Exercise Guide Highlights Archer Push-Up for Strength
An exercise guide details the Archer Push-Up as an effective movement for building unilateral strength. This bodyweight exercise targets one side of the body at a time, mimicking the imbalanced loads often encountered during fireground tasks.
- The Seattle Fire Department utilizes the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), a pass/fail assessment that must be completed in 10 minutes and 20 seconds. The test consists of eight continuous events designed to simulate the physical demands of tasks at a fire scene. - Functional strength is tested in events like the SFD Cadet Program's Physical Ability Test, which includes tasks such as lifting a 72-pound ladder and carrying a 55-pound hose bundle up six flights of stairs while wearing a 23-pound SCBA. - In addition to unilateral movements, recommended strength-building exercises for firefighters include the trap bar deadlift for lifting strength, heavy farmer's carries for grip and core, and weighted pull-ups for pulling power. - The initial application phase for SFD requires passing the FireTEAM test, a video-based exam approximately 2.5 hours long that evaluates reading, math, mechanical reasoning, and human relations skills. - Candidates must also complete the Public Safety Self-Assessment 1 (PSSA1), an online test taken through the National Testing Network. - The hiring process is highly competitive; only the top 1,500 candidates who pass both the FireTEAM and PSSA1 assessments are invited to proceed to the oral board examination phase. - The next entry-level application period for the Seattle Fire Department is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026.
