Identify the test
Confirm which vendor and format your department uses, what it weights, and how long the score or certificate stays valid. No more preparing for a test you won’t sit.
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Aptitude Test Prep
Make the test measure
what you know.
Firefighter aptitude tests don’t fail smart people for being unintelligent. They fail them for being unfamiliar — with the format, the clock, and the kind of question that’s coming next. This is one-on-one preparation for the specific test your department uses, from a coach who has sat these tests and watched candidates lose marks they didn’t need to lose.
Test date booked? Say so when you book the call and we’ll build the plan to fit.
Why candidates underperform
It’s rarely the content.
It’s the format.
A mechanical reasoning question about pulleys is not hard. Forty of them in fifteen minutes, after a reading section, with a score that’s forty percent of your ranking — that’s hard, if it’s the first time you’ve done it.
Preparation turns the test back into what it’s meant to be: a measure of your aptitude, not of how you cope with surprise.
- You run out of time on sections you could have finished with a pacing plan.
- Mechanical reasoning is a blind spot because nobody has ever shown you the six patterns.
- You prepared for the wrong test — a generic book when your department uses a specific vendor.
- Situational judgement feels like guessing when it’s actually testing fire service values.
The work
Three steps to
a score you control.
Find the leak
A baseline run under real conditions shows where the marks are going — usually one or two sections, not all of them. That’s where the practice goes.
Practise with a plan
Timed, structured, tracked. Mechanical reasoning patterns, arithmetic speed, map and spatial drills, and situational judgement grounded in what the fire service actually values.
What's included
Preparation for
your test, not a test.
The single biggest mistake candidates make at this stage is preparing generically. Every vendor has a format, a weighting and a style, and a candidate who knows theirs walks in with an edge nobody else in the room has bothered to get.
I’ve served more than 15 years in the fire service and coached candidates through OFAI, NTN and department-run tests. The content isn’t the secret. The familiarity is.
It starts with a free 30-minute call. Know your department and test date if you have them.
What’s included
- Test identification for each department you’re targeting
- Baseline assessment under timed conditions
- Section-by-section practice plan with pacing targets
- Mechanical reasoning pattern walkthrough
- Situational judgement framed around fire service values
- Check-ins and adjustments through to test day
The details
Book a Free CallProof it works
Candidates who came
prepared.
Verified reviews from Mathew’s Google Business Profile.
“
This personalized program supported me through my fire application process. Not only did it set me up for success at every stage, I felt that I had a greater understanding of the firefighter culture as a whole.
SS
Spencer SmithGoogle
“
Mat has been an incredible support in my journey to become a firefighter. He speaks from a depth of experience that instills confidence in anyone interested in the field.
E
EvanGoogle
“
Great experience with this company. They helped me prepare for interviews and taught me how to structure answers using the STAR format, which made my responses much clearer and more confident. Highly recommend their coaching to anyone looking to improve their interview skills.
PB
Patrick BolivarGoogle
Free download
The Firefighter Interview
Prep Checklist.
Twenty-two things to have done before you walk into the panel room, in the order to do them. Built from fifteen years on the job and every mock interview I’ve run.
- The four things the panel scores that candidates never prepare for
- A one-page STAR answer builder you can fill in by hand
- The night-before and morning-of routine that keeps nerves usable
- The three questions to ask the panel — and the two never to ask
Free · PDF · 3 pages
Get the checklist
The other stages
Testing is one gate.
Here are the rest.
The programFire Recruitment Coaching
Stage-by-stage, one-on-one, from first application to badge.
Stage 3Interview CoachingMock panels, STAR answers, feedback from someone who has sat on the other side.
Stage 1Résumé & ApplicationGet past the filter that eliminates more candidates than any interview.
Free guideHow to Become a FirefighterRequirements, stages, certifications and timelines by province.
Questions
Test prep,
answered.
Which aptitude test will I actually face?
It depends on the department. Ontario departments largely use OFAI’s Stage One Firefighter Aptitude and Character Test, with some using CPS or OS tests through Gledhill Shaw. Calgary runs its aptitude test through the National Testing Network. Edmonton runs its own virtual test and weights it at forty percent of your total score. The first thing we do is confirm exactly which test your department uses.
What do these tests actually cover?
Broadly the same territory: reading comprehension, arithmetic and numerical reasoning, mechanical reasoning, spatial and map-based problems, memory and observation, and situational or character judgement. Edmonton’s adds a teamwork and public-speaking component. The weighting and format differ, which is why we prepare for your specific test rather than a generic one.
I haven’t done a math or reading test since high school. Is it too late?
No. Most of what the tests measure is fluency under time pressure, not advanced ability. The math is arithmetic and ratios; the reading is comprehension and instruction-following. What candidates lack is familiarity with the format and the clock. That is exactly what structured practice fixes.
Is this a course or a tutor?
Neither, quite. It’s coaching: we identify which sections are costing you marks, build a practice plan around those, and I check in on the work. If you need dedicated tutoring on one component — mechanical reasoning is the common one — I’ll say so and point you to good resources rather than pretend one-on-one coaching is the cheapest way to drill arithmetic.
How far ahead should I start?
Six to eight weeks of consistent practice is comfortable for most candidates. Two weeks is workable if you’re starting from a reasonable base. OFAI certificates and NTN scores carry validity periods, so it also pays to think about when you sit the test relative to the postings you’re targeting.
Do you cover the physical test too?
I’ll tell you exactly what the physical component involves for your department — CPAT, OFAI’s FPAT, Edmonton’s fitness test in full PPE — and how to structure training for it. Programming that training is a strength coach’s job, and I’ll refer you rather than freelance it. The province guide lists what each test involves.
This is the next step
The test should measure
you, not your nerves.
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. Bring your test date and department.
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