Candidate Physical Ability Test Standard for Firefighter I Training
As prescribed by the Commission, job-related physical performance requirements
shall be used to select candidates. Therefore, the firefighter candidate shall
successfully complete the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness
Initiative Program-Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) or other approved
validated physical ability evaluation prior to entering a minimum standards
course for Firefighter I.
The physical
ability evaluation shall be valid for one (1) year.
The
Alabama Fire College and Personnel Standards Commission requires as proof of
successful completion of the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) that the
Official CPAT Form be submitted when a candidate registers for any recruit
school within Alabama.
CPAT Verification Form
AFC CPAT Registration Form
Candidate Physical Abiltiy Test: 8 Test Evolutions
The Fire
Service Joint Labor Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative Candidate Physical
Ability Test © consists of eight separate events. The CPAT is a sequence of
events requiring the candidate to progress along a predetermined path from event
to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow fire
departments a means for obtaining pools of trainable candidates who are
physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes.
Event 1: Stair Climb
Using a StepMill stair-climbing machine, this event is designed to simulate the
critical task of climbing stairs in full protective clothing while carrying a
high-rise pack (hose bundle) and firefighter equipment. This event challenges
aerobic capacity, lower body muscular endurance and the ability to balance.
Participants wear a 12.5-pound weight on each shoulder to simulate the weight of
a high-rise pack.
Immediately following a 20-second warm-up period at a rate of 50 steps per
minute, the timed part of the test starts as indicated by a proctor. There is no
break in time between the warm-up period and the actual timing of the test.
During the warm-up period, dismounting, grasping the rail, or holding the wall
to establish balance and cadence is permitted. The timed part of the test lasts
three (3) minutes at a stepping rate of 60 steps per minute.
Failure
can occur by falling or dismounting three times during the warm-up period, or by
falling or dismounting the StepMill after the timed CPAT begins. During the
test, the participant is permitted to touch the wall or handrail for balance
only momentarily; if that rule is violated more than twice during the test,
failure will result.
Event 2: Hose DragThis
event is designed to simulate the critical tasks of
dragging
an uncharged hoseline from a fire apparatus to a structure and pulling an
uncharged hoseline around obstacles while remaining stationary. This event
challenges aerobic capacity, lower body muscular strength and endurance, upper
back muscular strength and endurance, grip strength and endurance, and anaerobic
endurance.
A
hoseline nozzle attached to 200 feet of hose is grasped and placed over the
shoulder or across the chest up to eight feet. While walking or running, the
participant drags the hose 75 feet to a pre-positioned drum, makes a 90° turn,
and continues an additional 25 feet. After stopping within the marked box, the
candidate drops to at least one knee and pulls the hoseline until the 50-foot
mark crosses the finish line.
During
the hose drag, failure results if the participant does not go around the drum or
goes outside of the marked path. During the hose pull, a warning is given if at
least one knee is not kept in contact with the ground or if the knees go outside
the marked boundary line; a second warning constitutes failure.
Event 3: Equipment Carry
This
event uses two saws and a tool cabinet replicating a storage cabinet on a fire
truck. It is simulates the critical tasks of removing power tools from a fire
apparatus, carrying them to the emergency scene, and returning the equipment to
the fire apparatus. This event challenges aerobic capacity, upper body muscular
strength and endurance, lower body muscular endurance, grip endurance, and
balance.
The
candidate must remove the two saws from the tool cabinet, one at a time, and
place them on the ground. Then he/she picks up both saws (one in each hand) and
carries them while walking 75 feet around a drum, then back to the starting
point. Placing the saw(s) on the ground to adjust a grip is permitted. Upon
return to the tool cabinet, the saws are placed on the ground, then picked up
one at a time, and replaced in the cabinet.
Dropping
either saw on the ground during the carry will result in immediate failure. A
warning will be given for running; a second warning constitute a failure.
Event 4: Ladder Raise and ExtensionThis
event, which uses two 24-foot aluminum extension ladders, is
designed
to simulate the placement of a ground ladder at a fire structure and extending
it to the roof or window. This event challenges aerobic capacity, upper body
muscular strength, lower body muscular strength, balance, grip strength, and
anaerobic endurance.
The participant must walk to the top rung of oneladder, lift the unhinged end
from the ground, and walk it up hand over hand until it is stationary against
the wall. Then he/she immediately proceeds to the other pre-positioned
ladder, stands with both feet within the
marked box, extends the fly
section hand over hand until it hits the stop, then lowers it in back to the
starting position.
Immediate
failure will result if the ladder is allowed to fall to the ground, if control
is not maintained in a hand-over-hand manner, or if the rope halyard slips in an
uncontrolled manner. Missing any rung during the raise or allowing one’s feet to
extend outside of the boundary results in a warning; a second warning
constitutes a failure.
Event 5: Forcible Entry
This event uses a mechanized device that measures cumulative force and a
10-pound sledgehammer. It simulates the critical tasks of using force to open a
locked door or to breach a wall. This event challenges aerobic capacity, upper
body muscular strength and endurance, lower
body
muscular strength and endurance, balance, grip strength and endurance, and
anaerobic
endurance.
For this
event, the candidate uses the sledgehammer to strike a measuring device in a
target area until the buzzer activates. Feet must be kept outside the toe-box at
all times.
Failure
results if the participant does not maintain control of the sledgehammer and
releases it from both hands while swinging. A warning is given for stepping
inside the toe-box; a second warning constitutes a failure.
Event 6: Search
This event uses an enclosed search maze that has obstacles and narrowedspaces.
It simulates the critical task of searching for a fire victim with limited
visibility in an unpredictable area. This event challenges aerobic capacity,
upper body muscular strength and endurance, agility, balance, anaerobic
endurance, and
kinesthetic awareness.
For this
event, the candidate crawls through a tunnel maze that is approximately 3 feet
high, 4 feet wide, 64 feet in length, and has two 90° turns and multiple
obstacles. In addition, there are two locations where the dimensions of the
tunnel are reduced. If at any point the participant chooses to end the event,
he/she can call out or rap sharply on the wall or ceiling and will be assisted
out of the maze although doing so will result in failure of the event. Failure
also will occur if the candidate requests assistance that requires the opening
of the escape hatch or opening of the entrance/exit covers.
Event 7: Rescue
This event uses a weighted mannequin equipped with a shoulder harness t
o
simulate the critical task of removing a victim or injured partner from a fire
scene. This event challenges aerobic capacity, upper and lower body muscular
strength and endurance, grip strength and endurance, and anaerobic endurance.
The
participant grasps a 165-pound mannequin by the handle(s) on the shoulder(s) of
the harness (either one or both handles are permitted), drags it 35 feet, makes
a 180° turn around a pre-positioned drum, and continues an additional 35 feet to
the finish line. Grasping or resting on the drum is not permitted, but the
mannequin may touch the drum. The candidate is permitted to drop and release the
mannequin to adjust his/her grip. The entire mannequin must be dragged across
the finish line.
Grasping
or resting on the drum at any time results in a warning; a second warning
constitutes a failure.
Event 8: Ceiling Breach and Pull
This event uses a mechanized device that measures overhead push and pull forces
and a pike pole. The pike pole is a commonly used piece of equipment that
consists of a six-foot long pole with a hook and point attached to one end. This
event simulates the critical task
of breaching and pulling down a ceiling to check for fire extension. It
challenges aerobic capacity, upper and lower body muscular strength and
endurance, grip strength and endurance, and anaerobic endurance.
After
removing the pike pole from the bracket, the participant places the tip of the
pole on a 60-pound hinged door in the ceiling and pushes it three times while
standing within the established boundary. Then, the pike pole is hooked to a
80-pound ceiling device and pulled five times. Each set consists of three pushes
and five pulls; the set is repeated four times. A pause for grip adjustment is
allowed.
Releasing
one’s grip or allowing the pike pole handle to slip does not result in a warning
or constitute a failure. The candidate may re-establish his/her grip and resume
the event. If a repetition is not successfully completed, the proctor calls out
"MISS" and the apparatus must be pushed or pulled again to complete the
repetition. This event and the total test time ends when the final pull stroke
repetition is completed and the proctor calls "TIME."
A warning
is given for dropping the pike pole to the ground or for feet straying outside
the boundaries; a second warning of either violation constitute a failure.
General Information
This is a pass/fail
test based on a validated maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
In these events, the
candidate wears a 50-pound vest to simulate the weight of self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) and firefighter protective clothing. An additional 25
pounds, using two 12.5-pound weights that simulate a high-rise pack (hose
bundle), is added to the shoulders for the stair climb event.
Throughout all events,
the participant 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.
All props were designed
to obtain the necessary information regarding physical ability. The tools and
equipment were chosen to provide the highest level of consistency, safety and
validity in measuring the candidate’s physical abilities. A schematic drawing of
the CPAT is included in this orientation material; however, the course layout
may vary in order to conform to the fire department's test area. The events and
distances between events are always the same.
The events are placed
in a sequence that best simulates fire scene events while allowing an 85-foot
walk between events. To ensure the highest level of safety and to prevent
exhaustion, no running is allowed between events. This walk allows approximately
20 seconds to recover and regroup before each event.
To ensure scoring
accuracy, two stopwatches are used to time the CPAT. One stopwatch is designated
as the official test time stopwatch, the second is the backup stopwatch. If
mechanical failure occurs, the time on the backup stopwatch is used. The
stopwatches are set to the pass/fail time and countdown from 10 minutes and 20
seconds. If time elapses prior to the completion of the test, the test is
concluded and the participant fails the test.
Test Forms
Prior to taking the CPAT, each candidate must present valid identification, sign
a number of forms, complete a waiver and release form and a sign-in form.
Candidates are provided an opportunity to review a video detailing the CPAT and
the failure points. It is the candidate's responsibility to ask questions if any
part of the test events or procedures are not understood. At the conclusion of
the CPAT, the candidate must sign the CPAT Evaluation Form and complete and sign
the Rehabilitation Form. Failure to complete and sign any of these forms results
in failure of the CPAT.
