Guidelines for Physical Ability Test (PAT)
Guidelines for Physical Ability Test
Stair Climb Simulation (pass/fail)
(20 seconds warm-up period; 3-minute test maximum)
Event #1
A 50-pound vest will be worn for the Stair Climb Simulation.
The candidate will wear gloves. If the candidate does not bring gloves, gloves will be provided.
Candidate will wear closed "Heel and Toe" shoes.
No hats or jewelry.
Candidate will be given the following set of instructions prior to mounting the step mill.
THIS IS THE STAIR CLIMBING SIMULATION. YOU WILL CLIMB ON THE STEP MILL AND COMPLETE A 20-SECOND WARM-UP PERIOD. YOU MAY USE THE HAND RAILS DURING THE WARM-UP. IF YOU DISMOUNT, YOU CAN RESTART THE WARM-UP TWICE IN ITS ENTIRETY, HOWEVER YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE P.A.T. IF YOU DISMOUNT A THIRD TIME. I WILL COUNT DOWN THE LAST 5-SECONDS OF THE WARM-UP PERIOD AFTER WHICH THE 3-MINUTE TEST WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AND THE STEP MILL WILL INCREASE FROM 50 STEPS PER MINUTE TO 60 STEPS PER MINUTE. YOU CANNOT HOLD ONTO THE HAND RAILS DURING THE 3-MINUTE TEST. GRASPING THE HANDRAILS WILL RESULT IN A WARNING AND YOU WILL BE WARNED TWICE OF ANY VIOLATIONS. A THIRD HANDRAIL WARNING WILL RESULT IN YOUR DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE P.A.T. STEPPING OFF, DISMOUNTING, OR FALLING OFF THE STEP MILL DURING THE 3-MINUTE TEST WILL DISQUALIFY YOU FROM THE P.A.T. YOU MAY NOW MOUNT THE STEP MILL AND WHEN I SAY GO, THE WARM-UP PERIOD WILL BEGIN FOLLOWED BY THE 3-MINUTE TEST.
READY…. AND ……GO!
Please step up on the Step Mill. The exercise will begin with a 20 second "Warm Up". During the warm up the machine will step at a rate of 50 steps per minute. Immediately followed by a 3 Minute Test period at 60 steps per minute.
During the 20 Second Warm Up period you may grasp the railings.
If you step off the machine a Restart will be issued.
You may step off the machine up to two times. You will immediately restart with the 20 Second Warm Up period.
If you step off the machine a third time during the 20 Second Warm Up period you will be disqualified and not allowed to continue with the P.A.T.
The proctor will count down the last 5 seconds of the Warm Up period.
Immediately following the 20 Second Warm Up period the machine will go into the 3 Minute Test at which time the machine will step at a rate of 60 steps per minute.
Grasping the railings will result in a warning.
Two warnings are allowed.
A third infraction will result in disqualification and you will not be allowed to continue with the P.A.T.
If you fall off the machine, or dismount during the 3 Minute Test you will be disqualified and not be allowed to continue with the P.A.T.
The proctor will count down the last 5 seconds of the 3 Minute Test.
At the completion of the 3 Minute Test you will have 10 Pounds removed from your vest.
You will then have 30 seconds to walk to the Charged Hose Pull, after which time you will be read the instructions for the next event.
Charged Hose Pull (pass/fail)
(21 seconds maximum)
Event #2
THIS IS THE CHARGED HOSE PULL TEST. STAND BEHIND THE STARTING LINE. YOU WILL PICK UP AND GRASP THE HOSE SO THAT THE END OF THE HOSE IS IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU WILL PULL THE HOSE TO THE FINISH LINE. THE CLOCK WILL START WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO GO AND STOP WHEN BOTH OF YOUR FEET CROSS THE FINISH LINE. YOU WILL THEN PLACE THE HOSE ON THE PAVEMENT AND CHECK YOUR SCORE WITH THE TEST MONITOR. IF YOU PASS THIS EVENT, YOU WILL HAVE 30 SECONDS TO GO TO EVENT NUMBER 3. PLEASE PICK UP THE HOSE AS YOU WERE JUST INSTRUCTED. I WILL SAY READY AND WHEN I SAY GO YOU MAY BEGIN.
READY…. AND ……GO!
You will stand with your feet behind the starting line. You will pick up and grasp the hose so that the end of the hose is in front of you. You must pull the hose until both your feet and the hose cross the finish line.
You must continue to drag the hose until BOTH your feet cross the finish line. The time will stop when your feet cross the finish line.
Do not stop pulling until the proctor advises you are finished.
You will be disqualified if you walk backwards.
If you fall you may get back up and continue.
You may not drag the nozzle. This will disqualify you from the P.A.T.
Once you have completed the Charged Hose Pull you will have 30 seconds to walk to the Forcible Entry Test after which time the instructions will be read.
Forcible Entry and Ventilation Test (pass/fail)
(56 seconds maximum)
Event #3
THIS IS THE FORCIBLE ENTRY AND VENTILATION SIMULATION. YOU WILL PICK UP THE SLEDGEHAMMER, STEP ON THE SIDE RAILS AND STRADDLE THE BEAM WITH YOUR FEET. YOU WILL HOLD AND OPERATE THE HAMMER AS YOU WERE PREVIOUSLY TRAINED. YOU NEED TO MOVE THE BEAM A DISTANCE OF 5 FEET REPOSITIONING YOUR FEET AS YOU WERE INSTRUCTED. THE CLOCK WILL START WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO GO, AND THE CLOCK WILL STOP WHEN THE BEAM REACHES THE END. YOU WILL BE TOLD TO STOP AND I WILL TAP YOU ON THE BACK WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED. YOU WILL THEN CHECK YOUR SCORE WITH THE TEST MONITOR. IF YOU PASS THIS EVENT, YOU WILL HAVE 1 MINUTE TO GO TO EVENT NUMBER 4. YOU MAY NOW PICK UP THE HAMMER AND TAKE POSITION ON THE BEAM. I WILL SAY READY AND WHEN I SAY GO YOU MAY BEGIN.
READY… AND…. GO!
You will pick the hammer up by the handle and stand on the side rails straddling the beam.
You are only allowed to move the beam by striking it with the head of the hammer as demonstrated at the Mandatory practice session and in the Orientation Video. Moving the beam in any other way will lead to immediate disqualification from the P.A.T.
Any of the following: Hooking, Dragging, Pushing, Inappropriate Swing, or loosing control of the hammer (hammer flies out of the hands) will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
The time will stop when the beam breaks the plane at the other end of the sliding track.
Do not stop striking the beam until the proctor tells you to stop.
You will have one (1) minute to walk to the Fire Extinguishing and Rescue Test, after which time the instructions will be read.
Fire Extinguishing and Rescue (cumulative time)
(5 minute and 30 second cumulative time maximum)
Event #4
THIS IS THE FIRE EXTINGUISHING AND RESCUE SIMULATION. THIS EVENT CONSISTS OF 5 COMPONENTS AND THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL 5 COMPONENTS WILL ONLY BE REVIEWED RIGHT NOW. PLEASE LISTEN CAREFULLY.
YOU WILL STAND BEHIND THE STARTING LINE. YOU WILL ADVANCE 2 LENGTHS OF HOSE, ONE AT A TIME, MAKING SURE BOTH FEET AND THE HOSE CROSS THE LINE. YOU MAY NOT RUN WHEN RETURNING TO ADVANCE THE SECOND HOSE; YOU MUST WALK. AFTER THE SECOND LENGTH IS ADVANCED, YOU WILL WALK TO THE STAIRWELL AND PICK UP THE HOSE BUNDLE AND PLACE IT ON YOUR PREFERRED SHOULDER. YOU WILL CLIMB 3 STORIES HOLDING THE HANDRAIL WITH YOUR FREE HAND AND THEN PLACE THE BUNDLE ON THE DESIGNATED AREA. YOU WILL THEN HOIST A TOOL BUNDLE USING THE HAND-OVER-HAND TECHNIQUE. AFTER BRINGING IN THE TOOL BUNDLE, PLACE IT IN THE DESIGNATED AREA. YOU WILL THEN PICK UP THE HOSE BUNDLE AND CLIMB TO THE TOP FLOOR. YOU WILL DROP THE BUNDLE IN THE DESIGNATED AREA AND WALK TO THE VICTIM. YOU WILL THEN DRAG THE VICTIM DUMMY USING THE TECHNIQUE YOU WERE SHOWN. THE CLOCK WILL START WHEN I SAY GO AND WILL STOP WHEN THE VICTIM’S FEET CROSS THE FINISH LINE. PLEASE CHECK YOUR SCORE WITH THE TEST MONITOR. THIS IS THE LAST EVENT IN THE PHYSICAL ABILITY TEST. PLEASE PICK UP THE HOSE AND I WILL SAY READY AND WHEN I SAY GO YOU MAY BEGIN.
READY…. AND ….GO!
Dry hose drag
You will drag two hose lines, one at a time until you cross the designated line.
You will stand with both your feet behind the starting line. You will pick up the first section of hose and place the hose over your preferred shoulder.
You must continue to drag the hose until both your feet and the hose cross the designated line. After crossing the designated line with your feet and the hose, place the coupling on the ground.
You must WALK back to the second section of hose and drag it until both your feet and the hose cross the designated line.
If you fall you may get back up and continue.
You may not drag the end coupling. This will disqualify you from the P.A.T.
You will be disqualified from the P.A.T. if you walk backwards while dragging the hose.
After crossing the designated line with the second hose line place the coupling on the ground and WALK immediately to the hose bundle. Your time will continue.
You will pick up the hose bundle and place it on your preferred shoulder.
You will place one hand on the bundle, and one hand on the railing.
You may switch the bundle from one shoulder to the other if desired.
You may NOT skip any stairs while climbing. You will be issued a maximum of two warnings for skipping stairs. A third stair infraction will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
If you fall you may get back up and continue.
You will climb three stories and place the bundle flat on the ground in the designated area of the fourth floor and walk to the tool bundle hoist test. Your time will continue.
You will hoist the Tool Bundle using the "Hand-Over-Hand" technique to the fourth floor window.
You will bring the Tool Bundle in the window and place it in the designated area on the floor.
At least one foot will remain in contact with the floor at all times. Allowing both feet to be free of contact with the floor at any time during the Tool Bundle Hoist will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
Stepping on the rope in an effort rest or to gain an advantage, during the hoist will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
Wrapping the rope around the hands or any other part of the body will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
You must walk back to the Hose Bundle, pick it up, place it on your preferred shoulder and continue climbing the stairs to the sixth floor. (Remember all the rules for climbing the stairs still apply.)
Once on the sixth floor you will place the bundle in the designated area and WALK to the dummy. Your time will continue.
You may pick up or drag the dummy. Time will stop when both you and the dummy completely pass the finish line.
Do not stop advancing the dummy until the proctor tells you to stop.
For the "Dummy Drag" you WILL be allowed to walk backwards or forwards.
The dummy will be moved with the head of the dummy toward the direction of travel.
Dragging the dummy by the head, arms or legs will result in disqualification from the P.A.T.
Congratulations you have now completed the P.A.T test!