LAFD FCA study guide
LAFD FCA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Firefighter Candidate Assessment (FCA) is a required, four-hour, computer-based test that is one of the initial steps in the City of Los Angeles Firefighter selection process. It is intended for candidates who want to become City of Los Angeles firefighters and who must pair a passing FCA score with a 2026 Firefighter I application for that application to be valid. The FCA evaluates general aptitude, including the ability to quickly learn new material, reasoning, comprehension of written and audio information, and basic arithmetic. The test costs $76, and both the FCA and the Firefighter I application open on March 3, 2026. The LAFD FCA study guide has 4 sections and about 1,244 words.
01General Aptitude: Quickly Learning and Applying New Material
This domain measures how quickly you absorb an unfamiliar procedure, rule set, or sequence and apply it to a scenario. Prior fire knowledge is not the target; the target is building a usable mental model from supplied material and answering only from that material.
301 words, about 2 min02Reasoning: Valid Inference, Ordering, and Constraints
Reasoning questions test deductive inference, ordering, constraint satisfaction, and recognition of unsupported assumptions. Fire-service scenarios may involve response sequence, equipment placement, rule compliance, or route logic.
326 words, about 2 min03Written and Audio Comprehension: Extracting Facts Accurately
This domain tests extracting facts from written procedures, memos, and short audio transmissions or instructions. Questions ask for the main idea, specific details, sequence, speaker purpose, numbers, and what is not stated.
293 words, about 1 min04Basic Arithmetic: Rates, Percentages, and Unit Sense
Basic arithmetic is tested without a calculator and with fire-service framing: flow rates, tank duration, elapsed time, percentages, averages, ratios, and unit conversion. Accuracy depends on setting up the operation and keeping units attached, not on speed alone.
324 words, about 2 min