What is the position of Captain in the chain from Fire Chief to Firefighter?

• A. 7th
• B. 9th
• C. 8th
• D. 6th

Answer: (C)

Understanding how the ranks stack up from the top down helps you see where the Captain sits. In many fire service structures, the path from Fire Chief toward line-level ranks goes something like: Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, Battalion Chief, Division Chief, District Chief, Operations Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Firefighter. Counting from the Fire Chief as the first step, Captain is the eighth position. So the Captain sits eight steps below the Fire Chief in that common ordering.

Keep in mind that exact titles can vary by department, but the idea is the same: there are several ranks above Captain and a few below, with Captain landing at the eighth spot in this sequence.