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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What did the ladder company do to get to the source of the smoke at the Charlotte Street fire?
(a) Ripped holes in the wall.
(b) Ventilated the roof.
(c) Broke down all the doors inside.
(d) Broke the windows.

2. What do the firemen call the "game" they play when they ask one another if they may relieve another fireman during a fire?
(a) "Steal the hose."
(b) "Steal the nob."
(c) "Steal the nozzle."
(d) "Grab the nob."

3. Why did the plan not work out?
(a) There was confusion about which company should respond to which fires.
(b) Each company had a dramatic increase in calls.
(c) Ladder Co. 31 had a dramatic increase in calls.
(d) Engine Co. 82 had a dramatic increase in calls.

4. What kind of tool did the firefighters use to break down the door during the Kelly Street fire?
(a) Halligan tool.
(b) Mulligan tool.
(c) Donegan tool.
(d) Sullivan tool.

5. Before discovering the culprit, how did Smith describe the fatal fire on Kelly Street?
(a) A case of just desserts.
(b) A case of ironic justice.
(c) A simple tragedy.
(d) A tough break.

6. What did Smith find buried under the rubble at the Charlotte Street apartment in Chapter 5?
(a) A child's bike.
(b) A race car set.
(c) A Big Wheel.
(d) A doll.

7. What did the firefighters discover when they arrived at the Kelly Street fire in Chapter 1?
(a) A young woman screaming that her child is in the building.
(b) A young man calling from an open window.
(c) A young man, on fire, running out of the building.
(d) A young man fleeing the scene.

8. What do arsonists sometimes do when they leave the scene of a fire?
(a) They do not call the fire department to report the fire.
(b) They gather evidence of arson and take it away.
(c) They leave booby traps to hurt firefighters.
(d) They call the fire department anonymously.

9. What caused the fire at Union Avenue, the first call Smith responded to after his return to work?
(a) Food burning on a stove.
(b) Faulty wiring.
(c) Children playing with matches.
(d) Arson.

10. Why does Smith say there are fewer fires today compared to the period during which he served?
(a) Fire safety codes have made buildings less prone to fire.
(b) The population has decreased and there are more empty buildings.
(c) The wider use of fire extinguishers has led to small fires being put out before the fire trucks arrive.
(d) There is more intolerance for crime, and radicalism has decreased.

11. What did firefighters find at the scene of the fire at the Kelly Street apartments?
(a) Molotov cocktails.
(b) Burned food on a stove.
(c) Faulty wiring.
(d) Three gas cans, pointing to arson.

12. What did the three men sitting on Charlotte Street do when they saw the kid pull the false alarm in Chapter 3?
(a) They did nothing.
(b) They chased the kid.
(c) They called the kid's parents.
(d) They called the police.

13. How did Smith view the firefighters he wrote about in the book compared to firefighters across the country?
(a) They are unique in their level of bravery.
(b) They are the most skilled.
(c) They are representative of all firefighters.
(d) They are unique in their experiences.

14. Approximately how many calls did Engine Co. 82 respond to the year before the book was written?
(a) Under 8,000.
(b) Over 10,000.
(c) Over 10,500.
(d) Over 9,000.

15. What happened to the young man seen running from the Kelly Street apartment?
(a) He fled and never went to the hospital.
(b) He made a full recovery.
(c) He was burned over 70 percent of his body.
(d) He was pronouced DOA at the hospital.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did the firefighters have a difficult time getting into one of the Kelly Street apartments?

2. How long did Smith take off to recover from the throat damage he sustained during the Prospect Avenue fire in Chapter 3?

3. Why does Smith call firefighters the most "ubiquitous" civil servants?

4. Who did the firefighters encounter while bringing the hose up the stairs of the burning apartment building on Fox Street?

5. Which captain entered the Kelly Street apartment first?

(see the answer keys)

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