City of Coquitlam Fire/Rescue 2015/2016 Firefighter Recruitment Firefighter Day Two Fire Challenge Testing Criteria Saturday November 14 th 2015 Important Notice All Candidates must have picture ID. All Candidates are required to supply their own steel toed boots. (No low angle cut style boots are permitted) All Candidates are required to supply their own leather gloves. *Failure to comply with the above - will result in disqualification* Candidates will be outfitted with our Firefighter turnout gear. Candidates will be required to wear our SCBA in certain tasks. All tests must be successfully completed to proceed in the hiring process. Please bring a refillable water bottle. Page 1
City of Coquitlam Fire/Rescue 2015/2016 Firefighter Recruitment Firefighter Day Two Fire Challenge Testing Criteria Saturday November 14 th 2015 Specific instructions will be given. Failure to complete any of these tasks as instructed will result in disqualification. The four (4) tasks in this physical test are: 1. EXTENSION LADDER RAISE (Wearing SCBA) Ladders are an integral part of the fire suppression effort. The capacity to extend a ladder is an essential requirement for a firefighter. Ladders are used to perform rescue, ventilation, and/or to gain access into a structure for fire suppression activities. Firefighters usually perform this task individually and without assistance. The ladder extension is an acceptable substitute to assess muscular strength and endurance. A 35 extension ladder will be vertically affixed and secured to the North/West wall of the hose tower. The applicant will approach the ladder and stand to the side and place their foot against the beam of the ladder, grasping the halyard rope. The applicant will, while employing a hand over hand motion, raise the fly sections of the ladder. The fly sections will be raised until they contact the stops, (fully extended) ensuring that all the pawls (dogs) are locked. 2. AERIAL LADDER CLIMB An important part of a Firefighter s job requirement is the ability to climb ladders. The aerial ladder climb tests the Firefighter s muscular strength, balance, endurance and checks for fear of heights. A Firefighter must be able to comfortably work without fear on roof areas, raised ladders or on the Fire Department s aerial truck. Participants will be required to climb the Fire Department s Aerial Ladder (431) wearing turnout gear, helmet and a safety harness complete with a ascending/descending device. The participant will climb at a smooth continuous motion to a height of 90 at a 70 degree incline, maintaining hand contact on the rungs as you climb. There will be a sign attached to the ladder rung at 90, which will indicate the level you will be required to achieve. This sign will instruct you to STOP CLIMBING and return to the base of the Aerial Ladder. The candidate must step on each of the rungs in both directions. Page 2
3. SMOKEHOUSE SEARCH The ability of a firefighter to work in an extreme environment is crucial to their ability to perform at the fire scene. A firefighter is expected to be able to work in an environment with limited visibility and confined space. Candidates must show the ability to maintain spatial orientation and a freedom from claustrophobia. This task is of prime importance to the job of the firefighter and is directly responsive to the mission of the fire service: the protection of life and property. NOTE: The smokehouse configuration changes from one recruitment to the next While wearing full turn-out gear, SCBA and using a blacked out mask, the candidate will be escorted into the center room of the smoke house. The candidate will then be directed to the hose line and coupling located in the room and ascertain the direction to exit the building by checking the hose coupling. The candidate will follow the hose line until they exit the smoke house. Candidates must CRAWL through the smoke house as instructed without showing signs of disorientation. In the event that the candidate follows the hose line into the building and finds the nozzle, they will need to turn around and follow the hose line to the exit. 4. FIREFIGHTER SKILLS ASSESSMENT Combined timed events with penalties for not completing the exercises as required and instructed. Times will be evaluated as "met" or "did not meet" requirements and will be used as a cut. Candidates will be required to wear full turnout gear and SCBA without mask. Failure to complete any one of these tasks will result in disqualification. A. STAIR CLIMB Fires in multi-story units represent one of the gravest threats to life safety. Office buildings, multi-family residential units and even single family (detached) dwellings often have climbing and carrying tasks of two stories or more associated with emergency tasks. A firefighter must be able to climb stairs to the floor of the fire while carrying equipment. Participants will pick up and carry an approx. 42-pound high rise pack (2 x 50-foot sections of 1 ¾ hose) to the top landing of the training tower. The high-rise pack is to be carried on their shoulder and must be deposited in the simulated box (marked on the floor area) situated at the top level of the training tower. The candidate must negotiate the stairs to the top of the tower as quickly as possible, maintaining a safe and controlled manner. The candidate must make contact with each stair tread on the way up. Page 3
B. HOSE HOIST There are a number of fire ground evolutions that require repetitive motions associated with pulling or hoisting; these all require the use of the same muscle groups. Pulling victims from confined spaces and hoisting fire suppression equipment (fans, hose, ladders) up to roofs or windows are tasks which call for a combination of grip strength and endurance. Nearly every firefighter task requires pulling, lifting, carrying or pushing and therefore involves extensive use of the hands. Use of gloves while attempting to grasp objects has been demonstrated to reduce grip strength by up to 50%. Once up the stairs to the landing on the training tower, the participant will hoist up a roll of hose weighing approximately 45 lbs. to a height of 40 using the hand over hand method with a 5/8 " rope. This task is completed when the hose roll clears the top floor railing using the hand over hand method and placing the hose in the simulated box (marked on the floor area). Upon decent down the stairs, you must contact each stair tread and grasp both handrails in a safe manner. C. FORCIBLE ENTRY Gaining access to buildings for the purpose of rescuing and putting out fires is an essential function of firefighters. There are a variety of forcible entry tools but there are still significant requirements for the use of human powered equipment such as axes, sledge hammers and pike poles. The forcible entry section will utilize a forcible entry simulation machine. Using a sledge hammer provided, the participant must drive a 165 lb. steel beam a distance of 5 ft. horizontally. Pushing, raking or hooking the beam is not permitted at any time. D. HOSE ADVANCE Many times firefighters find themselves in a situation where they have to move a charged hose line. This can happen at any moment. They may have to move a hose line up or down stairs. A firefighter must be able to move this line a considerable distance in order to protect life or property. The candidate will pick up the nozzle at the end of the 1 ¾ charged hose line and advance it a distance of 75. Once you are at the line without crossing it, the candidate will open the nozzle, and hit the hinged target with the water stream. The participant will then shut down the nozzle and place it on the ground. Page 4
E. DUMMY DRAG Firefighters may find themselves in a situation where an evacuation or rescue of an unconscious casualty will have to be initiated. In most cases the rescue involves dragging the victim backwards through a series of door and hallway areas. The candidate will pick up the 175 lb dummy under its arms or use the Drag Rescue Device located below the collar of the dummy s turnout coat. The candidate will then drag the dummy 37 ½ feet and maneuver it around the pylon without contacting it and return to the starting position. Place the dummy down within the circled area where you began. This will complete Station 4 (Firefighter Skills Assessment). Page 5