Tacoma Fire Test

[piphill]

Anyone taking the Tacoma fire test on June 18th? I will be flying in from Kuwait to take the test and hopefully I will be ranked in the teens or lower this time. Last year I was ranked 24th but I did not realize that was not necessarily the individual rank. Quite possibly I could have been the 200th in line. Go Seahawks!

[chawk12]

I will be there with ya hoping for the best. Have you or anyone heard how many they intend to hire this year in Tacoma?

[piphill]

I am not sure but last year the chief informed all the applicants that 40-50 guys would be hired for the 2008 year but that could be much less this time. Good luck on the test!

[piphill]

How did everyone do on the written exam on the 18th for Tacoma fire dept?

[chawk12]

I think I had 3 maybe 4 wrong. How about you?

[piphill]

That is a pretty good score only missing 3 to 4. Are you claiming veterans preference? Also what time did you test on the 18th? I tested for the 8am session and it did not seem as full compared to last year. I believe I missed 2 and now we will see how many others aced it as well. Hope to see you for the PAT around the 12th of September.

[chawk12]

I also had the 8:00am test. A good friend of mine is a Medic on Tacoma fire and they had well under a 1,000 take the test. I have veterans preference and am glad I do. I talked to a guy in line who claims he missed one on the test last year and didn't get an oral. Keep in touch. Maybe we can hook up at the PAT. I will let you know when I hear something.

[chawk12]

What branch are you in piphill? And are you still active? If so, how much time do you have left?

[piphill]

I was in the Air Force but have been out since November 1998. I am currently a firefighter in Kuwait and ready to make the move back home. Did you test last year? It seems hard to believe that someone can miss 1 on the test and not make it to the oral board. I also took public safety test when on vacation and scored only a 95%. Unless you make a 98% or better on that test, it is not even worth completing the CPAT.

[chawk12]

good luck!

[chawk12]

I was also informed that this was a good list to get on. The only reason last years list didn't run longer is that their wasn't anyone left on thier hiring list to go beyond one year. So, it is a possibility that this list could go beyond 1 year if their is sufficient people on the list. However, they could run into the ame problem the encountered last year in that only around 800 took this years test.

[piphill]

I did not get a call from Tacoma last year because I only scored an 80%. A huge botch but for Public safety test my score was 96. However, unless you score a 98 or better, forget about it. Kent fire dept had a 98.5 cut off score just to be invited for the oral board. So when I took the test on the 18th of June 08 and made a 95%, needless to say I will not even waste my time with their CPAT. I will just re-take public safety in December. As far as veterans points, I just submitted my DD214 and assume I will receive only 5%. What will you be getting? I will let you know what I have scored when the letter arrives.

[piphill]

Only 800 people took the test? What do you think about some people being finished with the exam in 22 mins? I heard one of the firefighters say I cannot believe that it only took someone 22 mins to complete the 80 question exam. I think I was finished in 40 but also took my time to review the answers.

[chawk12]

When you said you got an 80% was that your score for the oral board or was that yoru score on the written test last year? I have taken this test before and got only one wrong on a test last January, however, I don't think I did as well on this test. It was totally different from the last test on the same edition (9th edition). I will be getting 10% for veterans preference. I can't believe you are in Kuwait and don't qualify for more than 5%. So other than Kent are there any other departments in Washington or other states that will be using this study guide? F.Y.I. I also heard from a guy at Seattle's written test that Portland intends to have many positions filled with the upcoming written. Are you driving down to take that one? Let me know about that and any other tests you intend to take. I took Central Pierce County Fire and Rescues test last January and came VERY close to getting a job offer. Hopefully next year.

[piphill]

I scored a 80% on the Tacoma written last year and a 96% on the public safety test. I am just focusing on Tacoma fire until December and will then take public safety again. It is difficult to travel back and forth from Kuwait so I have to pick my testing wisely. I also might test for Seattle Police but not too sure.

[BearTech]

Anyone ever get a straight answer on what Tacoma pays for first year FF? They listed it by the hour on the app but I called HR and they said that was based on more than 40/hr per week average. I was not impressed with the people in HR, you would think I was asking for them to compute the orbit of mars for the next 100 years. All I wanted to know was what is the MONTHLY pay for FF. Every other department states it as monthly salary, so it would just be easier to compare. So I asked them what the hours per week were so I could calculate it myself and they couldn't even tell me that. It amazes me the difference in pay from department to department. Some start at $3000 a month and some are around $4800. That's a big spread.

[piphill]

Mail the results asap!

[chawk12]

Anyone hear anything yet about their written results?

[piphill]

I am still waiting as well but I expect this week for all of us!

[chawk12]

Have you heard anything beartech? July 3rd and no news on the written test yet.