Thomas Wengerter (PM5028D), CSC Docket No. 2023-1299

BackgroundThomas Wengerter appeals the written portion of the examination for Fire Captain (PM5028D) Linden.

Appellant's argumentIn his appeal, the appellant argues that his response to Question 43 was correct. Question 43 asked, based on the collapse in Question 42, which is the BEST location for a rescue attempt to come from. It is noted that Question 42 indicated that the first floor partially collapsed in the kitchen, trapping an engine crew below-grade. The keyed response was option c, the bilco doors and the first floor. The appellant selected option a, the bilco doors. In support of his response, the appellant states that the question asked for a location in the singular which suggests one spot, and not more than one spot.

In reply, two of the answer options to Question 43 were singular, and two were plural. Nonetheless, the correct response was not based on grammar, but on proper firefighting techniques. According to page 325 of Collapse of Burning Buildings, A Guide to Fireground Safety, 2nd Edition, by Vincent Dunn, “Immediately after a floor collapse trapping a firefighter into a cellar, simultaneous rescue should be attempted from adjacent spaces such as adjoining buildings or cellar rooms or any horizontal opening, in additional to rescue from above.” Option a is incorrect, as rescue attempts should be made from more than one location, one of which should be from above. Thus, the keyed response is correct as it provides for rescue attempts from more than one location, including from above. While the appellant questions the number of firefighters trapped and notes that the source discusses a single trapped fire fighter, the source does not provide a different approach to address multiple trapped firefighters. Moreover, Subject Matter Experts reviewed the question and the answer choices and determined that the keyed answer was correct. Thus, the approach provided in the source is correct and the keyed response will not be changed.

CONCLUSION

A thorough review of the appellant’s submissions and the test materials indicates that the decision below is amply supported by the record, and the appellant has failed to meet his burden of proof in this matter.

ORDER

Therefore, it is ordered that this appeal be denied.

ClosingThis is the final administrative determination in this matter. Any further review should be pursued in a judicial forum.