The Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
What is the EMS CPAT?
We pride ourselves on being the only Fire-Rescue or EMS agency on Long Island to administer a CPAT. Take the CPAT Challenge!
CPAT stands for Candidate Physical Ability Test. Our department uses a variation of the CPAT, relative to EMS, to assess the physical condition and abilities of potential candidates.
Our Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) consists of five separate events. The CPAT is a sequence of events requiring you to progress along a predetermined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow our EMS agency to obtain pools of trainable candidates who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at EMS scenes.
This is a pass/fail test based on a maximum total time of 31 minutes and 30 seconds.
Throughout all events, you wear a t-shirt, shorts and sneakers and watches and loose or restrictive jewelry are not permitted.
All props were designed to obtain the necessary information regarding your physical ability. The equipment used in the test was chosen to provide the highest level of consistency, safety and validity in measuring your physical abilities. While the course layout may vary in order, the events and distances between events are always the same.
The events are placed in a sequence that best simulates an EMS scene. To ensure the highest level of safety and to prevent exhaustion, no running is allowed between events. This walk allows you approximately 1 minute to recover and regroup before each event.
To ensure scoring accuracy, one stopwatch is designated as the official test time stopwatch, the second is the backup stopwatch. If mechanical failure occurs, the time on the backup stopwatch is used. The stopwatches are set to zero when the test begins, and the test ends at the 31 minute 30 second mark.
The CPAT should not be feared. It is a functional, realistic evaluation of your physical ability to “do the job”. When completed you should be proud that you are part of THE ONLY Fire-Rescue or EMS agency on Long Island to administer a CPAT.
If you are currently part of an EMS agency and are interested in more information about this groundbreaking program or you would like to bring the EMS CPAT to your agency, contact our EMS Academy at 631-473-2519 ext 123.
Take the CPAT Challenge and “RAISE THE BAR” at your agency today!!!
- Event 1 – Cardiovascular Challenge
- Event 2 – Equipment Stair Carry
- Event 3 – Stretcher Patient Simulation
- Event 4 – Simulation Dummy Drag
- Event 5 – CPR Simulation