Medical Examination

The Medical Examination is a good place to be, it only happens when your nearing the end of the recruitment and selection process. You will be invited to attend a medical examination, where you will be examined by the fire and rescue service Doctor and your medical records obtained from your GP. You will also be asked to complete a questionnaire covering your medical history and will then be subject to a series of tests including:

• Hearing Test – you will sit in a sound proof booth wearing headphones and will be asked to press a button when you hear a range of sounds.
• Step Test – you will be asked to step up and down on a box whilst your heart rate is monitored and the rate of step is gradually increased. (May vary in different FRS’s)
• Lung Function – you will be asked to blow hard and long down a hollow tube until all your lung capacity is fully exhaled – a reading is taken and assessed accordingly.
• Physical Stamina – you will be asked to squat on a machine designed to test your back and thigh strength and then pull a specified measurement.
• General Tests – you will finally see the doctor who will test your reflexes and discuss your medical questionnaire with you.
• Chest X-Ray – some FRS’s will send you to the local hospital for a chest x-ray.

We receive 100s of emails each year from potential applicants enquiring whether particular medical conditions will exclude them from joining the fire and rescue service as firefighters. We are not qualified to answer medical questions of any type and suggest that any applicant who has any concerns over a medical condition, either current or in the past, should contact their respective fire and rescue service and ask to speak to the Occupational Health Department who will be able to advise you further.

It must be understood that all cases will be viewed individually and consultation between fire and rescue service Doctors and GPs will decide if an applicant is suitable to carry out the role of a firefighter.