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CHEAT SHEET · TT FIRE SERVICE

TT Fire Service Cheat Sheet.
The night-before summary, built like the exam.

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Weighted to the current exam outline·15-minute scanVerified against the official content outline
By Vincent Ruan, EA, CFP®Published August 14, 2026
Drill weak spots →

The recruitment pipeline

  • Apply on EmployTT during the advertised window → written entrance exam (set and managed by the Public Service Commission) → merit list → Physical Aptitude Test (Fire Service School) → interview (Fire Service selection committee) → medical (Government Medical Officer) → recruit training at the Fire Service School → appointment on 1 year probation.
  • Eligibility: T&T citizen · age 18-35 · good character (Certificate of Character) · 3 CSEC/CXC/GCE passes with English A compulsory (Grades I-II, or III after 1998).
  • No question count, time limit, or pass mark is published — ranking is by order of merit, so every extra mark counts.

Math formulas that score

  • Speed = distance ÷ time. Minutes to hours: divide by 60. (42 km in 35 min = 42 ÷ (35/60) = 72 km/h)
  • Percentage change = (difference ÷ original) × 100 — always the original.
  • Reverse percentage: whole = part ÷ (percent/100). 1,800 L at 60% full → 1,800 ÷ 0.6 = 3,000 L.
  • Ratio shares: total ÷ (sum of parts) × each part. 180 in 2:3:4 → 40, 60, 80.
  • Rectangle: area = l × w; perimeter = 2(l + w). Tank volume: l × w × d; 1 m³ = 1,000 L.
  • Pythagoras: a² + b² = c²; memorize 3-4-5 and 6-8-10 for ladder problems.
  • Mean = sum ÷ count; missing value = (mean × count) − known sum.
  • Combined work: add rates (1/a + 1/b), then invert. Fill 2 h + fill 3 h → 5/6 per hour → 1 h 12 min.

English rules examiners love

  • Verb agrees with the head noun, not the nearest noun: "The list of checks is..."
  • Neither/nor: verb agrees with the nearer subject.
  • Fewer for countables, less for uncountables.
  • Its = possessive; it's = it is. Plural possessive: recruits' lockers.
  • Since + date → present perfect ("has improved since 2020").
  • Spelling traps: occurrence, maintenance, separate, necessary, flammable.
  • Idioms: ear to the ground = stay informed; eleventh hour = last moment; blessing in disguise = misfortune that turns out well; extra mile = beyond duty.

T&T civics in one breath

  • Independence 31 Aug 1962 (first PM: Dr. Eric Williams); Republic 1976, Republic Day 24 Sep.
  • Motto: Together We Aspire, Together We Achieve; anthem opens "Forged from the love of liberty."
  • Symbols: Scarlet Ibis + Cocrico (birds), Chaconia (flower), steelpan (instrument).
  • Capital Port of Spain; Tobago's chief town Scarborough (Tobago House of Assembly); Pitch Lake at La Brea; highest peak El Cerro del Aripo; Parliament = Senate + House of Representatives.
  • CARICOM founded by the Treaty of Chaguaramas (1973), signed in Trinidad.

Fire science quick hits

  • Fire triangle: heat + fuel + oxygen — remove any one to extinguish. Water = cooling; lid/blanket = smothering (oxygen).
  • Heat transfer: conduction (contact), convection (smoke rises), radiation (straight-line waves).
  • Air is about 21% oxygen (78% nitrogen — the trap answer).
  • Fire emergency: 990. Police: 999. TTFS = 4 divisions (Northern, Southern, Central, Tobago) under the Fire Service Act Chap. 35:50.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to use the cheat sheet?

Use it as a daily warm-up and a final-week review, not as a substitute for practice. Read one block before each study session, then immediately do questions from that category so the facts attach to problems. In the last week, drill the formulas and civics lists until you can reproduce them from memory.

Which cheat sheet formulas matter most for this exam?

Speed-distance-time, percentage change, reverse percentages, ratio sharing, and the rectangle and tank formulas cover the bulk of typical arithmetic word problems. Add the 3-4-5 triangle for ladder-style questions and the combined-work rule for pump and pipe problems. Master those seven and most of the mathematics section becomes routine.

Do I need to memorize the recruitment process itself?

Know it well enough to plan, and because interview panels expect you to understand the career you are entering. The sequence is written exam, Physical Aptitude Test, interview, medical, training school, then appointment on one year of probation. The general knowledge section is about Trinidad and Tobago and basic science, not about recruitment logistics.

Are the civics facts on the cheat sheet really tested?

General knowledge about Trinidad and Tobago is a standard component of public service entrance testing, and national symbols, independence dates, and government structure are the classic question territory. The cheat sheet's one-line versions are deliberately compressed for recall. If a fact feels unfamiliar, chase it back to a fuller source before test day.

Sources

  1. 1.Screening of Candidates for the Position of Firefighter - Grade 1, Fire Service Division (Recruitment Advertisement, October 2025) - Screening Process — Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service / Ministry of Homeland Security (accessed Aug 14, 2026)
  2. 2.Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) - Division page — Ministry of National Security, Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (accessed Aug 14, 2026)

Official sources

Every exam fact on this page traces to a primary document published by the body that administers the exam.

Last verified against the official exam content outline: