Company officers should consider the fire and emergency services organization to be __________-oriented.
Task
Results
Customer service
Mission
Question 2
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50
Which is a correct approach to take as a new company officer meeting challenges?
I will use discretion to enforce only those policies I deem to be productive
I won't let promotion change my relationship with my friends
It will not publicly criticize my supervisors
I will not let public perception affect how I do my job
Question 3
of
50
Which is a correct approach for managing the transition to company officer?
Be willing to acknowledge the shortcomings of the organization
Share confidential information only with those you can trust
Do not be reluctant to remind them that you are in charge
Be willing to acknowledge your own mistakes and failures
Question 4
of
50
Which approach is correct regarding praise and criticism?
Do not publicly discipline or discredit a subordinate
Do not encourage subordinates to offer you suggestions or feedback
Do not single out a subordinate for praise in front of his peers
Do not permit yourself to be publicly criticized
Question 5
of
50
Which is the method of last resort when seeking compliance from subordinates?
Apply the appropriate supervisory technique for the situation
Work to earn the respect of subordinates
Use your rank as a reason for compliance
Project a command presence
Question 6
of
50
A new company officer must enforce the rules and regulations of the agency. Which approach is most likely to be successful?
Gradually raise the bar
Build the house one brick at a time
Start tight, then go light
Easy does it
Question 7
of
50
Which NFPA standard addresses professional qualifications for fire officers?
1500
1581
1021
1901
Question 8
of
50
According to the NFPA, which item is part of a Level I company officer's duties?
Divisional fiscal administration and budget preparation
Project conception, design and implementation
Efficient and equitable administration of agency policies and procedures
Hiring, evaluation, promotion and dismissal of personnel
Question 9
of
50
Which statement is the best description of the company officer's responsibility regarding fire and life safety educational programs?
He is responsible for forwarding these activities to the appropriate division of the agency
He must be able to make presentations to members of the community
He is responsible for delegating these activities to a capable subordinate
His involvement in these types of programs is generally minimal
Question 10
of
50
When operating at a terrorist/criminal incident, a company officer should _________.
Collection and preservation of evidence samples
Interview witnesses and possible suspects
Establish and maintain crime scene security
Detain persons of interest
Question 11
of
50
The NFPA has established standards for _____ levels of fire officer.
2
4
3
5
Question 12
of
50
A company officer should be careful to avoid __________.
Seeing themselves as "public servants"
Putting popularity with his/her crew above enforcing agency policies
Acting as a representative of company members to the administration
Allowing personal ethical principles to influence professional behavior
Question 13
of
50
As a company officer, how should you respond to an order that is unpopular with your crew?
State that you agree with your crew's criticisms but that compliance is not optional
Privately discuss your questions and concerns with the administration
Devise a strategy which will minimize the impact of the order while appearing to comply with it
Openly and honestly discuss the flaws and merits of the order with your crew
Question 14
of
50
For which one of a company officer's roles is ethical conduct of particular importance?
Role model
Supervisor
Mentor
Leader
Question 15
of
50
The success of any fire and emergency services organization is directly proportional to its ________.
Management
Funding
Leadership
Community involvement
Question 16
of
50
When might it be appropriate to say something that might dishonor a person, a position, or the organization?
Never
When legal violations have occurred
When the officer must do so to protect his/her subordinates
When they are clearly in the wrong
Question 17
of
50
To ease the transition to officer, the new officer should __________.
Attempt to establish friendships with those they supervise before exercising authority
Adopt an appropriate level of humility and respect for those they supervise
Require the respect of subordinate
Quickly establish their authority over those they supervise
Question 18
of
50
Of the choices listed, which is the most common title for the head of a fire department?
Commander
Supervisor
Administrator
Commissioner
Question 19
of
50
Which is the common organizational structure used in the fire service?
Adaptive
Vertical
Scalar
Top centralized
Question 20
of
50
The phrase "having an uninterrupted series of steps" best describes which organizational structure?
Collaborative
Vertical
Scalar
Flat decentralized
Question 21
of
50
"The order of rank and authority in an organization" best defines which term?
Chain of command
Unity of command
Span of control
Scalar organization
Question 22
of
50
Which statement about a scalar organization is the most correct?
The chain of command is more vulnerable to disruption than with other organizational structures
Authority is mostly decentralized
It eliminates intermediate organizational levels
Information is generally centralized
Question 23
of
50
What is the primary function of line personnel?
Support the firefighters
Supervision
Support staff personnel
Deliver services to the public
Question 24
of
50
What is the primary function of staff personnel?
Delivery of service to the public
Support of line personnel
Supervision/leadership
Administration/management
Question 25
of
50
__________ is a person's legal power to execute decisions and the accountability for those decisions.
Administration
Authority
Management
Command
Question 26
of
50
Which term means an organizational structure where decisions are made by one individual at the top of the structure?
Unified command
Concentrated authority
Executive authority
Centralized authority
Question 27
of
50
Which term means an organizational structure where authority is delegated to varying levels within the organization?
Delegated authority
Unified command
Divisional
Decentralized authority
Question 28
of
50
In which setting is centralized authority most effective?
Small organizations or groups
Operations dispersed over a large geographic area
When there are large numbers of subordinates
Tasks which are complex and highly specialized
Question 29
of
50
Which statement about decentralized authority is correct?
It allows specific tasks to be performed at various levels within the organization
The potential for duplication of effort is minimized
It should be distributed equally throughout the organizational structure
Authority for making decisions is delegated to the lowest possible level
Question 30
of
50
Which statement about decentralized authority is correct?
The agency chief must be kept informed of all decisions being made at lower levels
It allows upper management to focus on other matters
It works well for decision making but not for accomplishing tasks
Decision-making power is retained by the delegating authority
Question 31
of
50
Which statement about delegation of tasks is the most correct?
Tasks may be delegated, but authority cannot be delegated
A task that cannot be performed by most subordinates should not be delegated
Reluctance to delegate shows a lack of trust in the supervisor for his/her subordinates
It gives the supervisor an opportunity to develop the subordinate's skill set
Question 32
of
50
Which principle states that every individual should report to only one designated supervisor?
Span of control
Functional supervision
Unity of command
Chain of command
Question 33
of
50
Which is considered an acceptable exception to unity of command?
Division of labor
Decentralization of authority
The "end-run"
Functional supervision
Question 34
of
50
What is a common cause of the use of functional supervision?
Line personnel involved in activities supervised by staff officers
Having to do more with fewer resources
Adoption of participatory management techniques
Poorly defined and/or poorly adhered to chain of command
Question 35
of
50
A company officer reporting directly to a staff officer regarding a specialized area of responsibility is an example of __________.
Decentralized authority
Division of labor
Unified command
Functional supervision
Question 36
of
50
When does unity of command break down?
There is no accountability for poor performance or recognition of good performance
There are repeated transfers of command
A subordinate answers to more than one supervisor
A supervisor has too many subordinates to effectively manage
Question 37
of
50
Two different officers are giving conflicting orders to a single subordinate. Which organizational principle has been violated?
Chain of command
Functional supervision
Span of control
Unity of command
Question 38
of
50
"The path of responsibility from the top to the bottom of anorganization" is __________.
Scalar organization
The one-boss principle
Unity of command
The chain of command
Question 39
of
50
An employee is playing one boss against another boss which allowshim to get away with doing very little work. Which organizationalprinciple has been violated?
Division of labor
Unity of command
Chain of command
Span of control
Question 40
of
50
Conflicting and contradictory orders from different bosses have resulted in a frustrated and discouraged employee. Which organizational principle has been violated?
Chain of command
Functional supervision
Unity of command
Span of control
Question 41
of
50
Instead of talking to his company officer, a disgruntled firefighter goes directly to a chief officer with his complaint. Which organizational principle has been violated?
Span of control
Unity of command
Division of labor
Functional supervision
Question 42
of
50
A firefighter begins to ventilate at a location specified by his captain. Along comes a chief who tells the firefighter to cut the hole somewhere else. Which organizational principle has been violated?
Functional supervision
Span of control
Division of labor
Unity of command
Question 43
of
50
In which circumstance might sidestepping be justified?
The subordinate is a highly productive, motivated worker
There is no such circumstance
The immediate supervisor is reluctant to delegate authority
A subordinate views the immediate supervisor as part of the problem
Question 44
of
50
What is the term for a subordinate informing his/her immediate supervisor that he/she wishes to take an issue directly to the next level?
Informed end-run
Sidestepping
Skip level notification
Formal bypassing
Question 45
of
50
Which principle states that a supervisor can effectively manage a limited number or subordinates?
Division of labor
Span of control
Unity of command
The one-boss principle
Question 46
of
50
Span of control for NIMS-ICS is _____ subordinates reporting to a single supervisor.
8 to 12
3 to 7
5 to 8
5 to 10
Question 47
of
50
Generally, the ideal span of control in NIMS-ICS is _____ to subordinates to one supervisor.
3
7
4
5
Question 48
of
50
What will be the immediate result of failure to apply the principle of span of control?
Confusing or contradictory chain of command
Numerous subordinates overwhelming a single supervisor
Subordinates accountable to more than one supervisor
Committing more resources than needed to the incident
Question 49
of
50
Which factor increases a supervisor's effective span of control?
Responsibility for dissimilar tasks
Tasks that must be performed quickly
Crew members physically separated by distance
Well-trained, experienced subordinates
Question 50
of
50
Which factor decreases a supervisor's effective span of control?