1. Employment Standards for Australian Urban Firefighters: Part 4: Physical Aptitude Tests and Standards.
- Author
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Fullagar HH, Sampson JA, Mott BJ, Burdon CA, Taylor NA, and Groeller H
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Australia, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Personnel Selection methods, Sex Factors, Urban Population, Young Adult, Firefighters, Personnel Selection standards, Physical Fitness physiology, Task Performance and Analysis
- 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.
- Published
- 2015
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