Are you seeking a FOE reviewer to help you ace the Fire Officer Examination? You’ve come to the right place!

We recognize how challenging it is to find reliable study materials that will help you prepare for the exam, so we’ve compiled all the best resources on one page.

Having the right reviewer is critical to getting your best score on the exam. Although the Fire Officer Exam is just the first hurdle you must overcome to become a fire officer, the discipline you develop as you review for it will go a long way toward preparing for a career in the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

In this ultimate FOE reviewer, you’ll learn more about the Fire Officer Exam, its purpose, passing score, and topics you must focus on to achieve your absolute best score.

What Is the Fire Officer Exam (FOE)?

The Fire Officer Examination (FOE) is a civil service exam that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) administers yearly to screen aspiring firefighters who want to join the BFP. To apply for a Fire Officer I position, you must have a CSC second-level eligibility, which an applicant can obtain upon passing the Fire Officer Exam. However, you no longer need to take the FOE if you’re one of the following:

• Latin honor graduate
• Bar or board passer
• With career service professional eligibility (i.e., you have passed the professional-level civil service exam)
• Registered criminologist¹

Those above are eligible and may proceed automatically with their application without taking the Fire Officer Exam.

The schedule of FOE is usually announced on the CSC’s official Facebook page. Once there’s an official schedule, the interested candidates must personally file their applications at the CSC Regional Office (CSCRO) or any of the CSCRO’s Field Offices where they intend to take the exam. Please check the official CSC website for a complete list of CSC offices nationwide.

The application period usually runs for two weeks². Those who are eager to take the exam must file their applications as soon as they can as the CSC processes applicants on a first-come, first-served basis³. Once the CSC Regional/Field Offices have reached their target number of applicants, the application period will officially end.

What Is the Coverage of the Fire Officer Exam?

The FOE is composed of two parts⁴. The first one is similar to other standard aptitude exams: It’s composed of questions that will help gauge the applicant’s verbal (English language), analytical (logic), and numerical (mathematics) ability. This General Ability section makes up 25% of the exam questions.

The latter part of the FOE is where things get serious. 75% of the exam questions relate to the fire officer’s profession. It covers fire suppression, fire safety and prevention, fire investigation, and administrative matters.

How Many Questions Are in FOE?

The Fire Officer Examination (FOE) comprises 150 questions. Before the test proper, examinees must answer a questionnaire asking them for specific personal information. In total, they will answer 160 questions. They’re given 3 hours and 5 minutes to finish answering all the questions, which are pretty limited considering there are math questions included that require time-consuming problem-solving. Therefore, it’s recommended that you practice answering simulated exams to help you get used to the time pressure.

What Is the Passing Score in FOE?

To pass the Fire Officer Exam (FOE), you must get a general rating of at least 80%. Once you pass this exam, you’ll obtain a second-level civil service eligibility called Fire Officer Eligibility. This makes you qualified to apply for the Fire Officer I position in BFP.

Take note that this is just eligibility, meaning passing the FOE won’t guarantee that you’ll enter the Bureau of Fire Protection. You may still be required to take and pass another qualifying exam before you can make it to the final roster of new BFP fire officers.

Part I. General Ability

1. Verbal Ability

2. Analytical Ability

3. Numerical Ability

a. Arithmetic and Number Sense

• Real Numbers and Imaginary Numbers
• Operations on Integers 
• Order of Operations (PEMDAS)
• Factors and Multiples
• Divisibility Rules
• Fractions and Decimals
• Operations on Fractions and Decimals
• Percent
• Ratio and Proportion

b. Algebra

• Algebraic Expressions
• Laws of Exponents
• Special Products and Factoring
• Rational Expressions
• Sequence and Series
• Using Algebra to Solve Word Problems

c. Geometry

• Introduction to Geometry: Undefined Terms, Definitions, Postulates, and Theorems
• Angles: Classification and Properties
• Triangles: Classification and Theorems
• Perimeter and Area of Plane Figures
• Volume of Solid Figures
• Right Triangles
• Converting Units of Measurements

Part II. Specialized Area

1. Fire Suppression

a. Pre-Fire Planning

b. Firefighting Techniques and Procedures

c. Tools and Equipment and Apparatus

2. Fire Safety and Prevention

a. Fire Code of the Philippines

b. Fire Safety Related Codes, NFPA Laws, and Other BFP Issuances (Building Code, Electrical Code)

c. BFP Citizens Charter, SOP/MCs on Fire Safety Inspection

3. Fire Investigation

a. The Law on Arson in the Philippines (RPC)

• Constitutional Rights of the Accused
• Prima Facie Evidence of Arson
• Rules of Court

b. Procedures and Techniques

• Identification, Preservation, and Handling of Evidence
• Other Related Procedures and Techniques

c. SOPs on Fire and Arson Investigation

4. Administrative Matters

a. R.A. 6975 and its IRR

b. R.A. 9263 and its IRR

c. R.A. 9592 and its IRR

d. CSC Rules and Regulations and Qualification Standards

e. BFP Memo Circulars and SOPs on Administrative Matters

References

1. Republic Act No. 11131 or The Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018 (2018). The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines.
2. Ramones, K.J. (2022) BFP, CSC to hold Fire Officer Exam, Philippine Information Agency (PIA). Available at: https://pia.gov.ph/news/2022/10/11/bfp-csc-to-hold-fire-officer-exam (Accessed: 07 September 2023).
3. CSC opens exam application for fire officers (2022) Facebook.com. Philippine Civil Service Commission. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=440631174765162 (Accessed: 07 September 2023).
4. ‘Examination Advisory No. 16, series 2022’ (2022) CSC.gov.ph [Preprint]. Civil Service Commission (CSC). Available at: https://www.csc.gov.ph/phocadownload/userupload/erpo/advisories/2022/ExamAdvisoryNo16s2022.pdf (Accessed: 07 September 2023).