Basic Operations Firefighter Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be admitted to the Basic Operations Firefighter Certificate program.
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
- A valid CPAT card is required at the time of enrollment
- Note: “Valid” includes CPAT cards that have expired within three years of enrollment in
the BOF program.
NFPA 1582 Physical-Medical Clearance Checklist
This checklist is provided to guide medical providers in determining whether a college
firefighter training candidate is medically capable of safely participating in a physically
demanding training environment, including vigorous physical activity and respirator
use. This evaluation:
- Is not a pre-employment physical
- Is not an employment fitness-for-duty determination
- Is informed by NFPA 1582, adapted for a college-based training program
Program Physical Demands
Please consider the candidate’s ability to safely tolerate:
- Vigorous physical exertion
- Lifting, carrying, climbing, crawling, pulling, and dragging
- Training in hot and stressful environments
- Wearing PPE and a tight-fitting respirator (SCBA)
- Sustained activity under physical and environmental stress
Medical Evaluation Checklist
At provider discretion, evaluation should include:
- Medical history review (cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal,
metabolic)
- Focused physical examination for strenuous activity
- Cardiovascular risk screening (additional testing only if clinically indicated)
- Respiratory assessment for respirator (SCBA) tolerance
- Basic vision screening
- Basic hearing screening
Clearance Determination
Please indicate one of the following on the application:
- Cleared for full participation
- Cleared with limitations
- Not medically cleared
CPR certification
Candidates being registered from a fire department will only need to validate that
they are affiliated with the department registering them and rostered with the Illinois
Office of the State Fire Marshal.
For additional information about Harper's Fire Science Technology program, please
contact the Admissions Outreach Office at 847.925.6700.
