Chief Officer Flashcards
What is a good format for a chief officer to use for a program proposal?
Three-step format: introduction, body, conclusion
Unrealistic expectations and reluctance to disagree with the leader are limitations of which leadership style?
Charismatic
Which policies should not be provided to the members of the department for review prior to implementation?
Fire fighter safety
Supervisory roles best suit Which the style of a manager?
Training officer
The sharing of services or facilities and the consolidation of fire departments are examples of?
Regionalization
Which leadership styles focuses on the relationship between task orientation and relationship orientation?
Contingency
A communicator who uses language that is familiar to the receiver is preventing which type of communication problem?
Semantics
What kind of results occurs when an organization reorganizes so that it has fewer levels of supervision/management and more frontline workers?
Flat organization
Which part of the program proposal contains the details that paint a complete picture of the proposal?
Body
What NFPA standards contains specific knowledge and performance requirements for people who wish to become fire officers?
NFPA 1021
Which leadership styles is demonstrated by the appropriate relationship between the leader’s behavior and the readiness level of the followers?
Situational
What organizational elements is the reason for an organization to exist?
Mission
What department-level communications would be considered to be courses of action?
Standard operating procedures
Who had the earliest known fire organizations?
The Roman Empire
What is the blueprint that indicates how people, jobs, and tasks are grouped together called?
Structure
A subordinate who does not communicate bad news in an effort to keep a supervisor happy is demonstrating which of the following communication problems?
Filtering
What tool can a leader use to share the work of an organization and to allow workers to grow as members of an organization?
Delegation
Transfer of information from member to member or from division to division?
Horizontal
What leadership style is used by leaders who understand the art of leadership and who appreciate that each situation is unique?
Chameleon
What leadership style, when exhibited by a sincere and caring leader, allows for a better motivated workforce?
Charismatic
What organizational elements provides the purpose that an organization strives to achieve?
Goal
What leadership theory suggests that leaders and followers engage with each other in such a way that they raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality?
Transformational
The following principle of effective communication can be used to mitigate common communication problems by seeking to understand the other person’s point of view?
Empathy
What communication problem occurs when the message is not received because of an environmental distraction?
Noise
What department-level communications are normally instructive in nature?
Standard operating guidelines
What is an example of the introduction of flexibility into fire service organizations?
NIMS/ICS
The transfer of information from the center of power to an individual?
Downward
What organizational elements details where an organization will be in the future?
Vision
What department-level communications are regarded as specific orders or instructions?
Directives
What leadership style is based on the idea that people should be valued as individuals and for their ability to make significant contributions to the success of an organization?
Servant
What leadership style is characterized by the strength and example that the leader shows by envisioning, energizing, and enabling subordinates?
Charismatic
The transfer of information from one person to another?
Communication
What acronym does Mitchell Waite use in his book Fire Service Leadership: Theories and Practices?
LEADERSHIP
The transfer of information from an individual member to the upper level of an organization?
Upward
What type of technology is being integrated into self-contained breathing apparatus to aid in communication?
Bluetooth
What organizational element must be accomplished if an organization is to meet its goals and fulfill its mission?
Objective
As a chief officer, what type of presentation would you use to garner input from subordinates on a new idea?
Broad, potential concepts
The transfer of information to an audience outside the organization?
Outward
What state government entity typically determines the schedule and disposition of municipal department records?
Secretary of State
What type of leadership is used when employees who do well are praised and those who do not do well are punished?
Transactional
What part of the program proposal should contain the most powerful and convincing points the chief officer wants to get across to the reader?
Introduction
According to author Stephen Covey, what is a good way to ensure that effective listening is taking place?
Rephrase the message
Which event in U.S. history triggered the need for better communication systems and interoperability?
Terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001
What can a chief officer use to present the numbers in a budget proposal?
Graph
What is an essential element in the operational management of any organization?
Effective leadership
What leadership style emphasizes members who are equals and who work together for the common good?
Citizen
What governmental agency can request assistance from the federal government without requesting resources through the state level?
Tribal
What is the best way to identify potential solutions for problems that other departments have already addressed?
Networking
What shared service organizations is a large grouping of fire service agencies providing services to a large area?
Fire authority
CPR, First Aid, Feel the Heat, citizen fire academies, and senior programs are all examples of what type of support?
Community support
What official would declare a state of emergency to allow state agencies to request assistance from adjoining states and/or jurisdictions?
Governor
What shared service organizations is a local government agency that has complete control over all city services?
Municipal fire department
What program is of the Corporation for National and Community Service and acts as a national network of service programs?
AmeriCorps
In addition to analyzing demographic data, which other type of information should a chief fire officer use to understand the social character of a community?
Surveys
What role is a chief fire officer filling when providing public guidance on community needs related to fire protection and emergency services and describing the resources available to meet these needs?
Subject-matter expert
The chief officers who attends a meeting with a local governing body are filling which role and responsibility?
Spokesperson
What is the first step a chief officer should take when creating a local policy?
Know what is to be accomplished
Which of the following factors often influences the amount of complaint-driven activity a fire department receives?
- The amount of funding a department receives
- The type of fund-raisers supporting the department
- Proactive cultivation of positive relationships with community
- The locations where department members live
Proactive cultivation of positive relationships with community
Which of the following concepts is a result of the lessons learned in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001?
1. Emergency management team 2. Interoperability
Interoperability
What agency manages the volunteer organization known as Fire Corps?
National Volunteer Fire Council
Which of the following is (are) not considered to be a community stakeholder?
- Chamber of commerce 2. Unions 3. Business groups
- Visitor associations
Unions
The chief fire officer who provides input on development and zoning proposals to ensure fire services keep pace with community demands is filling which role and responsibility?
Consultant
What technology has made modeling and mapping tools available to fire departments at a relatively low cost?
Geographical information systems
A chief officer who assesses the department for redundant services and ensures the security of revenue resources is concerned with which aspect of a fire service organization?
Sustainability
What political party should a chief fire officer be affiliated?
Apolitical
Which of the following is not a general type of intergovernmental project team?
Long-term consolidation team
Short-term situation team
High-impact incident team
Recurrent situation team
Short-term situation team
What agency provides research and information to aid the chief officer in planning a safe school program?
United States Fire Administration
Which of the following is the best way a fire department can build a positive rapport with the community?
Caring attitude and excellent technical service
Caring attitude and fiscal responsibility
Fiscal responsibility and customer service
Customer service and community interaction
Caring attitude and excellent technical service
What official would request resources from the federal government to assist in a local emergency?
Governor
Which of the following is the volunteer agency that fire departments most commonly encounter?
AF&AM
VFA
DART
CERT
CERT
Within a fire department, who is expected to be the principal subject-matter expert?
Chief fire officer
Taxpayer alliances, government oversight groups, and faith-based organizations are examples of which kind of stakeholders?
Special-interest groups
What mutual aid agreement is administered by the National Emergency Management Association?
EMAC
The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Citizen Corps Council are examples of which kind of stakeholders?
Not-for-profit organizations
In addition to identifying any shortfalls in meeting the service demands of a community, for which other task, if any, is a chief fire officer responsible?
Ensure needs are met at any cost.
Develop a training plan to meet the shortfalls.
Create a plan to address the shortfalls.
Create a plan to address the shortfalls
Generally speaking, who is the ultimate authority for a public fire department?
Citizens
Demographic data such as charts, statistics, geographic information, and social interaction are ways to understand the social character of a community. These types of information/data are more commonly known as?
quantitative/qualitative
What intergovernmental project teams would be used on an incident requiring extensive mitigation and recovery?
High-impact incident team
What is described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes?
Policy
What shared service organizations is a separate tax entity that is solely responsible for an area’s fire, rescue, and emergency medical services?
Fire protection district
Which of the following is not an example of a policy?
Presidential executive order
Rules of order for business meetings
Fire department rules and regulations
Annual training schedule
Annual training schedule
When should a chief officer notify political leaders of a complaint received by the fire department?
When the complaint is received
What presidential directive mandated the use of the National Incident Management System?
HSPD-5
Who has the primary duty of providing public guidance on community needs related to fire protection and emergency services, and the resources available to meet those needs?
Chief Fire officer
The individuals and groups who can heavily influence the fire departments mission are known as?
Stakeholders
What agency is a partner in one of the most important intergovernmental relationships a chief officer should build?
Law enforcement
What organization was created to help coordinate volunteer activities so as to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared?
Citizen Corps
Where can a chief fire officer obtain demographic data for a community?
U.S. Census Bureau
Which of the following is not a factor that influences a chief officer’s interaction with community stakeholders?
The department’s political affiliation
The department’s relationship with the governing jurisdiction
The department’s organizational structure
The department’s legal authority
The department’s political affiliation
Which of the following is not one of the three major elements of an organization that will influence a fire service organization? Behavior Functionality Structure Process
Functionality
With which of the following stakeholders would a chief fire officer interact to determine overall policy goals and funding levels? Customers Governing bodies Citizens Special-interest groups
Governing bodies
Which of the following incident types would require the use of a recurrent situation team?
An oil spill in a waterway.
A bridge collapse.
The merger of county departments. Structure fires caused by improperly disposed ashes.
Structure fires caused by improperly disposed ashes.
What federal agency coordinates the activities of Citizen Corps on a national level?
FEMA
Who is in the best position to complete an employee evaluation?
Immediate supervisor
What federal statutory law protects civilian job rights and benefits for veterans and members of reserve components?
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
What type of court can make a decision that is binding, called a precedent?
Appellate court
Defined as a law established in appeals-level courts?
Common law
Who is the final approval authority for disabled employee accommodations?
Governing board of the local government
What phase of a negligence lawsuit involves a recitation of the facts of an injurious event or damage by one or more plaintiffs, connections between the event and action, and a request for damages?
Complaint
What term is defined as the shared written and unwritten values and vision of the employees encompassing the established customs, traditions, norms, and etiquette of a department?
Organizational culture
What method are most states now using as a substitute for traditional disciplinary and grievance systems?
Alternative dispute resolution
If during a promotion process an evaluator compares a candidate to other candidates and not to specific competencies, which kind of bias is occurring?
Contrast error
What is the first requirement in justifying an accommodation for a person with a disability?
Individual requests as accommodation
Which of the following elements are generally cited as the basis for an appeal of a verdict in a lawsuit?
The law and its application. Presentation of new evidence.
Filing of additional negligence claims.
Amount of the monetary award.
The law and its application
When a chief officer is evaluating the equity of compensation and benefits, what are the two levels?
Internal and external
What is defined as a statement of principle used to guide decisions and actions?
Policy
What is the name used for a common law under which a public safety official cannot sue a property owner for injuries sustained due to the property owner’s negligence?
Fireman’s Rule
To meet legal requirements, promotion policies and procedures must meet criteria?
Be valid and reliable
What federal statute included the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act?
Superfund Administration and Reauthorization Act
As part of labor relations, when union and management representatives agree on rules that govern management of the workplace, the resulting deal is known as a
Collective bargaining agreement
Which of the following is not a category of benefits available to employees? Security and health Payments for time not worked Employee services Payments for time worked
Payments for time worked
What is a paramount requirement prior to conducting a warrantless cause and origin investigation at a fire scene?
Custody of the scene
A chief fire officer would cite which type of law as the basis for an infraction of a local fire code by a citizen?
Criminal law
Which of the following is not a U.S. federal law that pertains to the establishment of a department’s promotion policies and procedures?
Civil Rights Act of 1964 Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Americans with Disabilities Act American Promotion Act
American Promotion Act
Which of the following is not a reason for a state to opt out of OSHA compliance?
The state adopts its own occupational safety and health regulations
State regulations meet OSHA standards
Budget constraints
State regulations exceed OSHA standards
Budget constraints
Which of the following is not a category of assessment a fire department can use to determine the qualification and potential of prospective new hires?
Cognitive Psychomotor Affective Objective
Objective
What major U.S. federal law pertains to minimum wage, overtime pay, and record keeping?
Fair Labor Standards Act
What is the first step in establishing a professional development program for a fire fighter?
Assess the fire fighter’s current professional status
Which of the following is a fire department’s most important asset?
Personnel
Which of the following is not a method commonly used to collect the information needed for a job analysis?
Photographs
Which of the following is not an objective of properly documenting all department activities and functions?
Compliance with legal requirements keeping historical records
Proof of well-informed decision making Justification for resource allocation
keeping historical records
Which of the following is defined as a law adopted by legislative bodies?
Statutory law Common law Appellate law Jurisdictional law
Statutory law
Which of the following terms pertains to protection for a public employee as it relates to criminal prosecution?
Pre disciplinary hearing Garrity rights
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution Termination hearing
Garrity rights
Which of the following is the first step in determining how well people in a department work together to meet the customer’s needs?
Evaluate management satisfaction ratings Evaluate employee satisfaction ratings
Evaluate management–employee relations Evaluate problem-solving techniques
Evaluate management–employee relations
Which of the following are two critical items to be evaluated when determining if a member-assistance program is having the desired effect?
Accessibility and members’ confidence Cost and accessibility
Number of uses and cost Members’ confidence and number of uses
Accessibility and members’ confidence
The first step a chief officer should take when evaluating the efficiency of human resources is to conduct a risk assessment. What is the next step that should be taken?
Determine service levels
Which NFPA standard should a fire investigator use as a basis for determining the admissibility of evidence in an arson investigation?
NFPA 921
Which federal statutory law prohibits discrimination against a person 40 years of age or older?
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Which of the following elements needed to prove negligence would be met by a fire fighter who responded to a first-aid call and refused to treat the injured person?
Duty to act Breach of duty to act Proximate cause Actual injury
Breach of duty to act
Which of the following is not a step a chief fire officer needs to take when establishing a disciplinary process in compliance with Loudermill v. Cleveland Board of Education?
Contract with an independent third party to conduct the hearing
Provide notice of specific charges
Consider the employee’s evidence
Take careful notes
Contract with an independent third party to conduct the hearing
Which title of the Civil Rights Act prohibits workplace harassment on the basis of race, national origin, religious belief, age, or sex?
Title VII
Which of the following refers to statistical categories of age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the members of a department?
Demographics
When evaluating efficiency in human resources, how far back in time should a chief officer typically look at past trends when conducting a risk assessment?
5 years
Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects employees from unreasonable searches as part of drug testing?
Fourth Amendment
Which law protects off-duty first responders from liability when they stop to render first aid, when such aid is within the limits of their training?
Good Samaritan Act
Which of the following is not a consideration when determining staffing levels of a fire company?
Annual budget
Which of the following scenarios would not be protected as free speech under the First Amendment?
A fire fighter complaining about layoffs due to budget cuts
A fire inspector complaining about the number of inspections
A driver complaining about the number of inspections
A chief fire officer complaining to a TV crew about the lack of financial support for firefighting operations
A chief fire officer complaining to a TV crew about the lack of financial support for firefighting operations
Which of the following NFPA standards provides guidance on determining human resources needs and personnel assignments?
NFPA 1001 and NFPA 1002
NFPA 1021 and NFPA 1031
NFPA 1500 and NFPA 1521
NFPA 1710 and NFPA 1720
NFPA 1710 and NFPA 1720
Which type of motion would a judge issue if, after reviewing all the facts presented during discovery, the judge determines no reasonable jury could find in favor of the nonmoving party?
Settlement Relevance motion Motion of appeal Summary judgment
Summary judgment
When conducting a job analysis, which of the following methods allows information to be gathered from a larger population of employees in less time?
Observation Critical incidents Surveys Work diaries
Surveys
Which asset accounts for the greatest portion of a fire department’s budget?
Personnel
Which federal statutes provides for the privacy of employee medical information?
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Which acronym describes the criteria to be used when developing departmental objectives?
SMART
Which general staff position would an incident commander charge with producing the incident action plan?
Operations Section Chief Logistics Section Chief
Finance/Administration Section Chief Planning Section Chief
Planning Section Chief
Which of the following is not a question a vision statement should answer?
What is the alternative plan of action?
What does the organization want to achieve?
How does the organization wish to be known by others?
What is the ultimate standard by which progress is measured?
What is the alternative plan of action?
Which type of incident management team would be activated to manage an incident of national significance?
Type 1
What can a chief fire officer do to take the pressure off of staff members and guide the strategic planning process to a successful conclusion?
Fill the position as strategic planning coordinator
Assign new fire fighters only to the strategic planning committee
Hire a strategic planning consultant
Alternate terms for planning committee members
Hire a strategic planning consultant
What is the first step in the creation of a strategic plan?
Preplan operations
Which type of exercise is an excellent tool for evaluating emergency planning documents and response capabilities?
Table-top exercise
Full-scale exercise
Command-and-control exercise
Command-post exercise
Full-scale exercise
Which of the following federal training programs is responsible for the development and delivery of emergency management training?
Emergency Management Institute Center for Domestic Preparedness
National Training and Education Division National Fire Academy
Emergency Management Institute
To which federal agencies does FEMA report?
DHS
Which of the following acronyms is used to represent the organization’s capability of providing the services requested, issues at the heart of the organization’s problems, expansion and development of new services, and conditions not under the organization’s control?
CIPC GOAL SPEC SWOT
SPEC
When conducting a hazard analysis and risk assessment, buildings such as large public assemblies, public transportation facilities, abortion clinics, government facilities, and public utilities are classified as which type of hazard?
Property Structural Strategic Target
Target
Which step in the strategic planning process involves identifying resources required for planning and creating a calendar that identifies planning events and milestones?
Preplan
Acquire planning data
Acquire stakeholder input
Prepare a planning retreat
Preplan
Which report issued in 1973 assessed areas such as the fire services, fire and the built environment, fire and the rural wildlands environment, fire prevention, and programs for the future?
America Burning
Which type of organizational structure should be established to manage multiple incidents occurring within a defined area or jurisdiction?
Area command
When developing a request for proposals to hire a consultant, the proposal should contain a description of services required and the final work product, which is called a
Scope of work
Which NFPA standard would a chief fire officer refer to for information on the criteria for disaster and emergency management?
NFPA 1600
Which of the following is not one of the three incident response priorities that has historically been associated with the fire service?
Life safety Environmental control Incident stabilization Property conservation
Environmental control
Which legislative act provides for federal assistance to state and local governments during times of disaster?
Support of Civil Authorities Act Katrina Act Stafford Act McKinley Act
Stafford Act
Are staffed by public safety officials and are established to collect real-time intelligence on potential terrorist activities.
Operations centers Fusion centers Joint field offices Joint information centers
Fusion centers
Which of the following personnel levels does FEMA recommend receive the ICS-400 training course?
First-line supervisors Strike team leaders Command and general staff Elected officials
Command and general staff
During which of the following steps in the creation of a strategic plan would the team acquire input from group meetings, one-on-one interviews, mail-in surveys, and Web-based surveys?
Prepare a written strategic plan Preplan operations
Acquire planning data Prepare for a strategic planning retreat
Acquire planning data
Which of the following FEMA documents is the state and local mitigation planning how-to guide that outlines the steps of the hazard mitigation planning process?
Document 386-1 Document 5-1 Document 152-1 Document 1600-1
Document 386-1
A chief officer of a volunteer fire department is experiencing a decrease in the number of available fire fighters. According to the United States Fire Administration, which of the following is not an issue affecting the recruitment of volunteer fire fighters?
Time demands Distance of travel Health issues Training requirements
Distance of travel
Which of the following types of planning involves a concentration on facilities, apparatus, and staffing; is closely tied to cost projections and revenue planning; and is linked to community planning?
Tactical planning Strategic planning Master/long-range planning Short-term planning
Master/long-range planning
In what year was the federal legislation passed that authorized the creation of the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control?
1969
Which of the following types of planning involves pre incident planning, operational and shift planning, demand-based resource planning, local mutual-aid planning, and regional mutual-aid planning?
Tactical planning Strategic planning
Master/long-range planning Short-term planning
Master/long-range planning
Which DHS Web-based course introduces the concept of the National Response Framework to emergency responders?
IS-800.B
An incident commander wants a uniform assessment and documentation of a responder’s training, education, qualifications, and certification. Which program will provide this information to the IC?
Accreditation Resource typing
Certified Emergency Response System Credentialing
Credentialing
Which of the following is not an example of a well-written performance measure?
Property loss due to building fires shall not exceed $100 per $1000 involved.
The percentage of cardiac arrest patients delivered to an emergency room with a pulse shall be 100 percent.
The number of building fire incidents shall not exceed 10 per 1000 buildings.
The percentage of citizens surveyed who rate the department’s performance as satisfactory or better shall be 90 percent.
The percentage of cardiac arrest patients delivered to an emergency room with a pulse shall be 100 percent.
A _______________ is an effective way to manage the location information that a fire department uses to build a strategic plan.
Geographic information system
Which of the following perspectives are used to identify the level of risk during a hazard analysis and risk assessment?
Frequency and impact Severity and low
High and low Long-term and short-term
Frequency and impact
Which of the following terms describes the major services a fire department provides to a community?
Planning data Strategic initiatives Vision Mission statement
Mission statement
For strategic planning purposes, which of the following is not considered an aspect of the various functions of a fire department?
Prepare for unwanted events
Use preventive efforts to mitigate the possibility of an incident occurring
Prepare for wanted events
Ensure the safety of personnel through accident/injury prevention program
Prepare for wanted events
Which of the following terms is defined as “a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and taking corrective action to ensure effective coordination during a response”?
Contingency leadership Incident action plan
Preparedness Management
Preparedness
Which of the following is not one of the four basic functional areas of responsibility for emergency management programs?
Mitigation Preparedness Incident command Response
Incident command
Which of the following is a guide for providing a unified national response to incidents and disasters of all sizes?
FEMA Job-Aid Emergency Management Assistance Compact
Emergency Support Functions National Response Framework
National Response Framework
Which of the following is not a goal of the strategic planning process?
Force a budget increase from an unwilling population Evaluate needs
Focus on customers Identify issues from stakeholders
Force a budget increase from an unwilling population
Which of the following types of planning involves a focus on short-term achievements and moves the organization toward the accomplishment of a common vision?
Tactical planning Strategic planning
Master/long-range planning Short-term planning
Strategic planning
Which ICS form is used to document the incident commander’s incident objectives?
Form 202
________________ is a commonly used basis for organizing data, allowing different applications to access the same data about one specific point of interest.
Demographics
The internal stakeholders of a strategic planning committee include which of the following members of a fire department?
Chief fire officers Fire fighters Organized labor representatives All of the above
All of the above
Of the following parties, which should be involved in the strategic planning process?
Citizens Members of the department nearby departments All of the above
All of the above
Which FEMA incident type is considered to be the most complex?
Type 1
Which of the following categories associated with mitigation efforts includes measures such as erosion and sediment control?
Prevention Natural resources protection Property protection Structural projects
Property protection
Which conference determined that nationally recognized standards should be adopted to provide guidance for types of fire services to be provided, operations, deployment, evaluation, and response times?
International Society Fire Service Instructors Conference NFPA Conference
America Burning Conference Wingspread IV Conference
Wingspread IV Conference
Which of the following is not an element that should be included in the strategic planning process?
Citizen involvement Security from organizations outside of the department
Strategic planning team Buy-in from organizational leadership
Security from organizations outside of the department
A chief fire officer is operating as the incident commander at an incident. Which system would he or she use to request specific resources according to training levels and capabilities?
Emergency Operations Resource System Federal Support to Civil Authorities
Resource typing Disaster Relief Services
Resource typing
Which of the following is defined by FEMA as “the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters”?
Incident action plan Management Preparedness Mitigation
Mitigation
Which emergency support function’s scope of work is to coordinate federal firefighting activities and support wildland, rural, and urban firefighting operations?
ESF-4
Which NFPA standard addresses the inspection of buildings and the design and construction of new buildings, remodeling, or additions to existing buildings?
NFPA 1001, Building Construction Code NFPA 1, Fire Code
NFPA 101, Life Safety Code NFPA 199, Fire Safety Code
NFPA 1, Fire Code
The two prevailing publishers of fire codes in the United States are the National Fire Protection Association and the ____________.
International Code Council
Which of the following is the highest public protection classification assigned by the Insurance Services Office?
A 10 III 1
1
Which of the following documents would a chief fire officer use to formally notify a building owner of a code violation, with the potential of civil or criminal action being taken if the violation is ignored?
Letter of concern Code enforcement plan
Fire safety deficiency report written notice of violation
