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The background check can be a document as long as 25 pages that asks for all of your education information as well as your diplomas, all of your work experience, as well as references, as well as a myriad of other questions. You will often be given the background check packet and will be asked to return it within a week; so, before you apply, be prepared with transcripts, lists of references, and any relevant information that will be asked of you. You will be given a psychological exam to determine if you are able to handle the stresses and the pressures of the job. You will also need to demonstrate courage, as well as the ability to communicate effectively and use your analytical skills. To be a firefighter, you will need to have coordination, agility, and strength, as well as an overall high level of physical fitness. You must also be in general good health and be free of any physical constraints. This is a rigorous test that will require you to demonstrate your speed, agility, strength, and endurance. The test generally includes 8 exercise drills that must be completed in 10 minutes and 20 seconds or less and is evaluated on a pass or fail basis only. You will also have to complete the test while wearing a 50 lb. vest, long pants, a hard hat, and other heavy equipment. Though you should check the exact CPAT requirements, you should be able to complete the following tasks:  The stair climb. Climb 60 steps for 3 minutes with two 12.5 lb. weights on each shoulder. The hose drag. Place the end of a 200 feet (61.0 m). hose on your shoulder and drag it around various barriers until the 50 feet (15.2 m). hose mark crosses a finish line. The equipment carry. Carry two saws 75 feet (22.9 m). around a barrier and return them to the starting point. The ladder raise. Walk to the top rung of a 24 feet (7.3 m). ladder up a stationary wall. The forcible entry. Use a 10 lb. sledgehammer to strike a measuring device until a buzzer sounds. The search. Crawl on hands and knees in a tunnel maze. The rescue drag. Drag a heavy mannequin around a barrier. The ceiling breach and pull. Use a pike pole to push up a hinged door and a ceiling device. These skills include topics such as communication, judgment, problem solving and memory. There are guides available to help you study for the firefighter exams. Most departments rank the order of hiring by the exam scores. It is important to have the best score possible.
Pass your background check. Pass the psychological evaluation. Pass the medical exam. Pass the CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test). Pass a written exam to test a variety of skills.