How to Ace the Fire Service In‑Basket Exercise

On this episode of the Women in Fire podcast, host Lisa Baker welcomes veteran lieutenant and assessment center SME Heidi Simon of the South Metro (CO) Fire Department. Simon walks through the in‑basket exercise used on firefighter promotional exams. She explains what an in‑basket looks like, the assessment dimensions (planning, multitasking, time management, problem solving, delegation, policy knowledge, verbal and written communication), and practical tactics: She emphasizes practice with real department issues, knowing local “hot topics” and policies, and the necessity of follow up.