Silver City Fire Department
Fitness Program

The Silver City Fire Department has developed a fitness program to help employees achieve optimum health and physical fitness. Participation in this program assures that each employee is capable of meeting the physical demands of the job. This program also offers each member the opportunity to improve his/her personal health and fitness level. All Fire Department personnel who are subject to the use of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and are required to respond to fires and emergencies are required to participate in the program. The Fitness Program is managed by the Fitness Coordinator.

The Fitness Program includes:

Daily Physical Activity

Each Battalion Chief is responsible for assuring that daily workouts are conducted. Each shift member should make every effort to participate in one hour of physical training during a 24 hour shift. While this policy does not dictate the specifics of the workout, supervisors nonetheless must ensure that the workouts include exercises that will improve aerobic capacity, muscular strength, endurance and flexibility. The supervisor and employees may contact the Fitness Coordinator or their health care provider for guidance and direction if needed.

Health Assessment

The Department, through a health care provider shall provide annual health assessments for employees. The health assessment shall be conducted while the employee is on duty and the employee shall be considered out of service during the duration of the assessment. The health assessment should include tests to determine aerobic capacity, flexibility, body composition, and muscular strength. Employees if they desire, shall have the option to have the health assessment conducted by their personal physician. If this option is selected.

  1. The cost of the health assessment will be the responsibility of the employee or their health insurance.

  2. The assessment must include the above mentioned conditions of testing.

  3. The assessment must be conducted within 30 days of the Fire Department scheduled assessment.

  4. All results must be signed by the physician and forwarded to the employee.

Physical Ability Test

The Physical Ability Test will be conducted semiannually by the Departments Fitness Coordinator. The test is designed to test an employee's ability to perform job-related tasks within a reasonable time frame as shown below:

It is the goal and objective to develop employees physical endurance and strength to ensure that employees reach the departments required times. It is the departments policy not to discriminate any employee's physical capabilities. Employees who score over 4 minutes 45 seconds should consult the Fitness Coordinator for assistance on a fitness program to improve strength and endurance. Employees who score over 5 minutes 30 seconds two times consecutively will be required to under go Health Assessment and receive medical or fitness counseling. The Fire Department will make every effort to aid these individuals in improving there fitness and conditioning. Should the employee be unable to improve after all efforts are taken, an evaluation by the Chief, Manager and Health Care Provider will be made to place the employee in a better suited position.

Pre-employment Physical Ability Test

Potential new hires will be required to take the Silver City Fire Department Physical Ability Test prior to being selected as a Firefighter/ EMT with the Town of Silver City. New Hires and potential Fire Cadets will be required to pass the Physical Ability Test with a time of 4 minutes 45 seconds prior to being hired or being accepted into the Fire Cadet Program.