Earning your Firefighter I and Firefighter II certifications is one of the biggest milestones in a fire service career. For most departments, these certifications are the baseline that shows you can work safely on a fireground as part of a crew. The written exam covers a lot of ground, from fire dynamics and SCBA to ladders, hose, rescue, and hazardous materials, so it is normal to feel a little overwhelmed at the start.
The good news is that the exam is built on a published national standard and a small set of widely used textbooks. Once you know how the content is organized, you can study with a clear plan.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how Firefighter I & II testing works, what each major area covers, the resources worth using, and the questions candidates ask most.
What Is the Firefighter I & II Exam?
Firefighter I and Firefighter II are professional qualification levels defined by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Unlike many certifications, no single national testing company issues them. Instead, certification is issued by your state fire training agency or another authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), such as a state fire marshal’s office, a state fire academy, or a university-based fire service training program.
Many of these agencies are accredited by the National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications (Pro Board) or the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC). Accreditation is what makes your certification portable and recognized outside your home state.
- Firefighter I is the entry level. A Firefighter I works under direct supervision as a member of a team.
- Firefighter II builds on Firefighter I. A Firefighter II may operate under general supervision, coordinate a small team’s interior attack line, and take on duties such as vehicle extrication, fire cause protection, and public education.
Most candidates complete a fire academy or accredited course and then take the certification exams at the end of the program, often testing for both levels back to back.
What Standard Is the Firefighter I & II Exam Based On?
The current standard is NFPA 1010, Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters (2024 edition). NFPA 1010 consolidated several older professional qualifications standards, including NFPA 1001, the standard that used to define Firefighter I and II. In NFPA 1010, Chapter 6 covers Firefighter I and Chapter 7 covers Firefighter II.
The standard is written as job performance requirements (JPRs). Each JPR describes a task (for example, “set up ground ladders”), the conditions it is performed under, the required knowledge, and the required skills. Written exam questions test the knowledge side of those JPRs, while skills stations test the hands-on side.
The Pocket Prep Firefighter I & II exam version is based on the IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition, and covers the Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 JPRs of NFPA 1010 (2024). If your academy is still teaching from the 7th edition and NFPA 1001 (2019), the core skills are very similar, but check which edition your certifying agency uses to write its test bank.
What Is the Firefighter I & II Exam Format?
Because each state or AHJ runs its own testing, the exact format varies. Here is what you can generally expect:
- Two parts: a written, multiple-choice knowledge exam and a practical skills evaluation drawn from the JPRs.
- Separate levels: Firefighter I and Firefighter II are usually tested and certified separately, even when taken on the same day.
- Written exam length: set by your agency. Many written exams fall roughly in the 100 to 150 question range.
- Passing score: set by your agency. Your academy or state certification office can tell you the exact cut score.
- Skills testing: typically a set of randomly selected skill stations (for example, SCBA donning, ladder raises, hose advancement, knots) graded on a pass/fail checklist.
- Results: vary by state, but written results are often available immediately or within days.
- Test dates: scheduled by your academy or state, usually at the end of a training program.
Ask your instructor or certifying agency for its candidate information sheet early. It will list the number of questions, time limit, passing score, retest policy, and the reference texts its questions are drawn from.
What Subjects Are on the Firefighter I & II Exam?
NFPA 1010 groups the Firefighter JPRs into the functional areas below. Your state does not publish percentage weights the way many certification exams do, so use the size of each area in the textbook and your course hours as a guide. Fireground operations is by far the largest area.
Fire Department Communications
This area covers how you receive, relay, and document information. It sounds simple, but questions test exact procedures and radio discipline.
- Initiate the response to a reported emergency and handle business and emergency phone calls.
- Transmit and receive radio messages using proper procedures and plain language.
- Activate an emergency call for assistance (Mayday) when trapped, lost, or in trouble.
- Firefighter II: complete a basic incident report and communicate the need for team assistance.
Study tip: Know when to call a Mayday and the information to include, such as your unit, location, and situation, often remembered as LUNAR (Location, Unit, Name, Assignment, Resources needed).
Fireground Operations
This is the heart of both levels. It includes personal protective equipment (PPE), self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), forcible entry, ladders, search, ventilation, water supply, hose streams, fire suppression, and overhaul.
- Use SCBA during emergency operations and exit a hazardous area as a team.
- Force entry, set up ground ladders, and conduct search and rescue in a structure.
- Perform horizontal and vertical ventilation in coordination with fire attack.
- Connect an engine to a water supply, attack interior structure fires, and extinguish vehicle, exterior Class A, and ground cover fires.
- Extinguish incipient fires with portable extinguishers, control utilities, illuminate the scene, and perform overhaul and property conservation.
- Firefighter II: coordinate an interior attack line, control Class B fires with foam, control flammable gas cylinder fires, and protect evidence of fire origin and cause.
What questions look like: Expect scenario questions about fire behavior indicators, nozzle and stream selection, ladder angles, and the order of tactical priorities.
Rescue Operations
At the Firefighter II level, rescue expands beyond structural search to vehicle extrication and support roles at technical rescues.
- Extricate a victim entrapped in a motor vehicle, including vehicle stabilization and glass and door management.
- Assist rescue teams at special operations such as trench, confined space, rope, water, and structural collapse incidents.
Fire and Life Safety Initiatives
This Firefighter II area is about preventing fires and injuries before they happen.
- Perform a fire safety survey in an occupied structure and identify hazards.
- Present fire safety information to station visitors and community groups.
- Prepare a pre-incident survey of a building.
Preparedness and Maintenance
Firefighters are responsible for keeping equipment ready for service.
- Clean, inspect, and maintain ladders, ropes, hose, tools, and equipment.
- Firefighter II: test and maintain power plants, power tools, and lighting equipment, and perform the annual service test on fire hose.
Hazardous Materials and Emergency Medical Care
NFPA 1010 also requires Firefighter I candidates to meet hazardous materials awareness and operations-level competencies under NFPA 470 and emergency medical care requirements set by the AHJ. Many academies test these together with Firefighter I, so expect questions on recognizing hazmat incidents, using the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), isolation zones, basic decontamination, and first aid and CPR.
How Should You Use the Firefighter I & II Blueprint to Study?
The textbook chapters map closely to the JPRs, which makes it easy to build a plan.
- Get your agency’s details. Confirm the written exam length, passing score, reference texts, and whether hazmat is tested separately.
- Take a baseline. A mixed quiz early in your academy shows which chapters need the most time.
- Tie every miss to a JPR. If you missed a ladder question, note whether it was about placement, angle, or parts. Patterns show up fast.
- Weight your time. Spend the most time on fireground topics like fire dynamics, SCBA, hose, ladders, and ventilation, but do not skip smaller areas like communications and maintenance.
- Link written and practical study. When you practice a skill sheet, quiz yourself on the “why” behind each step. That knowledge is exactly what written questions test.
What Official Resources Should You Use?
- NFPA 1010 (2024): the standard that defines the Firefighter I and II JPRs. NFPA offers free read-only access to its standards online.
- Your state or AHJ candidate information: the most important document for format, passing score, and retest rules.
- IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition: the Firefighter I and Firefighter II manuals, plus the course workbook and skill sheets.
- Fundamentals of Firefighter Skills and Hazardous Materials Response, 5th Edition (Jones & Bartlett Learning): another commonly used academy text.
- IFSTA Hazardous Materials for First Responders, 6th Edition: used for NFPA 470 awareness and operations content.
- Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG): free from the U.S. Department of Transportation and heavily used in hazmat questions.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Firefighter I & II Exam
Who administers the Firefighter I & II exam?
Your state fire training agency or local AHJ. Look for Pro Board or IFSAC accreditation if you want your certification recognized by other states.
What is the passing score?
The certifying agency sets it. Ask your academy or state certification office for the current cut score.
Do I have to take Firefighter I before Firefighter II?
Yes. Firefighter II builds on Firefighter I, and you must meet Firefighter I requirements before you can be certified at Firefighter II.
Did the standard change recently?
Yes. NFPA 1010 (2024) replaced NFPA 1001 as the standard for Firefighter I and II, and IFSTA released the 8th edition of Essentials to match it. The core job tasks are largely the same, but updated content includes current fire behavior research and firefighter health topics like cancer prevention.
What happens if I fail?
Retest rules vary. Many agencies allow a retest after a waiting period, sometimes with a limit on attempts before retraining is required. Check your agency’s policy.
Does Firefighter I & II certification expire?
It depends on your state. Some certifications do not expire, while others require renewal or continuing education. Your department may also have its own training requirements.
Start Preparing for the Firefighter I & II Exam With Pocket Prep
Pocket Prep’s Firefighter I & II exam prep includes 1,000 practice questions aligned to IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th Edition, each with a detailed explanation, plus a full-length mock exam. Use Weakest Subject and Missed Questions to focus your study around academy shifts. You’ve already done the hard work in training. Now go show what you know.
