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Different fire brigades use different kinds of physical abilities tests, and the exact components vary. The test you take may be a basic assessment of strength and fitness using measures such as sit-ups and a mile-and-a-half run, or it may be made up of events simulating tasks that are done at fires, such as hose drags and ladder raises. Find out all you can about the test in advance.
If the brigade has a videotape or dvd of its test available, watch it as many times as you can. Be sure to attend test practice sessions if the brigade offers them, preferably well in advance of your testing date. This will give you time to re-evaluate your workout routine or address any problems you discover. It's all about proper preparation in order to succeed.
On the day of the test, arrive early, well-nourished and well-rested. Take appropriate clothing: sweats, good athletic shoes, gloves if required. If the testing process will be a long one, make sure you have water and high-energy snacks on hand. If the day is hot, make sure you've drunk plenty of water before you start the test. Warm up and stretch just as you would before any strenuous workout. We don't want any injuries on the day of the tests now do we?
Despite the fact that everyone is competing against each other for the same few job openings, a camaraderie often develops among the applicants taking a firefighter test on the same day. Most women find this friendship includes them, even if there are few women taking the test. Such support and encouragement can help you perform well, even when it comes from total strangers.
Make sure you understand all of the instructions for each part of the test. Ask questions if necessary for clarification. If applicants are to wear firefighter protective clothing while taking the test, make sure you get gear that fits. Don't be hesitant to call attention to yourself in this way: having a glove fall off or a helmet slip down over your eyes during the test may mean the difference between passing and failing. The fire brigade or other testing agency is responsible for ensuring that the test conditions are as similar as possible for all candidates, and they must make gear available to fit candidates of all sizes.
An interview for a firefighter position should be approached in much the same way as one for any other professional job; the days are long past when it was appropriate to show up in casual clothes or with a casual attitude. Business attire and a professional outlook will demonstrate that you are serious about a career in the fire service and respectful of the interviewers.
Many books on job-hunting offer excellent advice on the job interview, and firefighter candidates should take advantage of these. They cover common-sense items that are overlooked appallingly often by job applicants ("Don't chew gum during the interview") as well as many other areas of preparation, appearance and behavior.
For a reality check on personal mannerisms that you may not otherwise have noticed, have a friend put you through a simulated interview, and videotape it. Watch the tape to see if you've presented yourself as someone you would want to hire. Do you make good eye contact with the interviewer? Do you sit comfortably and confidently in your chair, or do you slouch and wriggle? Is your speech punctuated with "umm's" and "you know's"? Work to correct any weaknesses that show up.
Don't lie awake nights trying to memorize, word for word, the perfect answer to every possible question you might be asked; you'll drive yourself crazy and lose a lot of valuable sleep. Instead, think of the general kinds of questions interviewers are likely to ask, and know the points you want to cover in your reply. Why do you want the job? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
Be sure you've done your homework about the fire service. Know what services it provides, what community activities it's involved in, what programs it's proud of. Identify for yourself the ways your particular background and skills can make you an asset to this fire brigade, and bring these up in the interview. Give examples of any community work you have participated in. Any previous community work will go in your favour, so try to get involved with local projects well before you get to this stage of recuitment.
If you have applied for a job with a large brigade, be patient. It may take a long time to get all the applicants through the process, and when you're waiting to hear about a job, it will seem even longer. If you're dealing with a smaller brigade, you may need to be a little more aware of how things are progressing. There's a fine line between staying on top of things and making a nuisance of yourself, but you do want to keep alert to make sure the process doesn't bypass you. If you have any questions about how things are being run, and particularly if you learn that candidates lower on the hiring list have been offered jobs when you have not, ask questions and get answers in writing if possible.
Unless there is just one fire brigade you want to work for, keep putting your application in and taking tests with other departments while you're waiting to hear from the first one. You can always withdraw from a hiring process if you get a job elsewhere, and you may end up in the enviable position of having two job offers to choose from. Wouldn't that be nice....
While most fire brigades have professionalized their hiring practices and are careful to avoid unfair treatment of any applicant group, illegal discrimination does still crop up in hiring processes from time to time. If you believe you have been treated unfairly based on your race, gender or religion (or, in some cities and states, your sexual orientation), you may wish to pursue the matter through legal channels.
Finally, remember to make the most of the products that are available to help you become a firefighter
MULTI-STAGE FITNESS/BLEEP TEST
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AND SUPPLIED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE NATIONAL COACHING FOUNDATION
The bleep test, also known as the beep test, multi-stage fitness test, or shuttle run test, is used by sports coaches and trainers to estimate an athlete's maximum oxygen uptake better known as VO2 Max. The bleep test is especially useful for those people who are applying for either the Emergency Services or the Armed Forces. It is also highly suited to players of sports like football, hockey, or rugby.
The bleep test involves running continuously between two points that are 20 metres apart (also found in 15 metres). These runs are synchronised with a pre-recorded audio tape, CD or laptop which plays bleeps at set intervals. As the bleep test proceeds, the interval between each successive bleep reduces, forcing the athlete to increase velocity over the course of the bleep test, until it is impossible to keep in sync with the recording.
AVAILABLE IN AUDIO COMPACT DISC VERSION -
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