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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – Starting next week, Alachua County’s firefighters will have a new way to measure their physical fitness and improve their training.
The Fireground Physical Ability Test (FPAT) is a new program from Firesled Fitness and Training that enables firefighters to exercise and stay physically fit using equipment and techniques that simulate the tasks they would perform at work.
The fitness initiative that ACFR previously used included routine exercises like treadmill, push-ups, and sit-ups. However, they plan to use this program as the new annual benchmark.
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“Annually, all of our firefighters will go through this program, they will go through the tour, the exercise of everything to measure their fitness and evaluate them year-to-year so we can make sure they are staying in good physical fitness, however even if they have problems in areas, we have a fitness-only team to help them and improve their fitness skills, ”said Harold Theus, ACFR Chief Fire Officer.
“Whether it’s a pipe rod breaking through the ceiling, whether it’s a sledge hammer that simulates that a door will be opened when forced entry, crawling, all these things, hoes being pulled, it’s real Activities that firefighters perform in the Fireground scenario. So, setting up a fitness program that teaches them how to do these things in a proper format is really groundbreaking for us. “
In addition to annual testing and training for current firefighters, ACFR plans to use the program during the hiring process to ensure new recruits are physically fit.
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