Whole different skill set than those of us in rural volunteer fire departments need! We rarely have ANY structure over 2 stories. MOST of our fires are acres large brush fires on VERY steep, wooded terrain. Half of the fire trucks in our county are Tankers. Our 'Firefighter Challenge' would probably entail setting up/filling/drafting out of drop tanks. Driving Tankers to nearest fire hydrant or lake - likely at least 4-6 miles away - filling that Tanker up as fast as possible. Driving it back and either setting up direct drafting to an Engine or filling the Drop Tank again. Oh yeah, and part of that Challenge would be figuring out how to man the pumps on each of the 9 Different Volunteer Departments Engines - ranging in age from 1980s models to 2021 model. (Hint: The OLD Engines make more sense!) Then add the challenge of trying to drive every Tanker - from the 1984 Stick Shift old Beast to the 2023 Shiny new one with too many touch screen buttons and hidden settings..... Another fun thing to throw in would be to have the firefighters LOOK up the route that GPS recommends and determine if the single lane bridges can handle the weight of certain Engines or Tankers as well as determine if the hills on that route are too steep for the Tankers and older Engines to make it up! (Nothing like your Engine struggling to get up a road at full throttle going 10mph while everyone in it is pretending to pedal like hamsters). Over half of our Volunteers would fail on trying to drive the Stick Shift Beast Tanker!!
Thanks for pointing out the difference. I too am a member of a rural volunteer fire department and I don't believe we have any structure we're responsible for over 2 stories. I watch these videos when I need a break from learning all I can about initial attack on wildland wildfires with an emphasis on the WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) component. A more appropriate 'Firefighter Challenge' for my department would be how to do a field repair on a brush truck pump that's going south when they're15 miles away from any sort of repair facility or parts and in the middle of a fast moving brush fire. It's also interesting you mention grades and bridges. I'm currently working with the county to create a list that includes all of that information for each of our trucks. Nothing like trying to get our Engine designed for conventional road surfaces up a mile of poorly maintained dirt road in the winter. Whole different world from the 'professional' urban firefighter one and filled with very different challenges from theirs. I don't know what the average age of your volunteers is but in my county, larger than the state of Connecticut, with sixteen fire districts there are a few departments where the average age is 65. That adds an interesting dimension to firefighter fitness. I'm a geezer myself. I've told more than a few people that when my town comes up with 25 to 30 young people willing to come to meetings, learn what they need to learn, and then show up for calls I'll step back and leave the department. Needless to say, I'm still a member. Best wishes to you and stay safe this summer, don't know where you're located but we are gearing up for a busy season.
Most people don’t realize how intense some firefighter tests/workouts are. It may look easy, but it isn’t. I know guys that spend 2+ hours in the gym “working out” and I’m thinking “I can literally almost work myself to death, or it feels like it, in less than 10 minutes.” The last 2 minutes of every test is the worst 2 minutes of your life. Then you recover for a few minutes and you’re happy again.
Very true, but I also encourage people to try out simulation workouts in your gym! I was surprised with things like the weighted stair climb. Definitely harder than it looked, but also maxed out at double the endurance needed in the test. It can be empowering to give it a shot.
Our final physical test was to be done in under 1h 45minutes. It was long and brutal. Basically the goal was to drive the body to the limit and see for example how well you can perform when your body temp goes to around +39-40c (102-104 fahrenheit) which on many people it does. A long test takes a lot more physical and mental capability than a couple minute burst.
I did a 3.05 when I was 47 with twenty years on the job. It is no joke the toughest test and there would be a lot less females and male runts on the job if this replaced the CPAT.
For having recently attended a Fire Ops 101 for elected officials earlier this month in Richland, I can definitely say- "not at this time, sir! But I will!"
I remember veing a fire explorer at 18 and having to do this without SCBA every Saturday and most of us puking during or after. We did it for months until it became easier. If I was just out of the explorers I think I could do it but now that it has veen 10 years it would be much much harder. I know I could still do it because I have done it but it would be extremely hard bow thay im out of shape
With and without scba are 2 totally different things. Breathing is harder, can’t catch your breath as fast, not to mention the 60+ lbs you’re wearing. That was impressive what he did and a solid time.
Whole different skill set than those of us in rural volunteer fire departments need! We rarely have ANY structure over 2 stories. MOST of our fires are acres large brush fires on VERY steep, wooded terrain. Half of the fire trucks in our county are Tankers. Our 'Firefighter Challenge' would probably entail setting up/filling/drafting out of drop tanks. Driving Tankers to nearest fire hydrant or lake - likely at least 4-6 miles away - filling that Tanker up as fast as possible. Driving it back and either setting up direct drafting to an Engine or filling the Drop Tank again. Oh yeah, and part of that Challenge would be figuring out how to man the pumps on each of the 9 Different Volunteer Departments Engines - ranging in age from 1980s models to 2021 model. (Hint: The OLD Engines make more sense!) Then add the challenge of trying to drive every Tanker - from the 1984 Stick Shift old Beast to the 2023 Shiny new one with too many touch screen buttons and hidden settings..... Another fun thing to throw in would be to have the firefighters LOOK up the route that GPS recommends and determine if the single lane bridges can handle the weight of certain Engines or Tankers as well as determine if the hills on that route are too steep for the Tankers and older Engines to make it up! (Nothing like your Engine struggling to get up a road at full throttle going 10mph while everyone in it is pretending to pedal like hamsters).
Over half of our Volunteers would fail on trying to drive the Stick Shift Beast Tanker!!
Thanks for pointing out the difference. I too am a member of a rural volunteer fire department and I don't believe we have any structure we're responsible for over 2 stories. I watch these videos when I need a break from learning all I can about initial attack on wildland wildfires with an emphasis on the WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) component.
A more appropriate 'Firefighter Challenge' for my department would be how to do a field repair on a brush truck pump that's going south when they're15 miles away from any sort of repair facility or parts and in the middle of a fast moving brush fire. It's also interesting you mention grades and bridges. I'm currently working with the county to create a list that includes all of that information for each of our trucks. Nothing like trying to get our Engine designed for conventional road surfaces up a mile of poorly maintained dirt road in the winter.
Whole different world from the 'professional' urban firefighter one and filled with very different challenges from theirs. I don't know what the average age of your volunteers is but in my county, larger than the state of Connecticut, with sixteen fire districts there are a few departments where the average age is 65. That adds an interesting dimension to firefighter fitness. I'm a geezer myself. I've told more than a few people that when my town comes up with 25 to 30 young people willing to come to meetings, learn what they need to learn, and then show up for calls I'll step back and leave the department. Needless to say, I'm still a member. Best wishes to you and stay safe this summer, don't know where you're located but we are gearing up for a busy season.
Most people don’t realize how intense some firefighter tests/workouts are. It may look easy, but it isn’t. I know guys that spend 2+ hours in the gym “working out” and I’m thinking “I can literally almost work myself to death, or it feels like it, in less than 10 minutes.” The last 2 minutes of every test is the worst 2 minutes of your life. Then you recover for a few minutes and you’re happy again.
Very true, but I also encourage people to try out simulation workouts in your gym! I was surprised with things like the weighted stair climb. Definitely harder than it looked, but also maxed out at double the endurance needed in the test.
It can be empowering to give it a shot.
Not to mention full turnout and SCBA make this another level of challenging
That’s also not mentioning the increased stress of breathing with a mask
I swear I lost at least a gallon of sweat just completing my Fire 1 physical test
Good shit brother. Good shit!
I remember the agilities I did in my late teens, early 20's....absolutely brutal......they will kick your butt...
BEAST! Wow, good work, I’m workin toward that
niiiice
Super impressive haus!!
Fantastic idea!
Our final physical test was to be done in under 1h 45minutes.
It was long and brutal. Basically the goal was to drive the body to the limit and see for example how well you can perform when your body temp goes to around +39-40c (102-104 fahrenheit) which on many people it does.
A long test takes a lot more physical and mental capability than a couple minute burst.
I did a 3.05 when I was 47 with twenty years on the job. It is no joke the toughest test and there would be a lot less females and male runts on the job if this replaced the CPAT.
For having recently attended a Fire Ops 101 for elected officials earlier this month in Richland, I can definitely say- "not at this time, sir! But I will!"
Awesome work, do you know if there is any department in the Seattle area that is doing this
Non firefighters don’t realize when your working how fast your air goes down
Right, first time one a "45 minute tank" in a live fire training... sure this thing was full? Yeah?
Good louck good jop❤❤❤❤❤❤
I remember veing a fire explorer at 18 and having to do this without SCBA every Saturday and most of us puking during or after. We did it for months until it became easier.
If I was just out of the explorers I think I could do it but now that it has veen 10 years it would be much much harder. I know I could still do it because I have done it but it would be extremely hard bow thay im out of shape
With and without scba are 2 totally different things. Breathing is harder, can’t catch your breath as fast, not to mention the 60+ lbs you’re wearing. That was impressive what he did and a solid time.
No obstacle course? My best time is 3:45 but I've only run it a couple times. 3:12 is a solid effort, good job!
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
My time is a slow 0335😢😅
@3:17 lift with your legs, not your back!
Dropped the high rise and the hammer lol otherwise killer job
Big difference between being a real firefighter and a "combat" athlete