Balancing work and home life is hard enough as it is for a firefighter, now let’s throw in the added stress of studying for fire officer promotional exam questions. Keep reading to find out the best on the go study material you can use as you begin your exam prep. 

1. Flashcards 

I will start by saying it is best to sit down and study in your designated study space, but I know as a firefighter with a busy life, that is not always a possibility. A great way to help with that is flashcards. Flashcards provide portability, so you can take them from your house to the station and back, and they do not take up much space in your bag. Also, writing flashcards is a great way to study in itself. Writing study material down by hand boosts memory and increases brain retention. 

Making flash cards may seem like an easy task, but here are some tips to make them as effective as possible. 

• One question per card

• Draw or print and glue on photos to help identify objects etc.

• Study them in both directions

• Say your answer out loud whenever possible

• If a question is complex or has multiple parts, break it up into separate flashcards

Flashcards aren’t just for school kids anymore, they are great study material for everyone, especially firefighters with busy lives and so many other responsibilities. Instead of browsing Instagram, pull out your flashcards whenever you find yourself with a few minutes to kill.

2. Mobile Online Study Guides

Online study guides are a great tool to help you as you study for your firefighter promotional exam. One of the main reasons for this is because you have them with you on the go at the tip of your fingers on your phone or computer. Utilizing online study guides allows you to study anywhere, anytime. It doesn’t get much easier than that when it comes to preparing for your firefighter promotional exam. Whenever you have a break or a lull just bust out those online study tools and get studying, just remember to make sure it’s okay before you study on duty.

Online test banks of questions take a lot of the manual labor out of studying for you. Take advantage of these banks test questions to make sure you catch all the material. They are a great way to review and learn the material on your test and also take advantage of the efficiency of modern technology.

3. Homemade Study Guides

Another great way if you dislike flashcards, want extra study material, have a hatred for technology or just simply can’t afford the online courses are good old fashioned paper study guides. You can use your books to make the study guides. Every chapter of your book (should) have questions at the beginning and end of each chapter. Use these questions to create a study guide that is catered specifically to your needs. Making your own study guide allows you to highlight areas you know you need to focus on. It is best to use old-fashioned pen and paper, for the brain boost as mentioned above, and that gives you the added benefit of portability. They easily fit into a backpack or overnight bag, and can be pulled out and used whenever you have time to study. 

The Takeaway

Studying for your firefighter promotional exam on the go is not the most effective way to study, but sometimes it is the only way you can do it. Utilize these tips above to make for an effective on the go study sessions when they must happen and make the work-life-and now study balance easier. It is important not to try to cram though. Use your breaks and free time wisely and don’t try to memorize it all in five minutes time, because that won’t work. If you are feeling overwhelmed as you study, don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

Remember: seeing and experiencing the material you are trying to learn in as many formats as possible will help you learn the material better. So even if one of these methods of studying is not your favorite, the more methods you use the better results you will get on your test.