Becoming a firefighter means you must pass rigorous fitness requirements. The candidates typically wear a 50 pound weighted vest or full firefighting gear during the timed tests. For example a male who is 6 feet tall should these weights are only general guidelines as we use body fatcontent and not weight to make the final decision. In order to become a firefighter you will need a valid drivers license and meet the age requirement of 18 years old. I know on la countys website their have requirements. Meet basic requirements to become a firefighter.
Every inch above 58 add 5 pounds. The test for determining whether an occupational requirement is bona fide was established by the supreme court of canada in ontario human rights. This check must be clear before the candidate can be accepted. There is also an agility and physical test as well as a written exam. There is an initial exam before you enter fire training school to determine your cognitive skills and basic abilities in regards to reading writing and mathematics. However there is no minimum or maximum height stated in the criteria for firefighters.
These recommendations but you are very muscular then you are probably ok. This is directly from their site. The requirement qualification or factor is reasonable and bona fide in the circumstances height and weight as bona fide occupational requirements. We partnered with fire departments to collect data on firefighter size and weight which lead to the publication of the fama firefighter anthropometric data white paper the following year. There also may be a personality test to measure your ability to withstand the stress of emergency rescue situations. This data was used by apparatus manufactures as well as the national fire protection association nfpa apparatus committee to set new standards for.
Candidates may also undergo tests to determine their physical and mental resilience. Jane a female who has wanted to be a firefighter all of her life applied for a position on the newton fire department but was not hired because she did not meet the minimum height and weight requirements. The only requirement ive seen is height and weight combination. In fact studies have shown that rates of overweight and obese individuals in the fire service are higher than those found in the general public. Policy on height and weight requirements a. Between 73 to 88 percent of firefighters are overweight or obese.
A written exam is also part of the requirement to be a firefighter. Newtons fire department had a minimum height and weight requirement for its firefighters. Males who are 5 feet and 8 inches should get their weight down to 169 pounds. There is a growing epidemic of obesity in the united states and the fire and emergency services are not immune. These requirements disqualified approximately 80 of all women but only 5 of all men. These requirements vary slightly between fire departments but the basics typically remain the same nationwide.
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