Those left standing after the physical assessments this week will now move on to written and oral assessments to secure one of 40 learnership positions.
The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service today completed the first step in its latest recruitment drive.
More than 2 000 candidates reported for a standard physical assessment in Ndabeni between Monday 10 February and today, Friday 14 February 2020.
They were required to complete a 1,9m reach test, run 2,4km in under 11 minutes (13 minutes for female candidates), do 30 push ups and sit ups within 60 seconds (20 push ups for female candidates), and carry a dead load consisting of two 25kg drums over a distance of 100 metres.
The physical assessments are standard for all enforcement and rescue service applications in the City’s Safety and Security Directorate, but would-be firefighters also have to complete acrophobia and claustrophobia tests.
By close of business on Thursday, 13 February 2020, 2 194 individuals had tried out, with 906 progressing to the next stage of the selection process – the written assessment. If they pass, there is still an interview, medical evaluation and substance abuse test to complete.
Applicants who pass all phases will be offered a contract and start training on 1 June 2020, where they will be required to successfully complete the Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2, Hazmat Awareness, Hazmat Operations and First Aid Level 3 courses, to be eligible for permanent appointment into the Service.
‘Firefighting is a very demanding profession, both physically and mentally and we have to ensure that the recruits have what it takes. The assessments are but the start – those who end up with the contract positions will still have to undergo eight to 10 months of rigorous training. Any firefighter will tell you that it is hard work being on the frontline, putting your life on the line to save others.
‘To the hundreds of applicants who showed up for the assessments this week, I say thank you and well done for giving it your best shot. To those who didn’t make it through, I encourage them to try again next time and to the ones who will be progressing to the next phase, I wish them the very best in their efforts to join a firefighting service that does Cape Town proud on a daily basis,’ said the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The City’s Fire and Rescue Service hosted a graduation ceremony for 51 learner firefighters at the end of October. Currently, 29 recruits are undergoing their learnership training, and the 40 new recruits will commence training in June 2020.
‘Our firefighters deal with thousands of fires and special service calls like motor vehicle accidents each year, so it is important to grow the service to keep pace with the demands of an ever growing city. Apart from the new recruits, we are also investing in equipment and other resources like our special rescue vehicle that was unveiled last year and two new fire stations that are nearing completion. Public safety is a priority and it is evident in the investments we continue making in our emergency and enforcement services,’ added Alderman Smith.