physical ability test in which you simulate a firefighter's actual job tasks.