Fire_Services_1964-1965 — Page 15

DEPARTMENTAL EXAMINATIONS

PROMOTIONAL OR EFFICIENCY BAR EXAMINATIONS FOR OFFICERS

45. 79 officers sat and 51 qualified at Stages I, II and III Professional Examinations. The percentage of passes shows an improvement over previous years, the primary reason being increased standards of know- ledge acquired by officers whilst studying for the Degrees of the Institu- tion of Fire Engineers.

RANK AND FILE PROMOTION EXAMINATIONS

46. 270 members of the Rank and File sat and 144 qualified at various Promotion Certificate Examinations.

PASSING OUT EXAMINATIONS FOR FIREMEN CLASS II RECRUITS

47. 270 recruits were examined at the end of 6 months initial training and 241 qualified for posting to stations for operational duties and station training.

OFFICERS-DIRECT ENTRY EXAMINATIONS

48. A total of 74 candidates sat the Entrance Examination at 5 centres, but only 3 obtained a pass. The depressingly high percentage of failures was primarily due to lack of comprehension and sub-standard ability in English, Mathematics and Chemistry.

CHANGES IN EXAMINATIONS

49. An important change was made during the year on methods of examinations. Demands on the Service in recent years have expanded so much as to make necessary a policy of 'specialization'.

50. The public is not best served by automatically selecting the next senior qualified officer to fill a specialist post if such an officer possesses no flair for, or special interest in that area.

51. Examinations for all levels of officers have therefore been sub- divided, or 'streamed' into:

(a) Operational Command and Tactics;

(b) Fire Prevention;

(c) Staff and other Specialists, i.e. Workshops, Training, etc.

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