THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL FITNESS SCREENING IN THE RECRUITMENT OF IRISH FIRE FIGHTERS

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The demands on fire fighting personnel necessitate that new recruits possess certain physical attributes. For economic and safety reasons, candidates with a high level of physical fitness and physical competency are most likely to benefit from training, acquire the necessary occupational skills, and reduce the risk of injury. PURPOSE To assess the role and effectiveness of physical fitness screening in the recruitment process of fire fighters. METHODS. During two recruitment campaigns, 201 male candidates (25.2 ±0.3 years) presented for physical fitness screening. Each candidate was assessed for aerobic endurance, body composition, isometric strength, and range of movement. Minimum criterion standards of endurance and strength were required to progress to the physical competency stage of the recruitment process. Candidates were grouped as (i) unsuccessful (U), (ii) progress to physical competency (P) and (iii) recruited candidates (R). RESULTS Unsuccessful candidates, 35% of total, were overweight with a high body fat and a low aerobic endurance. Fat free mass was similar between groups (64.3 ±1.3, 64.1 ±0.7, 65.9 ±0.8 kg for the R, P and U groups, respectively) accounting for the similar level of strength. U candidates also had a significantly lower trunk flexion than the R group. There was no difference between the R and P groups for any measured variable. CONCLUSION In addition to physical competency, recruited fire fighters need to possess an adequate level of physical fitness to benefit from training, improve job performance, and reduce the risk of injury. The significant differences observed, between successful and unsuccessful candidates, justify the use of general physical fitness screening prior to physical competency assessment, as an integrated part of the recruitment process for fire fighters.Table: No Caption Available