As if saving lives in impossible situations were not enough, many firefighters who aspire to rise to the tanks of lieutenant, captain, battalion chief or above must also undergo the rigors of
an assessment center, where they have interviews and take exams. Kastros, a battalion chief and 19-year veteran of the Sacramento Fire District, is also a trainer of firefighters facing
assessments. He describes how to eliminate barriers to success, such as fear and nerves, and gives an orientation tour of assessment center operations and procedures. He advises readers to go
to the testing site plenty of time before the test takes place, become the position, and find their special inspiration. He describes positive and negative performance, the means of becoming a
better officer by thoroughly understanding the leadership, management and emergency operations necessary. He includes mock exercises and common pitfalls as well as great hints on interview
techniques. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
