At a meeting Monday in Beaver Lake in Lively, some disgruntled residents let city officials have it over their frustration about being rejected as volunteer firefighters.
One resident, Samuel Jantti, said he's been rejected as a volunteer firefighter twice. Once it was because he was 12.6 seconds too slow on the physical test.
He said he has pretty much every other certification you could ask for, including current first aid and WHIMIS training and an AZ driver's licence.
Another resident, Renée Desjardins, said she would be an ideal volunteer firefighter candidate, as she's a nurse, in good physical shape and lives just one kilometre from Beaver Lake's fire station.
But she said she's failed to meet the city's standards four times now, for reasons including completing the demanding physical test too slowly.
So just what are the standards?
City communications officer Shannon Dowling said Thursday that the full details of what's required is available on the city's website.
“We're completely open and transparent about the requirements,” Dowling said.
The fitness testing, in particular, has been raised as a concern. So what are the standards? First of all, recruits have their blood pressure taken.
“If your blood pressure is higher than 160/100 you will not be permitted to proceed,” the policy says. “If your heart rate exceeds 110 (beats per minute) you will not be permitted to proceed.”
Assuming the blood pressure and heart rate is within the limits, recruits are then tested while wearing vests that simulate the weight of full firefighting gear. They must then:
- Carry a 65 m hose up and down three flights of stairs;
- Lift a seven-metre extension ladder off ground and place it on hooks shoulder high;
- Drag a 85 kg dummy 15 metres in 15 seconds;
- Perform tasks on a ladder four metres off the ground.
Then there's the claustrophobic/confined space test to show recruits can withstand closed spaces. And there's also medical and vision testing, including a colour vision test, as well as hearing tests. If you want to volunteer in certain stations (Azilda and Skead), you must pass the swimming test, as well.
In general, the recruits must show they are:
- Calm under pressure;
- Good at following and understanding directions;
- Willing to wear a pager 24/7;
- Respond to calls at all hours of the day and night, in all weather conditions;
- Be aware of the physical demands of the job, including wearing approximately 100 pounds of gear at emergency incidents.
