NRS-523 | Papers concerning examinations for the rank of District Officer [Board of Fire Commissioners]

The examination for the rank of district officer was available to officers with the seniority that the Board determined. In effect it has been most regularly available to Station Officers (Grade A) who made written submission to sit for the examination. Examinations were held in composition, mathematics and hydraulics, drill and general knowledge.In 1940 the examination was made available to Station Officers Grades A, B and C and to Sub-Station Officers Grade A. This relaxation in the seniority requirement appears to have been to enable more officers to be trained at senior level to cope with possible civil emergencies during World War II. In about 1948 the examination subjects changed to include (I) mathematics and hydraulics (ii) Composition (iii) General Knowledge - Technical (iv) General Knowledge - Fire Ground Operations and (v) General Knowledge - Administration. Post Examinations were introduced about the same time and were available to candidates who passed in at least three subjects. Post examinations were held within six months of the original examination. If a post examination was failed the candidate was required to sit for the complete examination again when next offered. The papers include lists of officers eligible for the examination, arrangements for the examination, examination results, and letters indicating the intension of taking the examination. Some examination papers are present and there are occasional candidates written responses amongst the papers. There are several printed syllabi for the Examination for the Rank of District Officer including 1927, 1951 and 1958.