911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A caller says they are traveling northbound on I-95 and just passed mile marker 42. In which direction would they need to travel to reach mile marker 50?
- Continue northbound (Correct answer)
- Turn around and go southbound
- Exit and head east
- Exit and head west
Correct answer: Continue northbound
Mile markers increase as you travel northbound on most U.S. interstates, so continuing north will reach higher mile markers.
Question 2: A caller describes their location as the 'northeast corner' of an intersection. Which two streets form the northeast corner?
- The street to their north and the street to their east (Correct answer)
- The street to their south and the street to their west
- The street they are on and the street behind them
- The nearest major road and the highway
Correct answer: The street to their north and the street to their east
The northeast corner of an intersection is where the northward and eastward streets meet, placing the caller in that quadrant.
Question 3: On a standard grid-style city map, addresses on the east side of a north-south street typically have what characteristic?
- Even numbers (Correct answer)
- Odd numbers
- Numbers starting with 1000
- No consistent pattern
Correct answer: Even numbers
In most U.S. cities using the grid address system, even-numbered addresses are on the east and south sides of streets.
Question 4: A caller reports an accident at 'the overpass where Route 7 crosses above Highway 34.' Which unit should be dispatched to the location ON Route 7?
- A unit that can access the elevated road (Route 7) (Correct answer)
- A unit that patrols Highway 34 below
- Units from both roads simultaneously
- The unit nearest the on-ramp to Highway 34
Correct answer: A unit that can access the elevated road (Route 7)
The accident is on Route 7 which is the overpass (elevated road), so responding units must access Route 7 directly.
Question 5: A dispatcher is told a fire is spreading from the 300 block toward the 400 block of Main Street. Which direction is the fire moving if Main Street runs east-west and numbers increase going east?
- Eastward (Correct answer)
- Westward
- Northward
- Southward
Correct answer: Eastward
If block numbers increase going east, fire moving from the 300 block to the 400 block is moving eastward.
Question 6: A caller states they are in a parking garage on level 3 and see smoke coming from the stairwell. When directing firefighters, what location detail is most critical to relay?
- The specific garage level and the stairwell's location within the garage (Correct answer)
- Only the street address of the garage
- The number of cars on that level
- The garage's total number of levels
Correct answer: The specific garage level and the stairwell's location within the garage
Vertical location (floor level) combined with the horizontal position of the stairwell gives responders the most precise location in a multi-level structure.
Question 7: Which map feature helps a 911 dispatcher determine if a responding unit must cross a bridge to reach a caller on the other side of a river?
- Water body symbols and bridge indicators on the map (Correct answer)
- The contour lines showing elevation
- The grid coordinate system
- The map's scale bar
Correct answer: Water body symbols and bridge indicators on the map
Water body symbols and bridge markers on a map indicate where waterways exist and where crossings are available.
911 Operator Test Map Reading and Directions 2
A caller says they are traveling northbound on I-95 and just passed mile marker 42.
In which direction would they need to travel to reach mile marker 50?