SEMPARO

Firefighter recruitment preparation

Prepare for firefighter recruitment.

Department hiring requirements, practice tests, interview and fitness preparation, and progress tracking, in one place.

Explore preparation toolsTry a free practice test
original practice questions
3,350original practice questions
Canadian department guides
181Canadian department guides
fitness programs for the physical tests
12fitness programs for the physical tests

Example screens from Semparo

Practice testTime left11:42

A firefighter at the base of a ladder hoists a 20 kg tool bag using a rope that passes over a single fixed pulley mounted at the top. Ignoring friction, what does the pulley do for the firefighter?

  1. AIt cuts the required pulling force in half, since the rope has two sides
  2. BIt doubles the pulling force needed to move the load upward
  3. CIt quadruples the lifting speed with no extra effort
  4. DIt changes the direction of the pull but the effort still equals the load
Department guideChecked October 2026

Calgary Fire Department (CFD)

Requirements to apply

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Eligible to work in Canada
  • No criminal activity in the past 3 years
  • High school diploma, equivalent, or journeyman certificate
  • Alberta Class 5 licence (non-GDL)

Hiring process · 10 stages

  1. 1Online application
  2. 2Aptitude: NTN Fire Express Exam plus PSSA Parts 1 and 2
  3. 3Document submission
  4. 4Process Preparation and Personal History Statement (PHS) review
  5. 5BDI panel interview
  6. 6Polygraph
Open the Calgary guide

Preparation tools

What Semparo includes

Each tool covers one part of the hiring process. Free tools are marked; the rest are part of Semparo Pro or a single section.

Department requirements

Written aptitude tests

Interview

Background

Physical test

Medical

Tracking

Try it now

Answer three practice questions

One mechanical, one math and one human relations question from the free sample set. No account needed. Each answer comes with an explanation.

Mechanical AptitudeQuestion 1 of 3
Gear A has 20 teeth and turns clockwise at 90 RPM. It meshes directly with gear B, which has 60 teeth. How does gear B turn?

Gear A has 20 teeth and turns clockwise at 90 RPM. It meshes directly with gear B, which has 60 teeth. How does gear B turn?

Select an answer, then check it.

Where you are in the process

Start from your stage

Recruitment runs in 14 steps. Pick the stage you are at to see the steps and the tools for it.

  1. 1Explore

    Steps 1 to 3

    You are deciding where to apply and what you need.

    Find a department

  2. 2Qualify

    Steps 4 to 7

    You are getting the licences, certificates and experience departments ask for.

    Build a Gap List

  3. 3Compete

    Steps 8 to 13

    You have applied and are preparing for the tests, the interview and the background check.

    Start practising

  4. 4Serve

    Step 14

    You have a conditional offer and are preparing for the academy.

    Read step 14

A closer look

How the main tools work

Department guides

Each verified guide lists the department’s requirements, its written and physical tests, the stages of its hiring process and whether it is taking applications, with links to the department’s own pages and the date they were last checked.

Browse City Guides

Calgary Fire Department (CFD)

Checked October 2026

Taking applications
Closed
Written test
NTN Fire Express
Physical test
CPAT
  1. 1Online application
  2. 2Aptitude: NTN Fire Express Exam plus PSSA Parts 1 and 2
  3. 3Document submission
  4. 4Process Preparation and Personal History Statement (PHS) review
  5. 5BDI panel interview
  6. 6Polygraph
  7. 7CPAT
  8. 8Reference check
  9. 9Selection Committee and eligibility list
  10. 10Conditional job offer

Practice tests

Ten test sections, drilled one at a time or combined into timed practice exams. Every question has a worked explanation, and your results show which sections need more work.

Open Practice Tests

Section

Questions

Interview Lab

Panels ask for specific past experiences. Build a story for each competency in the Situation, Task, Action, Result format, then practise answering a panel that asks follow-up questions.

Open Interview Lab
SSituation
TTask
AAction
RResult

The 12 competencies

  1. 1Teamwork
  2. 2Integrity
  3. 3Conflict
  4. 4Failure and learning
  5. 5Public service
  6. 6Safety
  7. 7Diversity and respect
  8. 8Pressure and composure
  9. 9Receiving feedback
  10. 10Disagreeing with authority
  11. 11Initiative and leadership
  12. 12Resilience and recovery

Fitness Programs

Each program trains for the events of one physical test over 12 weeks, with versions for the equipment you have. The programs run in Semparo Strength, the training app that logs your lifts, runs and times.

See Fitness Programs
  • Fire Test Foundation 12-Week Program
  • Fire Test Foundation + Swim 12-Week Program
  • CPAT 12-Week Training Program
  • OFAI FPAT 12-Week Program
  • WFX-FIT 12-Week Program
  • University of Alberta Evaluation 12-Week Program
  • York Firefighter Fitness Assessment 12-Week Program
  • Red Deer Polytechnic FPAT 12-Week Program
  • CFFM FPFE 12-Week Program
  • Gledhill Protocol (Halifax) 12-Week Program
  • F.A.R.E. 12-Week Program
  • VO2 Max Builder
Semparo Strength on a phone, showing a training session
Semparo Strength

Membership and pricing

Pricing

Prices in Canadian dollars. Applicable taxes are added at checkout. Subscriptions renew until you cancel, and you can cancel at any time from your account.

Free

$0

No card required

  • Every City Guide and the full roadmap
  • Gap Lists for every verified department
  • 30 sample practice questions and a new free set each month
  • Interview Logbook and sample interview questions
  • Certification Tracker and application reminders
Create a free account

Semparo Pro

$149per year

or $19 per month

Every section below in one membership

  • All 3,350 practice questions and every full practice exam
  • Interview Lab with the follow-up question panel
  • PHS Workbook
  • Every 12-week fitness program
  • ECG Rhythm Lab with all 25 rhythms and the medical question bank

One section

$12per month, each

Pay for one area only

  • Aptitude
  • Interview Lab
  • Fitness
  • PHS
  • Medical Readiness
Compare sections

Founding membership: $499 once for lifetime access, limited to 150 members. Details

Full pricing details