What is the CPAT?

CPAT stands for Candidate Physical Ability Test and will be used in place of the Cooper’s test to obtain pools of trainable cadets who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes. The test consists of eight separate events that must be completed within 10 minutes and 20 seconds. Through all these events the applicant wears a 50-pound vest to simulate the weight of self-contained breathing apparatus and personal protective gear. The events are placed in a sequence that best simulates fire scene events while allowing an 85-foot walk between events. Brief summaries of the eight events are as follows:

Event One: Stair Climb
For this event the applicant wears two 12.5-pound weights on their shoulders to simulate the weight of a high-rise pack. The applicant will have a 20 second warm up on a step mill at a rate of 50 steps per minute. After the warm up the official time is started for the test and the applicant must walk on the step mill at a rate of 60 steps per minute for 3 minutes. After the 3 minutes have concluded the weights are removed from their shoulders and the applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Two: Hose Drag
For this event the applicant must grasp a hose line nozzle attached to 200 feet of 1 ¾ -inch hose. They must drag the hose 75 feet to a pre-positioned drum, make a 90 degree turn around the drum and continue an additional 25 feet, stop within a marked box and pull the hose line until the hose line’s 50 foot mark crosses into the box. The applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Three: Equipment Carry
For this event the applicant must remove two saws from a tool cabinet one at a time and place them on the ground, pick up both saws and carry them while walking 75 feet around a drum, then back to the starting point. The saws then must be placed on the ground and then replaced back into the designated space in the cabinet one at a time. The applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Four: Ladder Raise and Extension
For this event the applicant must walk to the top rung of a 24-foot aluminum ladder, lift the end, walk it up rung by rung until it is stationary against the wall. The applicant then moves to another 24-foot aluminum extension ladder that is secured to the wall and extend the fly section hand over hand until it hits the stop, then, lower the fly in a controlled manner to the starting point. The applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Five: Forcible Entry
For this event the applicant must use a 10-pound sledgehammer to strike a measuring device in a target area until a buzzer is activated. The applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Six: Search
For this event the applicant must crawl through a tunnel maze that is approximately 3 feet high, 4 feet wide and 64 feet in length with two 90 degree turns forming a “U” shape. Upon entering the tunnel, it is completely void of light. The applicant must navigate around, over and under obstacles to exit the maze. Upon exit from the maze the event is concluded. The applicant then walks to the next event.

Event Seven: Rescue
For this event the applicant must grasp a 165-pound mannequin by the handles that are located on a shoulder harness, drag it 35 feet to a pre-positioned drum, make a 180 degree turn around the drum and drag it an additional 35 feet to the finish line. The applicant then walks to the last event.

Event Eight: Ceiling Breach and Pull
For this event the applicant uses a six-foot long pike pole to fully push up on a 60 pound hinged door three times. Then, hook the pike pole to an 80-pound ceiling device and pull the pole down five times. This constitutes one set; the set must be repeated a total of four times. At the completion of the final set the test is concluded and time is called.

If you have any questions about the CPAT please feel free to contact Lieutenant Roger Lopez 16A, by e-mail mailto:roger@safirefighters.com.