Firefighter candidates must pass physical tests, including medical exams, fitness tests, and tests of strength and agility, to be hired. Tests can also check for health problems that may affect performance. The degree of acceptable impairment varies by department and location.
Most firefighters require candidates to pass several firefighter physical tests as part of their qualification processes. These tests often include medical tests to assess factors such as hearing, eyesight, and general health. Many departments also require fitness tests, designed to prove qualities such as strength, agility and speed. In most cases, firefighter candidates must pass all physical tests, as well as psychological and written exams, in order to be hired.
Depending on the department, there may be a number of health-related firefighter physical tests. Vision and hearing tests are quite common. Firefighters generally need to have good hearing over a wide decibel range and generally must be free of vision defects such as color blindness. The degree of acceptable hearing or visual impairment depends on the hiring department and may also be determined by a government or regulatory body in some areas.
Other types of firefighter physical tests are related to the general health of the candidate. Tests can check for problems such as high or low blood pressure, heart problems, and breathing disorders such as asthma, which can affect a firefighter’s ability to perform in adverse conditions. Tests can also compare a candidate’s height and weight against certain guidelines, along with a number of other factors.
In many cases, candidates must pass firefighter physical tests that prove their ability to meet the physical demands of the job. This can include demonstrating endurance by running a long distance within a specified amount of time or speed by running a short, timed sprint. Other tests include agility, in which a candidate may be asked to complete a timed obstacle course, and fine motor skills, in which candidates are required to manipulate small objects with their hands. They may also be needed to demonstrate techniques such as CPR.
Strength is perhaps the most common of the firefighter’s physical tests. Many tests include carry or drag, in which the candidate must lift or drag a dummy a certain distance into an established “safe zone”. In this test, the doll is usually the size and weight of an adult human. A flight of stairs is often involved.
Firefighter candidates may also have to pass tests of strength related to managing real fires. The most common of these is an active hose test. In this test, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to connect, turn on and handle a fire hose operating at full or near full power.
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