Kerala Fire & Rescue Exam Guide

Kerala Fire & Rescue Officer (Fireman) 2026: The Complete Guide

The Fire & Rescue Officer exam is the most physically demanding Kerala PSC post — with a swimming test on top of the PET — and a written paper with a unique fire-science and first-aid block. Here is the full syllabus, the physical requirements, salary and a plan.

The post — and a correction on qualification

The Fire & Rescue Officer is a uniformed operational firefighter and rescuer in the Kerala Fire & Rescue Services Department, with 12 months of training that includes swimming proficiency.

Eligibility, age, physical & swimming

Qualification: a pass in Plus Two (HSE) or equivalent. Age: 18–26, with OBC +3 (to 29) and SC/ST +5 (to 31). Physical: the uniformed-service standard (men ~168 cm height, 81 cm chest with 5 cm expansion; SC/ST relaxed), screened by an endurance test and the 5-of-8 one-star PET, plus a distinctive swimming test. Confirm exact height/chest figures in the live notification.

Written exam pattern & mark distribution

OMR, 100 questions / 100 marks / 75 minutes, 1/3 negative marking, bilingual. Official distribution:

Section	Marks
General Knowledge (History 5, Geography 5, Economics 5, Constitution 8, Kerala Governance 3, Life Science 4, Physics 3, Chemistry 3, Arts/Sports 4)	40
Current Affairs	10
Simple Arithmetic + Mental Ability	10
General English	10
Regional Language	10
Special Topics (Fire & First Aid + IT Act)	20

The syllabus — and the fire & first-aid block

Sections I–V are essentially the same Plus-Two GK/English/Malayalam/maths material as the constable exam, with the Constitution (8 marks) the single biggest GK sub-block. The distinctive 20-mark Special Topics block:

Fire (9): combustion and the fire triangle; chemistry of heat and combustion — specific and latent heat, sublimation, flash point, fire point and ignition temperature; heat transfer (conduction/convection/radiation); MSDS of LPG, ammonia and chlorine; methods of extinction (starvation, smothering, cooling); extinguisher types and the PASS technique.

First Aid (9): the human body and respiration; resuscitation — the CAB/ABC rule, CPR and AED; choking; wounds, bleeding control, burns and scalds, fractures, and snake-bite first aid.

IT Act 2000 (2): key sections on cyber offences.

How the pattern has shifted

The fire and first-aid section rewards conceptual application ("which extinguishing method removes the fuel?" → starvation; "which agent suits an electrical fire?") rather than rote definitions, and first-aid items test procedure order (CAB vs ABC, CPR steps). Science sub-sections are increasingly numerical, aligning with the constable-paper trend, while current affairs (10) and Constitution (8) remain the biggest generic scorers.

Salary and benefits

Pay scale: ₹27,900 – 63,700. Gross starting is roughly ₹34,000–38,000 including DA/HRA. Allowances: DA, HRA, travel, risk/hazard benefits, insurance, PF, medical and pension/NPS.

The selection process

Written/OMR (ranking) → physical measurement → endurance test / PET (5 of 8) → swimming test → medical examination → document verification → ranked list → 12-month training.

Study plan and common mistakes

Physical and swimming: this is the most physically demanding Kerala PSC post — train the eight PET events and learn to swim early (neglecting swimming is a distinct disqualifier). Written: master the high-yield Special Topics (fire triangle, flash/fire/ignition points, extinction methods, extinguisher types and PASS; CPR/CAB, bleeding, burns, fractures, snake-bite) for ~18 near-guaranteed marks, and treat sections I–V like the constable exam so shared resources work.

Common mistakes: ignoring the swimming requirement; under-preparing first-aid procedure order; neglecting the regional-language 10 marks; last-minute physical training; and guessing carelessly against negative marking.

Sample questions (with answers)

Model questions in the real exam pattern. Tap to reveal the answer.

1. The three components of the fire triangle are —

Fuel, heat, oxygen.

2. The lowest temperature at which a substance ignites and continues to burn is called —

Fire point.

3. In CPR, the recommended sequence is now —

C-A-B (Compression, Airway, Breathing).

4. Removing the fuel source to extinguish a fire is called —

Starvation.

5. "PASS" in using a fire extinguisher stands for —

Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

6. IT Act Section 66F deals with —

Cyber terrorism.

7. First-aid priority for arterial bleeding is —

Direct pressure to control bleeding.

8. Which amendment introduced Fundamental Duties?

The 42nd Amendment.

9. The latent heat absorbed when a solid turns directly to vapour is associated with —

Sublimation.

10. The three methods of heat transfer are —

Conduction, convection, radiation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the qualification for Kerala Fire and Rescue Officer?

A pass in Plus Two (HSE) or equivalent — the post (formerly Fireman) is now Plus-Two level, not SSLC. Age is 18 to 26 with relaxations.

Is there a swimming test for the Fireman exam?

Yes. In addition to the physical measurement and the 5-of-8 one-star PET, the Fire and Rescue selection includes a swimming test.

What is in the Fire and Rescue special-topics block?

A 20-mark block: fire science (fire triangle, flash/fire/ignition points, extinction methods, extinguisher types and PASS), first aid (CPR, bleeding, burns, fractures, snake-bite) and the IT Act.

What is the Fire and Rescue Officer salary?

The pay scale is Rs 27,900 to 63,700, with gross starting pay around Rs 34,000 to 38,000 a month including allowances and risk benefits.

Is there negative marking in the Fireman exam?

Yes, one-third of a mark per wrong answer on the 100-question, 75-minute OMR paper.

More Kerala PSC exam guides

• Kerala PSC LDC
• Kerala PSC LGS
• Kerala PSC VEO
• Secretariat Assistant & Degree Level
• Kerala Police Constable / CPO
• Kerala Police SI
• Renaissance in Kerala (PSC notes)