Firefighter Candidate Physical Ability Testing (CPAT)

Applicants who are successful in the written exam are scheduled to take the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) (Adobe Acrobat plug-in required to view). Applicants must be in excellent physical condition to be competitive.

The CPAT is a sequence of events requiring you to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow fire departments to obtain pools of trainable candidates who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes. This is a pass/fail test based on a validated maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds. In these events, you wear a 50-pound (22.68 kg) vest to simulate the weight of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and firefighter protective clothing. An additional 25 pounds (11.34 kg), using two 12.5 pound (5.67 kg) weights that simulate a high-rise pack (hose bundle), is added to your shoulders for the stair-climb event. Throughout all events, you must wear long pants, a hard hat with chin strap, work gloves, and footwear with no open heel or toe. Watches and loose or restrictive jewelry are not permitted.

Applicants who successfully complete the written test and CPAT are placed, by numerical score, on an eligibility list. This eligibility list is normally certified for a period of one year. However, it can be extended at the discretion of the Personnel Department. Recruit firefighters are selected by an interview board that draws from the certified eligibility list.

All applicants who are selected for hiring must successfully complete a recruit training program at the Fire Department Training Academy. The Recruit Academy lasts eight weeks. Those who successfully complete the recruit training program are placed in the field as probationary firefighters for the remainder of their 12-month probationary period. During the probationary period, an on-going structured training program will be provided, along with monthly performance evaluations.