The National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ) and Behavioural Questionnaires Explained
Quick answer
The National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ) was the behavioural questionnaire in the older National Firefighter Selection process, built around the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs). Many services now use other behavioural questionnaires — West Midlands lists an 'assessment for firefighter' and Avon a behavioural workstyle questionnaire — but the approach is the same: rate statements about how you work, honestly and consistently.
Behavioural questionnaires have no right or wrong answers in the usual sense — which is exactly why candidates find them unsettling. The National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ) was the version used in the older national selection process; today services use a range of questionnaires. This guide explains what they measure, how the formats work, and how to approach them honestly and thoughtfully.
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What the NFQ Is For
The NFQ was designed to provide objective information about your personal style and behaviour, so that selection decisions were fair and consistent across all candidates. Rather than testing what you knew, it assessed how closely your attitudes matched those considered important for a firefighter.
Responses were not viewed in isolation. They were considered alongside the rest of the selection results — the ability tests, fitness assessment, and interview — to help the service decide whether a candidate was suited to the role. Behavioural questionnaires used today are generally used in the same way.
The Qualities It Measures
The NFQ centred on qualities matching the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs). Newer questionnaires are often aligned with other frameworks — South Yorkshire, for example, says its behavioural test aligns with the NFCC Leadership Framework — but they explore similar themes.
- ✓Working with others
- ✓Confidence and resilience
- ✓Commitment to excellence
- ✓Commitment to diversity and integrity
- ✓Openness to change
- ✓Situational awareness
- ✓Commitment to development
Preparing for the tests
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Reading about them only goes so far — the tests are timed, and the pace is the part that catches people out.
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How the Format Works
Each item is a statement, and you indicate how strongly you agree or disagree using a rating scale — typically running from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The statements describe attitudes, preferences, and typical behaviours, such as how you respond to pressure, how you work in a team, or how you approach learning and feedback.
There is usually no strict time limit in the way there is for the ability tests, but you should work at a steady pace and answer instinctively rather than agonising over each item. Over-thinking tends to produce inconsistent answers.
How to Approach It
The best strategy is to answer honestly while keeping the qualities of a good firefighter in mind. These questionnaires are designed with consistency checks, and answers that are obviously engineered to look perfect, or that contradict each other, can stand out. Trying to present yourself as flawless on every dimension can actually work against you.
That said, it is reasonable to answer thoughtfully. If a statement genuinely could go either way for you, consider which response reflects the professional, safety-focused, team-oriented behaviour the role demands — because if those values do not come naturally, the role may be a difficult fit, and the questionnaire is partly there to surface exactly that.
- ✓Answer honestly and consistently — avoid contradicting yourself
- ✓Do not try to look perfect on every quality
- ✓Work at a steady pace; answer instinctively
- ✓Keep the firefighter values (teamwork, safety, integrity) in mind
How It Fits the Wider Process
The NFQ is one input among several. A strong questionnaire will not by itself secure you a place, and the ability tests, fitness, and interview all carry weight. But an inconsistent or poorly considered questionnaire can raise flags, so it is worth taking seriously rather than rushing.
Because questionnaires and interviews explore similar values — teamwork, resilience, integrity, respect, development — preparing your interview examples also deepens your understanding of what a questionnaire is looking at.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Firefighter Questionnaire?
It was the behavioural questionnaire in the older National Firefighter Selection process: you rated how strongly you agreed with statements about attitudes and behaviour. Many services now use other behavioural questionnaires that work in a similar way.
Are there right or wrong answers in the NFQ?
Not in the conventional sense — it is a personality-style assessment. However, honesty and consistency matter, and answers that obviously try to look perfect or that contradict each other can stand out. Answer truthfully while keeping firefighter values in mind.
What qualities did the NFQ measure?
It centred on qualities matching the PQAs, such as working with others, confidence and resilience, commitment to excellence, commitment to diversity and integrity, openness to change, situational awareness and commitment to development. Newer questionnaires may use other frameworks.
Can you fail a behavioural questionnaire?
Services use questionnaire results in different ways, and some use them to decide who progresses. Inconsistent or poorly considered answers can count against you, so answer honestly and consistently.
How should I prepare for a behavioural questionnaire?
You can't revise for it, but you can reflect on how you genuinely behave around teamwork, pressure, integrity and learning, and read the values your service describes. Then answer honestly and consistently.