Oral boards often include “Situational Questions”.  These are questions that require the candidate to answer as to what they would do when faced with situations regarding safety, conflicting orders, alcohol/drugs, gambling, etc.

The way to handle these questions is to think through what these questions are about as a whole and how to frame their answer for any situation that comes up.  Then, if you believe in what you’re saying, don’t be led astray by the inevitable follow up questions.

Here are three short lessons to ensure you answer any “situational question” in the most effective way possible:

Lesson Number One:

Think like a beginner…

You’re answering your Oral Board Interview questions as a potential entry level firefighter (read:  Boot Rookie).   Your job in the situation is to do one thing:

Act in a manner that reflects the values of the department while being someone you’d want working for you.  Suffice it to say that this person wouldn’t be a “know it all”, would be skilled in using tact in uncomfortable situations, would know how to follow orders, and would act in a manner that reflected a healthy set of values.

Lesson Number Two:

Make sure you know what happened…

Don’t get caught in the trap of  assuming  anything.  Your answer should reflect the possibility (read:  likelihood) that you can’t see, hear, smell, or feel the whole situation and so you’ll follow the direction of your SOP’s and superiors until something overwhelming forces you to do something else.

Lesson Number Three:

Know there’s a follow up…Be consistent until you absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt…can’t.

You know that there will likely be follow up queries on whatever answer you give that will attempt to push you in another direction, so just answer those queries with Lesson 1 and 2 in mind.  For example, you’re faced with a question of following orders in a situation that increasingly appears to be “unsafe”.  In the oral board, you must believe that its likely  your superiors know something about the scene that you don’t, that your job is to follow the orders given so that other team members can count on your assignment’s completion, and to default to “safety first” if the situation becomes so obviously unsafe that you’d be an absolute fool to continue.  (Think:  The roof is clearly collapsing as your Captain orders you to run underneath it.)

I’m here to help…

Paul