Mastering the Fire Service Assessment Center

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By Anthony Kastros, Battalion Chief, Sacramento Metro Fire District

In this book, Chief Kastros identifies the key knowledge, skills and abilities required for success in the assessment center promotional process. Assessment centers are widely used by fire departments throughout the country. Unfortunately, many candidates fail to prepare for the test by failing to prepare for the position they seek.

Whether you are aspiring to be a lieutenant, captain, battalion chief or above, this book will give you the tools to establish a personal plan for success in the test and in the position. It is written in a humorous, matter-of-fact style that makes it easy to understand and retain.

The reader is taught to truly prepare for the position and make the mental paradigm shift from test candidate to incumbent officer, which is a very unique and effective method. The book provides the reader with the tools needed to create his/her own plan for success. A personal self-assessment helps the aspiring officer evaluate his/her current status and leadership style. This baseline provides the foundation to get the reader asking questions about real-world scenarios that are mimicked in the testing arena.

Features & benefits:

• Gain a better understanding of what an assessment center is
• Contains test exercises, sample problems, rating criteria, scoring sheets, assessor selection and common pitfalls
• Learn the 27 knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAŒëís) spanning the 3 dimensions of leadership, management and emergency scene operations
• Gain an in-depth understanding of how to develop KSAs to succeed in the test and the position

Table of Contents

• Foreword by Chief Alan V. Brunacini, Phoenix Fire Department
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Elimination of barriers
• Assessment center orientation
• The mentality
• The KSAs to be an excellent officer
• Assessment center exercises and key points
• Mock exercises
• Additional key points and common pitfalls
• Developing your plan
• Interviews

197 pages/8.5x11/Hardcover/2006

ISBN10 1-59370-077-6