A Study on the Preliminary Validity Analysis of Korean Firefighter Job-Related Physical Fitness Test

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to revise and modify the firefighter job-related performance tests from overseas to implement into the circumstances in Korea, examine its validity by analyzing the level of association between the test employed in the ongoing firefighter selection process, and propose a Korean firefighter job-related physical fitness test. Therefore, a modified version of Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) from the United States firefighter selection process was conducted on 28 male firefighter officer candidates. Recorded results from VO2max, heart rate, blood lactate, anaerobic power test, and the ongoing Korean firefighter physical fitness test were analyzed to assess the validity of the modified test. IBM SPSS Statistics Ver. 27.0 was employed for the data correlation analysis in different fitness factors and the total circuit physical test time. The results revealed the proposed modified firefighter job-related physical fitness test showed significant correlation with VO2max (r = −0.450, p < 0.05), METS (r = −0.735, p < 0.01) recovery lactate over 15 min (r = −0.460, p < 0.05), peak power (r = −0.484, p < 0.05), average power (r = −0.647, p < 0.01), and in the ongoing firefighter physical fitness test, grip strength (r = −0.709, p < 0.01), lower back strength (r = −0.681, p < 0.01), standing long jump (r = −0.618, p < 0.01), sit-ups (r = −0.397, p < 0.05), and shuttle run (r = −0.523, p < 0.01). Fitness factors including VO2max, recovery lactate, anaerobic power, muscular strength, and so forth known to play a crucial role in firefighting operations were also shown to be important in the modified firefighter job-related physical fitness test. However, we suggest that studies with a larger sample size are needed in order to generalize our findings.

Analysis of the testing system of overall and specific physical preparedness of firefighters in Serbia and abroad

“…У студији (Cho et al, 2022) спроведеној у Јужној Кореји доказана је валидност модификоване верзије ЦПАТ (CPAT) тес това са прслуком тежине 22,68 kg (склек-скок, вучење црева, но шење ватрогасне опреме, бацање медицинке, обрнуто веслање, гу ра ње санки, ходање четвороношке, вучење лутке, шатл ран) за се ле к цију будућих ватрогасаца (регрута). Модификована верзија ЦПАТ теста на узорку од 28 ватрогасаца показала је следеће зна ча јне корелације са функционалним показатељима, као и са по ка за тељима физичке припремљености: VO 2 max (r = -0,45, p < 0,05), опо равак лактата у ОРИГИНАЛНИ НАУЧНИ РАДОВИ току 15 минута (r = -0,46, p < 0,05), пик снаге (r = -0,48, p < 0,05), просечна снага (r = -0,65, p < 0,01), стисак шаке (r = -0,71, p < 0,01), јачина ,,доњих леђа" (r = -0,68, p < 0,01), скок у даљ (r = -0,62, p < 0,01), тест лежање-сед (трбушњаци) (r = -0,40, p < 0,05) и тест шатл ран (r = -0,52, p < 0,01).…”

Procesos selectivos de bomberos: revisión de las convocatorias con pruebas físicas en España

“…En esta línea, estudios muy recientes, siguen poniendo de manifiesto que los factores de aptitud física tienen un papel fundamental en las operaciones de extinción de incendios, y son también importantes en la pruebas de aptitud física relacionada con el trabajo de los bomberos. No obstante, se necesitan estudios con un tamaño de muestra mayor para precisar sobre las pruebas físicas, pues siguen existiendo lagunas en la literatura (Cho et al, 2022).…”