Citation

Fullagar HH, Sampson JA, Mott BJ, Burdon CA, Taylor NA, Groeller H. J. Occup. Environ. Med. 2015; 57(10): 1092-1097.

Affiliation

Centre for Human and Applied Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia (Mr Fullagar, Dr Sampson, Dr Burdon, Dr Taylor, and Dr Groeller); and Fire & Rescue New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Mr Mott).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/JOM.0000000000000528

PMID

26461864

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Firefighter physical aptitude tests were administered to unskilled subjects and operational firefighters to evaluate the impact that testing bias associated with gender, age, activity-specific skills, or task familiarity may have upon establishing performance thresholds.

METHODS: These tests were administered in sequence, simulating hazmat incidents, ventilation fan carriage (stairs), motor-vehicle rescues, bushfire incidents, fire attacks, and a firefighter rescue. Participants included two unskilled samples (N = 14 and 22) and 143 firefighters.

RESULTS: Firefighter performance was not significantly different from the unskilled subjects. Participants from both genders passed the test, with scores unrelated to performance skill or age; however, familiarization significantly improved performance when the test was repeated.

CONCLUSION: These outcomes confirmed this test to be gender-, age-, and skill-neutral. Familiarization effects could be removed through performing a single, pre-selection trial of the test battery.

Language: en