Firefighter I and II Written Certification Exam (NFPA 1010)
The written test for Firefighter I and II certification — every job performance requirement in NFPA 1010, the standard behind IFSAC- and Pro Board-accredited state exams.
About the exam
Firefighter I and Firefighter II are the professional qualifications every career and most volunteer firefighters earn. Certification is issued by your state fire training agency (or an accredited academy) and is accredited nationally through IFSAC and/or the Pro Board, so it carries across many states. Each level has a written exam and a hands-on skills exam, and you must pass both.
Since 2024 the requirements live in NFPA 1010, which consolidated NFPA 1001 (firefighter) with the driver/operator, airport and marine firefighter standards. Firefighter I is in Chapter 6 and Firefighter II in Chapter 7. Most state written exams draw from IFSTA's Essentials of Fire Fighting or Jones & Bartlett's Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills. A typical state format is 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours for Firefighter I and 50 questions in 1 hour for Firefighter II, with 70% to pass — but each state sets its own rules. Hazardous materials awareness and operations (NFPA 470) is usually a prerequisite or part of the same program.
Our practice covers every Firefighter I and II requirement with original scenario questions — fire dynamics and flow path, building construction, SCBA and air management, ladders, hose and water supply, ventilation, search, suppression, hazmat and the Firefighter II topics — plus worked cases, flashcards and illustrated guides, and a timed 150-question practice test that mirrors a combined FF I/II written exam.
How we track your progress
Every blueprint domain moves through five levels as you study:
- Not startedNo questions answered in this domain yet.
- Getting startedFirst questions answered — not enough yet to judge.
- DevelopingAt least 5 answered and 50% or better on your recent questions.
- ProficientAt least 15 answered and 70% or better on your recent questions.
- Exam readyAt least 25 answered, 80% or better recently, and holding up on hard questions.
The exam blueprint
NFPA 1010, Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters, 2024 edition — Chapter 6 (Firefighter I) and Chapter 7 (Firefighter II), which replaced NFPA 1001 (2019). Hazardous materials awareness and operations follow NFPA 470. Content tracks IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th edition (2024). — Firefighter I job performance requirements (safety, communications, building construction, fire dynamics, PPE and SCBA, extinguishers, ropes, ladders, forcible entry, search and rescue, ventilation, hose and water supply, suppression, overhaul, first aid) plus hazmat awareness/operations and the Firefighter II requirements (command, extrication, foam, fire cause, testing, community risk reduction). Tap a domain to see its topics.
1 Fire Service Orientation & Safety FF I · about 7% of the exam
30 practice questions in this domain so far
2 Communications FF I · about 5% of the exam
21 practice questions in this domain so far
3 Building Construction FF I/II · about 5% of the exam
24 practice questions in this domain so far
4 Fire Dynamics FF I · about 7% of the exam
30 practice questions in this domain so far
5 PPE & SCBA FF I · about 6% of the exam
27 practice questions in this domain so far
6 Portable Fire Extinguishers FF I · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
7 Ropes, Knots & Hoisting FF I · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
8 Ground Ladders FF I · about 4% of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
9 Forcible Entry FF I · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
10 Search & Rescue FF I · about 4% of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
11 Tactical Ventilation FF I · about 5% of the exam
21 practice questions in this domain so far
12 Water Supply, Hose & Streams FF I · about 9% of the exam
39 practice questions in this domain so far
13 Fire Suppression FF I · about 6% of the exam
27 practice questions in this domain so far
14 Overhaul, Property Conservation & Scene Preservation FF I · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
15 Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operations FF I prerequisite · about 5% of the exam
24 practice questions in this domain so far
16 First Aid Provider FF I · about 3% of the exam
12 practice questions in this domain so far
17 FF II: Incident Scene Operations & Command FF II · about 4% of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
18 FF II: Technical Rescue & Vehicle Extrication FF II · about 4% of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
19 FF II: Foam, Liquid & Gas Fires FF II · about 4% of the exam
18 practice questions in this domain so far
20 FF II: Fire Origin & Cause FF II · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
21 FF II: Maintenance & Testing FF II · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
22 FF II: Community Risk Reduction FF II · about 3% of the exam
15 practice questions in this domain so far
What you get when you access this exam
Free with your QuizMe account.
Every FF I and FF II requirement
Questions are tagged to the NFPA 1010 Firefighter I and II job performance requirements and the matching IFSTA Essentials chapters, plus hazmat awareness and operations.
Hints that teach
Reveal the rule, number or safety principle behind the question when you're stuck. Every answer explains why the right choice is right and why the others aren't.
Adaptive practice
Questions steer toward your weakest areas, weighted like the written exam, and get harder as you get stronger.
Timed practice tests
150 questions in 3 hours — about the length of a combined FF I and FF II written exam — with full review.
Cases, flashcards and guides
Worked fireground cases, flashcards for the numbers and terms, and illustrated guides you explore hotspot by hotspot.
Progress in every area
Each area moves from Not started to Exam ready, so you know exactly what to study next.
Test at home or at a center
You test through your state fire training agency or an accredited academy after completing an approved Firefighter I/II course. Your instructor or agency schedules the written and skills exams; formats, fees and retake rules vary by state.
Written exam
- Multiple-choice questions drawn from the textbook your program uses (often IFSTA Essentials, 8th edition, or Jones & Bartlett Fundamentals).
- Commonly 100 questions in 2 hours for Firefighter I and 50 in 1 hour for Firefighter II, with 70% to pass.
- Bring the photo ID and paperwork your agency requires; many tests are proctored at academies or regional sites.
- Some states allow retesting only after a waiting period or a new fee — check your agency's handbook.
Skills exam
- Hands-on stations drawn from the job performance requirements — for example, don PPE and SCBA, raise a ladder, advance a hoseline, search, ventilate, and attack a fire.
- Each station is scored pass/fail against a skill sheet; some states allow a second attempt on a failed station the same day.
- Practice every skill sheet in full PPE until it's automatic — speed and safety both count.
- Physical ability (CPAT or a state test) may be required before or during the academy.
Exam-day game plan
How to walk in ready — and how to pace 150 questions in 3 hours — a combined FF I + FF II written exam.
Pacing checkpoints
Our timed test combines Firefighter I and II into one 150-question, 3-hour exam. Many states give them as separate exams — typically 100 questions in 2 hours for FF I and 50 in 1 hour for FF II. The hands-on skills exam is not simulated.
The week before
- Take one full timed practice test 3–5 days out, then review every miss.
- Drill the numbers that show up again and again: ladder angle and climbing angle, SCBA and hose sizes, fire stages, ERG color sections.
- Review your program's textbook chapter summaries — state exams are written from them.
- Confirm your exam time, location and what ID and forms to bring.
During the exam
- Read for the cue word: first, best, most important, primary. Safety and life safety come first.
- When two answers are both true, pick the one that matches the standard procedure in the textbook, not a department habit.
- Watch for 'except' and 'not' questions.
- Answer every question — mark the hard ones and come back.
Keep your head
- A few unfamiliar questions are normal; they may be unscored or from a chapter you skimmed.
- Don't change an answer unless you find a specific reason in the question.
- If you freeze, take three slow breaths and reread the stem.
After you certify
- Your certificate comes from your state agency and lists the IFSAC and/or Pro Board seal it was issued under.
- Many states require continuing education or periodic recertification to keep it active — check your agency's rules.
- Firefighter II usually requires Firefighter I first; many firefighters also add hazmat operations, Driver/Operator and EMT.
- Reciprocity between states depends on the accrediting seal and the receiving state's policies.
Official sources and further reading
- NFPA 1010 — Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters ↗The standard that replaced NFPA 1001 for Firefighter I and II.
- Missouri Division of Fire Safety — Fire Fighter I/II ↗Example state program: written exam lengths, 70% passing standard, IFSAC/Pro Board accreditation.
- IFSTA — Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th edition ↗The textbook most state written exams are built from (NFPA 1010, 2024).
Ready to start?
450 questions and scenarios across the blueprint — and growing.
QuizMe and thinQtank Learning are not affiliated with NFPA, IFSTA, IFSAC, the Pro Board or any state fire training agency. All questions are original. NFPA 1010 is a registered standard of the National Fire Protection Association. Exam formats, passing scores and prerequisites vary by state — always confirm with your certifying agency. Follow your department's SOPs on the fireground.