NH Fire Academy Opens CPAT Registration for April Exams

- The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) is a standardized exam used by fire departments nationwide, including Seattle, to assess a candidate's physical capabilities for the job. It consists of eight timed events that must be completed sequentially in 10 minutes and 20 seconds while wearing a 50-pound vest to simulate firefighter gear. - The eight events of the CPAT are: stair climb with an additional 25-pound hose bundle, hose drag, equipment carry, ladder raise and extension, forcible entry, search, rescue, and a ceiling breach and pull. - While the New Hampshire Fire Academy requires a CPAT pass for all full-time firefighter hires, the Seattle Fire Department also uses the CPAT as a mandatory component of its pre-employment screening. SFD requires candidates to complete a new CPAT for each hiring process, even if they have a currently valid certificate. - The Seattle Fire Department's hiring process is extensive and includes a FireTEAM cognitive test, a Public Safety Self Assessment (PSSA1), an oral board exam, a suitability assessment, and ultimately an interview with the Fire Chief and other chief officers. - For the SFD, candidates who score in the top 25% on the initial exams will receive a paid voucher to take the CPAT at a National Testing Network location. - The next application period for entry-level Firefighter at SFD is anticipated to open in the fall of 2026, with the hiring register established in March of the following year for a recruit class beginning in August. - In New Hampshire, full-time firefighter candidates must obtain Firefighter I & II certification within a year of being hired, a requirement that is separate from passing the CPAT. - Functional fitness training for the CPAT should focus on mimicking the test's specific tasks, such as stair climbing with weight, rowing, and exercises that build grip strength, and upper and lower body muscular endurance.