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Physical Agility
I have looked back at previous post and haven't found anything about Volunteer Depts making thier applicants perform any type physical agility test during the hiring process. We are a combo dept with full time and paid on call firefighters. We have all passed our dept test and the state c-pat.
What i'm wanting to know is if any of the Volunteer Depts do a physical agility test, if so what you make the candidates do, and do you (Chiefs, Asst. Chiefs, Officers) think this is a fair practice. Our town has grown beyond our capiabilities and the city won't hire anymore fulltime, so we are going to recruit 20 to 30 volunteers to help us out. All honesty, we are basicaly looking at a way to weed out the wanna be's.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rick Bibb on
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Thanks guys, I'm glad to see that we do all think on the same page. What I believe is that some of these recruits come busting up in here thinking they're superman and don't have a clue how demanding this job is or can be at times. We had a structure fire the other day and the outside temperature was 103 degrees. There was guys falling out left and right. And it's not just structure fire, mva's can be just as demanding, you know when your all bowed up with a set of cutters in full gear and it's 100 degrees. We don't need the wannabes standing around looking the part.
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Permalink Reply by FETC on
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Weather and wannabees are two seperate issues. The CPAT will not exclude the fact that the heat index will take down good firefighters. The test will assure they are strong enough, have enough cardio for a baseline firefighter to be qualified for the job in normal conditions.
Most firefghters at 100+ degree days have very short working time if the department is at all concerned with health and safety. I have seen the best trained, most active and furtherst from a wannabee be taken down by the heat. Alot of factors to add like overall general health, prehydration, hydration and post hydration, being possibly sick or evironmental allergies, over the counter meds can dehydrate brothers before a job. Then you got the heat and the humidity...etc.
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Permalink Reply by Damo on
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I see you guys are talking about on the job fitness, which obviously is important. But, what kind of training do you do outside of the work place to keep yourselves fit. I am starting my basic training in my local VFD in about 3 weeks and have started working on a program called stronglifts 5x5 and some basic cardio right now. Is there anything that can be done more job related or just stick to the gym and what ever happens at the fire house.
Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Wade Seely on
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P90X, and Crossfit are both great workout programs.
TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Capt./Chaplain Mike Petrosky on
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We have a physical agility test prior to hiring. You must run 1 mile within 13 minutes. Stretch 2 1/2" hoseline 100 feet from a standard crosslay configuration. Remove straight ladder from engine take it to predetermined location and lay it down walk the beams down and back, return to engine and place back on ladder rack. Pull 100' of 2 1/2 " hose up thru a second story window opening or from comparable height. Climb the aerial with a 100' hose bundle up to the basket and back down in safe manner. While its not the most comprehensive it gives us a baseline to see how the people do things and if they can do things.
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I have heard about that P90X, but it seems to take a lot of time. That crossfit looks awesome and seems to take stronglifts 5x5 to another level. Thanks for the info.
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Permalink Reply by kevin marcellin on
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Am processing in to be a Volunteer with Hampton FD and there a combo dept and they made me do a CPAT and all the other stuff as if i was being a paid F/F. i was told that after my classes that i had to do the CPAT again this time on air......so I don't know if other dept. do it like that.
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