MEMORANDUM
July 9, 2009 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Firefighter Candidates The City of San Luis Obispo’s Department of Human Resources The Firefighter Recruitment
Thank you for participating in the City of San Luis Obispo’s recruitment for the position of Firefighter. This memorandum should provide you with all the information you will need to proceed to the next stage(s) of our recruitment process – the physical agility test and the oral board. Please read the following carefully – you will be held responsible for the information contained in this Memorandum and the Instructions to Candidates for the Physical Agility Test. Keep in mind that reading and following instructions are part of the recruitment process so failing to do so could count against you. The City’s goal is to test 70 candidates in the Physical Agility portion of this process. • THE PHYSICAL AGILITY TESTING WILL BE CONDUCTED ON JULY 15TH AND WILL BE HELD AT CAL POLY UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO. PLEASE PARK IN PARKING LOT H16 THE ORAL INTERVIEWS WILL BE ON July 28th and July 29th. YOU WILL BE ASSIGNED AN ORAL INTERVIEW TIME ONCE YOU HAVE PASSED THE PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE THE TIMES ASSIGNED, PLEASE INFORM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE CAN BE ASSIGNED YOUR TIME SLOTS. THE ORAL BOARD WILL BE HELD IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, LOCATED IN CITY HALL AT 990 PALM STREET, SAN LUIS OBISPO.
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A few more thoughts regarding the upcoming testing process: • • • • There will be no opportunity to practice on the City’s actual physical agility test course. There will be no “ride-a-longs” prior to the Firefighter Eligibility List being established. Instructions for when to appear at the physical agility test are given in the attached instructions – pay close attention to them. Once you have completed the physical agility test, please leave the area immediately; waiting for another candidate to complete the test is not a reason to stay on the premises. We want to avoid as much congestion as possible during the testing process.
The City of San Luis Obispo appreciates all the efforts you have put into our process. Our goal is to conduct a fair and impartial recruitment process for everyone involved. We need your assistance to do this. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department Physical Agility Test
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department Firefighter Physical Agility Performance Test
The following information is provided to enable you, the Firefighter candidate, to prepare for the physical agility performance test. Test Scoring Procedure The following criteria will be used for DISQUALIFICATION:
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This is a continuously timed agility test. To receive your score, you must keep moving through the course. Your time for completion of all events will be recorded at the finish line. When your score is recorded, you will be asked to verify the accuracy of the time noted on the score roster. To pass the test, you must receive a time that meets or is lower than the maximum allowable time. If you are unable or unwilling to complete any one task as instructed, you will be disqualified. This test is strictly pass/fail and no percentage score will be applied to this portion of the testing process. If you are unclear or have any questions about the scoring procedure ASK PRIOR TO STARTING YOUR TEST.
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Note: Candidates who do not ‘pass’ the aerial truck (non-timed) event as required will be eliminated and not allowed to proceed to the continuous timed event.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AGILITY TEST
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Wear workout type clothes for the agility test. Report to the rear of parking lot H-16 on Via Carta, Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo. Park your vehicle and continue walking to agility test ‘checkin’ location; bring your identification. At your pre-designated arrival time, report to ‘check-in’. There, you will sign in and fill out a waiver of liability. Next, report to the suit-up area also located at ‘check-in’ for fitting of a turnout coat and gloves. You may use only the equipment provided by SLOFD (no personal turn-outs or gloves allowed). A SCBA will be provided at the start line prior to the timed portion of the test. Proceed to the aerial ladder and report to the proctor there. After you have climbed the 75 ft. aerial ladder, the proctor will verify a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ rating based on performance standards identified on the following page. Continuing candidates will proceed as directed to the staging area of the continuous timed events. Bring your paperwork and ID with you. When directed, don an SCBA and proceed to the start line. Begin the test events when the proctor signals you to start. Proceed through all events at a brisk walk. For the purpose of this test, “walking” means one foot on the ground at all times. Do not run unless instructed to do so! If you run in undesignated areas of the course, you will be stopped and returned to the place you began to run with the clock still running. At that point you may resume the test. If you continue to run through the course, you will be disqualified. Event #2 is the only event where running is permitted as stated in the instructions for that event.
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10. If you have any questions, make sure they are answered before you
begin the test!
11. Proctors are stationed throughout the course to ensure that you proceed
through the events correctly.
GOOD LUCK !
City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department Firefighter Physical Agility Test Individual Event Procedures
Note: To begin the test procedure, all candidates shall climb to the top of the 75 ft. aerial ladder in workout gear wearing a turnout coat. Following the aerial ladder climb, all candidates shall wear a turnout coat, gloves, and a SCBA with the hose and face mask disconnected for the continuous timed events, 1 through 10. Aerial Ladder Climb This is not a timed event, take your time and be safe! Candidates will don a turnout coat and a ladder belt and proceed to the base platform on the ladder truck. When instructed to do so, the candidate will have one opportunity to ascend and descend (unassisted) the 75 ft. aerial ladder in a safe manner while on belay. When the candidate reaches the top of the ladder, he/she shall wave the red flag affixed to the top rung to let the proctor know they have reached the top. The candidate will then proceed back down the ladder in a safe manner. Upon successful completion of the ladder climb, the candidate will take an approximately 15 minute rest.
Continuous Timed Events
1.
Ladder Lift and Carry
When the proctor starts your time, walk to the ladder holder and lift the 14 foot roof ladder from the holder. Carry the ladder around the cone located 25 feet away and return it to the holder. Do not let the ladder touch the ground at any time.
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Hose Drag
Walk 200 feet to the far end of the hose drag event. Pick up the specified end of 150 feet of 2 ½ inch hose and place it over your shoulder. At this point you may run with the hose over your shoulder back to the finish line of the event. (Note: This is the only time during the entire continuous timed event that you may run.) When your feet cross the line, stop and proceed to pull the remaining hose until the last coupling is across the line.
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Hose Carry
Pick up and place the rolled hose bundle consisting of two 50 ft. lengths of 1 ¾ inch hose on either shoulder or hold it close to your chest. Carry it up the stair well to the third floor and place it on the “X” marked on the floor. Complete the “hose hoist” event (#4) and then pick up and carry the hose bundle back down the stair well and replace it in its original starting location. You must step on every step in the stair well when going up and down.
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Hose Hoist
Using the attached rope on the third floor, raise the rolled bundle of 100 feet of 1 ¾ hose hand over hand to the third floor window and set it on the sill. Proceed to lower the bundle using the same hand over hand technique. Do not drag the rope across the window sill at any time. If the rope slides through your hands at any time while lowering the hose to the ground, you will be required to return the hose to the point where it started to slide before proceeding to lower the hose to the ground again.
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Joist/Attic Crawl
Walk to the entrance of the attic prop. Maneuver through the attic space on the wood joists. Do not touch your feet to the ground. If you do, you must back up to the point where your feet touched the ground before proceeding forward.
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Dummy Drag
Walk to the starting point of the dummy drag event. From there, proceed to the dummy. Using the attached strap, pull the 175 lb. dummy 35 feet through a 25 foot tunnel to the designated line at the opposite end of the event. Pull the dummy until its feet cross the line and then swing the dummy around 180 degrees so its head is at the line. Walk back to the starting point for the dummy drag event before proceeding to the next event.
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Obstacle Climb
Follow the cone path. Walk to the 4 ft. x 4 ft. window opening and climb through in a safe manner. Your feet may not touch the side supports of the prop. Continue walking to the next event.
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Hose Roll
Follow the cone path to two parallel, 50 foot lengths of 2 ½ inch hose laid out on the ground. Roll the first hose one way and lay it on its side. Turn and roll the other length of hose the other way and lay it on its side. Each roll must remain intact without spiraling out from the center.
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Hose Load
At this event you will find 6 bundles of 2 ½ inch hose stacked one on top of the other behind a line located 10 feet from an apparatus tailboard. Pick up one bundle of hose at a time and carry it to the tailboard. Make 3 equal stacks of 2 bundles each on the tailboard. Cross over the line with both feet each time you pick up a bundle. When that task is completed, walk back to the line empty handed and then return all the bundled hose (one bundle at a time) to its original position. Both feet must be across the line each time you set a bundle down.
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Walkout to Finish Line
Follow the cone path within the test site back to the finish line. You must walk! At the finish line verify your time on the test score sheet.
Upon completion of the continuous timed event, remove and leave the SCBA in the staging area. Report to ‘check-in’ area for final paperwork and return of turnout coat and gloves.