Help planning for firefighter agility requirements?

NuggetLovesEdie
NuggetLovesEdie Posts: 477 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi there.

I am turning 40 this year (am female, btw), and have it on my bucket list to do EMT training.

In order to train and volunteer as an EMT in either the city or the fire district where I work, I have to apply, pass a physical agility test, and get accepted into the local fire academy, then volunteer for one year as a firefighter before they will consider sending me to EMT training.

I've had an interest in emergency medicine for a long time and have worked as an emergency room social worker and crisis mental health worker. The Wilderness First Responder training I did two years ago was some of the best training I've had in anything, ever. I'm also interested in EMT training because I'm considering going back to school to cross-train as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. (I'm currently a licensed clinical social worker).

Here's my question.

How do I get from my current fitness level, able to complete most of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred with 2# weights plus a lot of 3mph walking, to the point where I can pass the agility test for becoming a firefighter? I have about a year to get there given the timing of open application time vs when the agility test is given.

Here's a link to the requirements: http://www.oakharbor.org/uploads/documents/4990agilitytestprocedures.pdf

The elements are:
-climbing 100ft areal ladder at 70 degree incline
-beam walk with 25# load
-chin ups (definitely a problem area)
-squats with 90# load (as many as possible)
-bicep curl with 60# load (as many as possible)
-incline shoulder press 60# load (as many as possible)
-lat pulls 70# load (as many as possible)
-sit and reach flexibility (easy peasy)
-abdominal curl (basically a sit up but hands on your thighs instead of behind your head, as many as possible in 1 minute... I could baseline this now and do SUBSTANTIALLY better than before I started 30 Day Shred)
-1 mile walk/run in a maximum of 12 minutes (I can walk at a good pace forever, running makes me want to hurl)

I know the easy answer is just shell out tuition at the community college, but I think it would be bad *kitten* if I could qualify for fire training at 40.

Thanks for any helpful, realistic advice. Where do I start?!? I haven't lifted weights in more than 20 years when I played HS basketball and know next to nothing.

ETA: Did I mention the helmet and overalls are SEXY?!? :D

Replies

  • bfinup
    bfinup Posts: 47
    You're best bet is to practice the events as they have them. This will build up your fitness as well as get you use to those movements. I've taken a few public safety fitness tests and those that practiced the events as they were laid out did far better than those who came in thinking they would ace it because they were gym bros.

    However I will say that firefighting, especially volunteer is a big time commitment if you only want to do ems. I work as an industrial firefighter/emt/hazmat tech and even getting paid it's a huge commitment that impacts my personal and family time.

    Basically, if you just want to do it as a stepping stone, consider the 3 am rescue or fire calls that will last right up until you have to be at work.
  • NuggetLovesEdie
    NuggetLovesEdie Posts: 477 Member
    Yeah, the time commitments for fire seem like they are pretty substantial.

    I don't really *want* to do fire. I would prefer to do EMS.

    Regardless, I think if I could meet the fitness requirements for fire in a year, I would feel pretty great about myself. And they wouldn't hurt for EMS either, I think.

    IDK... There may be one agency that will train EMS only. I need to check with them before I commit one way or another.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    doing them as laid out as the other poster suggested i think is probably your best bet.

    regardless: you're a badass for giving it a go! good luck!
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Yeah, best way to get good at them is to practice them. About every 2-4 days should work. Keep the first workout short.

    - Watch several form videos on how to do each exercise - especially the squat, which is easy to screw up. Try to work with a trainer to check your form, or upload form vids here.

    - You can work up to doing chin-ups by doing heavy lat pulls - basically the identical muscles worked (kinda stupid to include both on the test, but no push-ups). Aim for at least 2 chin-ups, since that gets you a big jump in points.

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