At this stage of the process, you will be tested both physically and mentally with a selection of tests which are designed to replicate the type of work you will be expected to undertake as a firefighter. They are designed to assess your level of fitness, strength and manual dexterity as well as your level of confidence in simulated exercises.
All our tests are derived from the agreed National Firefighter Selection tests as set out by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC).
Ladder lift
You will be required to lift a bar which replicates the head of a large fire service ladder from a height of 75cm to a height of 182cm in the way demonstrated to you. The maximum weight of the bar will be 15Kg for the test. This will require upper body strength.
Casualty evacuation
To simulate rescuing a casualty, you will be required to drag a dummy backwards around a 30m course in a set time whilst guided by an instructor. Techniques for lifting will be demonstrated before the test. This requires core strength and endurance.
Ladder climb
Wearing a fall arrest harness, you will be required to ascend a fire service ladder to a marked height where you will then be required to take a leg lock and lean backwards and identify a number, letter or symbol being displayed from the ground. The method of climbing the ladder and the leg lock will be demonstrated to you prior to taking part in the test and you will have the opportunity to practice at a lower height beforehand. This test requires coordination and agility as well as you showing you are comfortable working at height.
Equipment assembly
In this test, you will be required to assemble and disassemble a piece of fire service equipment in a way shown to you prior to the test commencing, whilst following the instructions given. This requires manual dexterity and the ability to follow instructions.
Confined space
In this test, you will need to negotiate a set path whilst working with restricted mobility. You will be wearing a breathing apparatus set on your back and a mask will be on your face; however, this will not be providing air. The first part of this test is done without restricted visibility, however, for the second part, you will not be able to see, and you must use the techniques shown to you at the beginning to find your way. This test requires agility, endurance, concentration, and you to demonstrate you can work with restricted/no visibility.
Ladder extension
For this test, you will be required to lift a weight using a lifting method shown to you to a required height and then back down, whilst maintaining control. The weight to be lifted is 28Kg. This requires grip and upper body strength along with coordination.
Extend to lower
This test simulates the making up of a fire service ladder where you will be required to lift a weight of 42Kg. This requires grip and upper body strength.
Equipment carry test
This test involves moving items of fire service equipment over a set distance. You will be running, lifting, carrying and dragging various items in a set order, which will be explained before the test, with the methods of lifting, carrying and holding. As you do each stage, the next instruction will be given to you, so this is not a memory test. To complete this test, you will need to combine all aspects of fitness with good endurance alongside core, upper and lower body strength and agility.
On the day of the practical assessment, you will be fully supervised and will be provided with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to wear. For the majority of the tests you will be in full fire kit, which includes boots, leggings, overcoat (tunic), helmet and gloves. You will need to ensure you wear appropriate clothing underneath which does not limit your movement, such as you would wear in the gym or exercising, which needs to include full leg coverings (leggings/tracksuit trousers etc), and a pair of full length socks (not ankle socks) is essential for a good fit in the fire boot.
In order to help you prepare for the practical tests, you will be able to find a 12 week training programme here. You can refer to this and use it as a training guide.
Online ability test verification
As part of stage four in the process, candidates will be re-tested on the initial online ability test(s) completed at the beginning of the process. These checks are in place to verify that you have completed these tests without assistance.
Information Center
Firefighter Written
Support Categories
Candidates
- Our Story
- Career Opportunities
- Test & Event Calendar
- Deadlines
- Pricing
- Test Requirements
- Law Enforcement Officer
- Firefighter
- Corrections Officer
- 911 Dispatcher
- Personal History Statement
- 10 Desirable Candidate Attributes
- Candidate FAQs
- Special Accommodations
- Remote Testing
-
Agency Officials
Candidates
- Most of the fire departments that contract with PST require the PST CPAT. There are some departments that will accept any verifiable CPAT. It is your responsiblity to carefully read each of the department’s profiles to ensure you meet each of their CPAT requirements. If the agency profile is silent on the CPAT requirement, then the PST CPAT is required.
- CPAT events and tests will be offered on a regular basis at our CPAT Testing & Training Centers in Tukwila, WA and Spokane, WA. See our Test & Event Calendar.
- CPAT rules require that you attend two (2) CPAT Orientations and two (2) CPAT Practice Tests prior to your actual CPAT. You may waive these requirements however you are highly encouraged to attend, especially if you have never taken the CPAT.
- If you pass the CPAT, your scores/data will be made available to the agency or agencies to which you have applied at timeframes set by the agency (see individual agency profiles).
- A successful CPAT must occur within 180 days (~6 months) of your written exam date. This may be within 6 months either before or after your written exam.
- It is recommended that your CPAT certification stay current, within 180 days (~6 months) of your written exam date in order to comply with timeframes set by the agencies. A department may require you to update your CPAT to advance in their hiring process in order to meet their specific requirements.
- Please remember that some agencies do not require you to complete the CPAT with PST as they may conduct their own physical abilities test (e.g., King Co Medic One, WA).
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
Event #1: STAIR CLIMB
Event #2: HOSE DRAG
Event #3: EQUIPMENT CARRY
Event #4: LADDER RAISE and EXTENSION
Event #5: FORCIBLE ENTRY
Event #6: SEARCH
Event #7: RESCUE
Event #8: CEILING BREACH AND PULL
CPAT Orientation & Preparation Guide
- Download the CPAT Orientation Guide
- Download the CPAT Preparation Guide
CPAT Orientation Guide
The physical ability test administered by Public Safety Testing is the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF)/International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Candidate Physical Ability Test© (CPAT).
This Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) consists of eight separate events. The CPAT is a sequence of events requiring you to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow fire departments to obtain pools of trainable candidates who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes.
This is a pass/fail test based on a validated maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
In these events, you wear a 50-pound (22.68-kg) vest to simulate the weight of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and fire fighter protective clothing. An additional 25 pounds (11.34 kg), using two 1 2.5-pound (5.67-kg) weights that simulate a high-rise pack (hose bundle), is added to your shoulders for the stair climb event.
Throughout all events, you must wear long pants, a hard hat with chin strap, work gloves and footwear with no open heel or toe. Watches and loose or restrictive jewelry are not permitted.
All props were designed to obtain the necessary information regarding your physical ability. The tools and equipment were chosen to provide the highest level of consistency, safety and validity in measuring your physical abilities. A schematic drawing of the CPAT is included in this orientation material; however, the course layout may vary in order to conform to the fire department's test area. The events and distances between events are always the same.
The events are placed in a sequence that best simulates fire scene events while allowing an 85-foot (25.91-m.) walk between events. To ensure the highest level of safety and to prevent exhaustion, no running is allowed between events. This walk allows you approximately 20 seconds to recover and regroup before each event.
To ensure scoring accuracy by eliminating timer failure, two stopwatches are used to time the CPAT. One stopwatch is designated as the official test time stopwatch; the second is the backup stopwatch. If mechanical failure occurs, the time on the backup stopwatch is used. The stopwatches are set to the pass/fail time and count down from 10 minutes and 20 seconds. If time elapses prior to the completion of the test, the test is concluded and you fail the test.
-
Written Exam Requirements
This test measures skills and characteristics related to the job, however no prior experience is required. - Candidate Physical Ability Test Requirements
Mandatory CPAT requirements, resources, and downloadable CPAT guides. - Test Day Requirements and Policies
Important information so you can arrive prepared on test day.
COVID-19 UPDATES
5/6/2020 Update:
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
Law Enforcement & Corrections Written and Physical Ability Test
LEO & CO PAT Retest
LEO & CO PAT Practice Test
Dispatcher Written Test
Firefighter Written Test
EMT Test
CPAT
CPAT Practice Test
CPAT Orientation
Please check back here frequently and ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay updated.
PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at . We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.