Fire Department Writing Assignments

You will use AFO’s writing templates to complete the writing assignments. These templates can be used later after you achieve your promotion.

AFO members have access to 25 different writing assignments that are real life, properly executed examples of fire service documents. These assignments are presented in an exam format, including the topic, pertinent background, the expectations of the finished product, and the time limit to complete the assignment.

AFO Writing Assignments include:

• Written Proposals
• Disciplinary notices of discussion
• Oral reprimands
• Written reprimands
• Department memorandums
• Administrative staff reports
• Response letters to citizens
• Essays on contemporary fire service topics
• Performance improvement plans

After creating your document based on the assignment, you will compare it with the finished document provided. AFO documents are written by fire service professionals with a focus on content, organization and grammar, and cover a wide variety of topics and format types.  We are confident that our documents would be scored well in any exam.

The formatting of the document may vary, depending on the writing assignment you are given in the exam. A response to a citizen inquiry is written differently than a written proposal to your Battalion Chief. It’s important to know which format is appropriate in a given situation if you hope to maximize your score.

Finally, the writing portion of the assessment center is usually timed. You will only have a short period of time to develop your document, format it properly, and check it for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Using an established system that you have practiced with is the best way to be successful in the limited time you will be given.

AFO members can also review the completed documentation based on eight video counseling scenarios from the Employee Counseling section of AspiringFireOfficers.com.

The writing portion of the promotional exam can cover a wide variety of topics that may not be specific to the fire service. You must have a good understanding of the most common topics found in writing exercises so that you aren’t surprised during the writing portion. The only way to score well in your exam is to practice writing, not just to improve your spelling and grammar, but also to widen your understanding of a variety of fire service topics.

Often your completed writing assignment is sent to a writing expert, such as a college English professor, and scored for format, content, grammar and punctuation. You may understand your assigned topic very well but still score poorly if you fail to use proper punctuation and grammar.

Firefighters who are currently in school, have a college degree, have worked in a staff assignment, or have some involvement on the Union Board, have a distinct advantage over their competition simply because they are used to completing writing assignments on a regular basis.

The best way for you to improve your writing proficiency and move past your competition is to practice writing.  The AFO Writing Assignments section can help prepare you for the writing portion of your upcoming promotional exam, maximizing your score and helping you achieve your promotion. Try the exercises below to learn how prepared you are for this component of your upcoming promotional exam.