Articles
Firefighter Candidate Lori Jones Passes the Candidate Physical Agility Test (CPAT) With a Minute to Spare
By: Tim Drown MS, CSCS, ATC, NSCA-CPT
Recently, To Be A Champion client Lori Jones passed the physical agility test that is the national standard used by most fire departments to identify candidates physically up to the challenge of firefighting.
In one demanding and innovative series of tests, the CPAT measures candidates’ ability to perform 8 functional tasks including the stair climb, hose drag, equipment carry, ladder raise, forcible entry, search in a cramped maze, rescue drag a 165 pound dead-weight dummy, the ceiling breach and pull. All events are performed wearing a 50 pound weight pack, helmet, gloves, and work boots, except for the stair climb, where the weight is increased to 80 pounds. Successful candidates must complete the entire test within 10 minutes and 20 seconds to prove they have the skills and conditioning to be considered for firefighting positions. (For a detailed description of the test, visit the Charlotte FD website: http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Fire/Recruitment/CPAT1.htm. Think you could pass this test?).
Lori’s 9 minute and 20 second time demonstrates not only her excellent strength, endurance, and metabolic stamina--all guaranteed products of TBAC’s functional training methods, but also the superior explosive power and agility that comes with our specially-designed athletic performance work outs. What makes Lori’s time really amazing is that the test protocols set the stair climb test at 3 minutes and 20 seconds and require candidates to walk between test stations. Our calculations indicate that Lori performed the seven remaining tests in a remarkable 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
Lori’s accomplishment is all the more inspiring because hers is a life changing success. Currently serving the public as a paramedic, her lifelong dream has been to work as a firefighter. Up until now, she’s been unable to pass even local fire departments’ physical agility tests. In TBAC’s supportive atmosphere, Lori not only got the right training protocol and learned how supportive eating could help her attain her goals, but she also developed the mindset of a champion. Congratulations Lori, we’re proud of you; you deserve the results you’ve earned. Good luck on that interview with the [name of city withheld] Fire Department.
