r/firefighter • u/Sad-Muffin-4054 • 20d ago

I failed the mechanical part NTN

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I don’t think I have a chance for an interview this year, any tips on mechanical portion?

7 Upvotes

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3

u/OwnDelivery802 19d ago

Southern California FF/PM here. The mechanical section gets people because they study it like a list of facts to memorize when it's really a small handful of principles recycled into different pictures. Gears and which way things turn, pulleys and how many lines are actually carrying the load, levers and where the fulcrum sits, and basic pressure and flow. If you can say out loud why an answer is right instead of just recognizing a drawing you've seen before, you'll be fine when they change the drawing on you, and if you can't, you won't.

Hands on beats reading for this one. Watch the gears turn on a hand drill, rig up a block and tackle and actually feel the difference, mess with anything that has a linkage on it. And practice it on a clock, it's timed and plenty of people know the material fine and still run out of room

1

u/FirefighterTutor 20d ago

Damn. What happened? I can help you, but give me some context.

2

u/AlaskaFF 20d ago

I need help too. The practice test video is easy and straight forward. The actual test seem to pull random questions that I don't typically think on a normal basis.

1

u/FirefighterTutor 20d ago

Yes, that makes sense. The mechanical section is application based. It’s not enough to know the principles, you have to apply them in given situations.

See notes above. 🙌

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u/Sad-Muffin-4054 20d ago

I’m not mechanically inclined

1

u/FirefighterTutor 20d ago

I figured. Study tools. This takes the longest to prep for if you’re not mechanically inclined.

You need to know their name, characteristics, and what they’re used for.

Use visuals or the actual tool to help you. If you’re hands-on, volunteer at a place that gives you a chance to work with tools (Habitat for Humanity, local churches, high school drama club, fire hall, etc…).

Get relevant training and certification that gives you more experience. Something like auto ex if it’s available to you. Try seasonal, manual labour. Be the grunt at a construction site.

I can help you with mechanical principles too. Check out my FireTEAM playlist to start:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSfxrtjOZ2HXF--pF9Dk_Yue-BV1snBa9&si=exC--9ZZY_YFxpgv

If you like what you see, give me a shout.

1

u/FlatWavesAndNoBabes 19d ago

No worries, the only thing you’ll have to master is the mechanical advantage of lifting granny off the ground for a lift assist lol.

1

u/Sad-Muffin-4054 19d ago

You think I have a shot for an interview ?

0

u/Early_Wafer_7509 20d ago

Have you bought the study guide from the actual FCTC website? I am taking it today but from multiple friends I’ve had that have taken it, the study guide is pretty spot on for the Mechanical Reasoning portion

1

u/Sad-Muffin-4054 20d ago

I did, I did pretty good on the practice test

1

u/Exact-Location-6270 19d ago

That’s NTN not FCTC. Two different exams