One of the hardest parts of becoming a firefighter is to prepare yourself physically for the entrance physical testing. It used to be that many departments would have their own standard physical test, variations of ladder climbs, hose drags, running and more. However, with more departments realizing that creating and designing their own testing took a lot of time and opened them up to liability issues, the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is gaining in popularity. So, what is the CPAT and how can you prepare for it if you have no firefighter experience?

The CPAT was created and developed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) as a means of creating a pre-entrance physical exam that was a good measure of a persons physical ability to do the job of a firefighter. While no amount of testing can prepare someone for what they might face, this eight stage physical test brought some of the more common physical elements into one test. This article isn’t about why the CPAT was created, but if you like, you can read more about the history of the CPAT.

So, the CPAT is composed of eight (8) stages, or stations, of physical testing that simulate the tasks that a firefighter might perform while on the job. There are some basic things you can do in order to begin to prepare yourself physically for this test, such as making sure your cardio is strong and your physical strength is good also. During the timed test, you are required to wear a 50 pound weighted vest to simulate the additional weight that you would have on from the gear and SCBA. If you are really wanting to practice, I strongly encourage borrowing a weighted vest from someone, or purchasing a 50LBS Adjustable Weighted Vest to practice with. You can make your own, however it probably isn’t as reliable as having your own. Plus you would be able to modify the weight and use it for physical conditioning after you are hired, or sell it.

Read the entire article at firefighterhealthandwellness.com.