Firefighter hopefuls put through paces

Cayman Islands Fire Service’s Forcible Entry Test for potential recruits

(CNS): Recognising that firefighting is a physical job, officials put 44 Caymanians through a fitness test recently to see if they have what it takes to enlist in the Cayman Islands Fire Service. CIFS management said that as part of the recruitment process, candidates were tested in 11 different categories of physical ability over seven and a half hours. The potential recruits who took the fitness test scored 80% or higher on the written exam last month.

“Firefighting is an intense job with high physical demands,” Chief Fire Officer David Hails said. “We use this physical ability test to gauge if a candidate’s level of fitness is suitable for a career as a firefighter by simulating the actual work they would do on a regular basis.”

The test, which started at the Central Fire Station and lasted four days, consisted of 20 step-ups to test candidates’ cardiovascular endurance, three chin-ups and 10 push-ups to check upper body strength, as well as dragging a 165-pound dummy 100 feet to check lower body strength. They also had to swing a six-pound sledge-hammer 20 times at a tyre on the ground to test their forcible entry skills, lift a 24-foot ladder and unroll two 100-foot fire hoses, all under seven minutes.

CIFS Push-Up Test

In addition, candidates had to climb a 50-foot ladder, hook themselves onto the ladder and then lean back while raising their hands in the air to test their fear of heights. Later at the fire training grounds, the applicants had to complete a stair climbing drill while carrying a 100-foot hose up three stories in one minute. The group was also assessed for claustrophobia through a confined space test that used a maze with limited visibility, which had to complete in less than three minutes.

A swimming test at the Lions Aquatic Centre concluded the last part of the physical exam, in which applicants were asked to swim a length of the 25-metre pool, using the front crawl stroke, without touching the pool’s bottom or sides.

Chief Hails said he was extremely impressed with the potential recruits from both islands, as seven candidates progressed to the physical test in Cayman Brac.

“The Cayman Islands Fire Service is now one step closer in the recruitment process to finding candidates who will protect and serve this country,” he explained. “There is a lot of potential among this group, and I am happy to see so many individuals work hard in hopes of gaining a spot with this department.”

The official interview process will begin for Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac in January 2017.