Philly Firefighter cheat sheet

Reading comprehension rule: the correct answer must be supported by the passage text alone; an answer that is true in real life but absent from the passage is wrong.

Main-idea questions ask what the passage is mostly about; detail questions ask what the passage says about one specific item; never swap the two.

Inference questions permit only what must follow from the stated facts - 'probably' or 'could be' answers that add new assumptions are traps.

Order-of-operations chain: parentheses, exponents, multiply/divide left to right, add/subtract left to right. 12 + 3 × (8 − 5) = 21.

Percent change = (new − old) ÷ old × 100. A rise from 40 to 50 is +25%; a fall from 50 to 40 is −20%.

Rate problems: distance = rate × time, so time = distance ÷ rate. 45 miles at 30 mph takes 1.5 hours.

Ratios and proportions: set up cross-multiplication. If 3 nozzles need 750 gpm, 5 nozzles need 750 × 5 ÷ 3 = 1,250 gpm.

Spatial/mechanical reasoning: a lever balances when load × load arm = effort × effort arm; longer effort arm means less force needed.

Sequences and logic: check differences between terms first, then ratios; on 'if A then B' items, only 'not B therefore not A' is valid.

Event order in the standard CPAT sequence: stair climb, hose drag, equipment carry, ladder raise and extension, forcible entry, search, rescue drag, ceiling breach and pull.

Stair climb standard: 3 minutes on a stepmill at 60 steps per minute wearing a 50 lb vest; the test is pass/fail on completing the time without stopping or touching rails for support.

Hose drag: pull a charged 1¾-inch line 75 feet, then 25 feet more with a 90-degree turn; stay low, drive with legs, keep the nozzle under control.

Equipment carry: two 12-lb saws carried 75 feet out and 75 feet back around a drum; grip and posture matter more than speed.

Ladder raise and extension: raise a 24-foot extension ladder hand over hand, then extend it using the halyard; both must be done without letting the ladder fall.

Forcible entry: drive a 10-lb sledgehammer into a target until the beam moves a set distance; short, controlled strokes beat wild swings.

Search: crawl a 150-foot maze in reduced visibility with gloves and a blackout mask, staying in contact with walls and turns.

Rescue drag: drag a 165-lb mannequin 35 feet by a shoulder harness; keep the back straight and pull with legs.

Fire tetrahedron: fuel, oxygen, heat, and chemical chain reaction; removing any one leg extinguishes the fire.

Flashover occurs when all combustibles in a compartment ignite nearly simultaneously, usually at 1,100–1,200°F; warning signs include rollover and rapid heat rise.

Backdraft requires a fuel-rich, oxygen-starved compartment; opening it suddenly admits air and can cause an explosive ignition.

SCBA: 30-minute rated cylinder at a 40–50% safety factor; follow the rule of air - turn around at half the cylinder, and never remove the mask in a hazardous atmosphere.

PPE: turnout coat and pants, helmet, hood, gloves, and boots; PASS device worn on the body, activated on entry, and checked before every fire.

Ladder placement: 75-degree angle, tip 3–5 feet above the roof edge for roof access, base one-quarter of the working length from the wall.

Hose: 1¾-inch attack line flows about 150–200 gpm; friction loss rises with the square of flow, so doubling gpm quadruples friction loss.

Water supply: a standard pumper drafts or hydrants at 1,000–1,500 gpm; relay pumping uses multiple engines to move water long distances.

Ventilation: vertical ventilation releases hot gases upward; horizontal ventilation uses windows and doors; never ventilate before a charged line is ready.

Integrity rule: report your own errors immediately and truthfully; concealing a mistake compounds the violation.

Chain-of-command rule: route operational decisions through the company officer; bypassing it is acceptable only when immediate safety requires it.

Radio communication: identify unit and person, state the problem, state your location, and request specific resources; keep transmissions short.

Conflict on scene: address unsafe behavior directly and calmly, then escalate to the officer if the behavior continues.

Community interaction: treat residents with respect, explain what you are doing, and protect privacy; never argue with a complainant in public.

Teamwork: volunteers for tasks you can safely perform, and report when you are unable to continue rather than silently falling behind.

Documentation: record facts and times as observed; opinions and speculation belong nowhere in a report.

Peer pressure: refusing to participate in a hazing or unsafe prank is correct even if it makes you unpopular with the crew.

Fire tetrahedron: fuel, oxygen, heat, and chemical chain reaction; removing any one leg extinguishes the fire.

Flashover occurs when all combustibles in a compartment ignite nearly simultaneously, usually at 1,100–1,200°F; warning signs include rollover and rapid heat rise.

Backdraft requires a fuel-rich, oxygen-starved compartment; opening it suddenly admits air and can cause an explosive ignition.

SCBA: 30-minute rated cylinder at a 40–50% safety factor; follow the rule of air - turn around at half the cylinder, and never remove the mask in a hazardous atmosphere.

PPE: turnout coat and pants, helmet, hood, gloves, and boots; PASS device worn on the body, activated on entry, and checked before every fire.

Ladder placement: 75-degree angle, tip 3–5 feet above the roof edge for roof access, base one-quarter of the working length from the wall.

Hose: 1¾-inch attack line flows about 150–200 gpm; friction loss rises with the square of flow, so doubling gpm quadruples friction loss.

Water supply: a standard pumper drafts or hydrants at 1,000–1,500 gpm; relay pumping uses multiple engines to move water long distances.

Ventilation: vertical ventilation releases hot gases upward; horizontal ventilation uses windows and doors; never ventilate before a charged line is ready.