Coquitlam Fire and Rescue is raising the fitness bar for new recruits.
Potential candidates for 2020 must meet the V02 Max endurance test, a new requirement that gauges a candidates fitness level. Aspiring recruits are fitted with a weighted vest and asked to walk on a gradually increasing incline, while their heart rate, breathing and other metrics are recorded.
“The 158-member department is one of the few in Metro Vancouver to require firefighter candidates to complete this specialized testing, often used by elite athletes to assess aerobic ability and — increasingly — by fire departments to provide a quantifiable measurement of candidates’ fitness levels,” said the city in a press release, later adding: “Today’s firefighters respond to a wide variety of emergency and non-emergency incidents and candidates with diverse experiences, ethnicities and genders are encouraged.”
Candidates can book their test anytime between now and July 19 to secure their appointments ahead of the formal job application process, which begins in September.
More details about the testing can be found at www.coquitlam.ca/firecareers.
