Candidate Physical Ability Test (C.P.A.T.)

The test is described in detail in the attached video and CPAT booklet.

Applicants with current CPAT certification shall have priority over those without CPAT certification for entry into the St. Louis County Fire Academy.

Applicants without CPAT certification will be allowed entry into the Fire Academy but must pass the CPAT to graduate with their respective class. It is suggested that applicants obtain CPAT certification before applying to the Fire Academy.

Candidates who do not pass the CPAT by the last day of class will not graduate with their class, and must repeat the entire course at their own expense to obtain St. Louis County certification. Additionally, if a recruit’s CPAT certification expires before the last day of class, they must renew it so that it is current on the last day of class.

Pre-registration is required. Call Betty at 314-889-8670 to register. (There is no online registration.) After you register, you will receive an email with information regarding the test and the required forms. The forms (attached), which includes a Physician’s Certification form (provided by the Academy), a copy of your driver’s license and insurance card, must be submitted before testing. Orientation begins at 8:30 am. You must arrive by 8:20 am for check-in. We must have a minimum of five (5) participants. NOTE: Downloading the forms from the website does not guarantee you a spot for a particular session. You must still call to register & confirm space is available.

The CPAT fee is $150.00.

CPAT testing is offered twice a month (SUBJECT TO CHANGE). The location is St. Louis County Fire Academy, 1266 Sutter Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63133.

You must arrive 10 minutes before the start time for sign-in/check-in for ALL CPAT sessions, whether it’s your first session or a return session.

Wednesday, September 4, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 9/4: 9/18/2024, 10/2/2024, 10/16/2024; final session: 11/6/2024

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 9/18: 10/2/2024, 10/16/2024, 11/6/2024; final session: 11/20/2024

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 10/2: 10/16/2024, 11/6/2024, 11/20/2024; final session: 12/4/2024

Wednesday, October 16, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 10/16: 11/6/2024, 11/20/2024, 12/4/2024; final session: 12/18/2024

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 11/6: 11/20/2024, 12/4/2024, 12/18/2024; final session: 1/8/2025

Wednesday, November 20, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 11/20: 12/4/2024, 12/18/2024, 1/8/2025; final session: 1/21/2025

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 12/4: 12/18/2024, 1/8/2025, 1/21/2025; final session: 2/4/2025

Wednesday, December 18, 2024 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 12/18: 1/8/2025, 1/21/2025, 2/4/2025; final session: 2/18/2025

Wednesday, January 8, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 1/8: 1/21/2025, 2/4/2025, 2/18/2025; final session: 3/4/2025

Tuesday, January 21, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 1/21: 2/4/2025, 2/18/2025, 3/4/2025; final session: 3/25/2025

Tuesday, February 4, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 2/4: 2/18/2025, 3/4/2025, 3/25/2025; final session: 4/1/2025

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 2/18: 3/4/2025, 3/25/2025, 4/1/2025; final session: 4/15/2025

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 3/4: 3/25/2025, 4/1/2025, 4/15/2025; final session: 5/6/2025

Tuesday, March 25, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 3/25: 4/1/2025, 4/15/2025, 5/6/2025; final session: 5/20/2025

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 4/1: 4/15/2025, 5/6/2025, 5/20/2025; final session: 6/3/2025

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 4/15: 5/6/2025, 5/20/2025, 6/3/2025; final session: 6/17/2025

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 5/6: 5/20/2025, 6/3/2025, 6/17/2025; final session: 7/1/2025

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 5/20: 6/3/2025, 6/17/2025, 7/1/2025; final session: 7/15/2025

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 6/3: 6/17/2025, 7/1/2025, 7/15/2025; final session: 8/5/2025

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 6/17: 7/1/2025, 7/15/2025, 8/5/2025; final session: 8/19/2025

Tuesday, July 1, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 7/1: 7/15/2025, 8/5/2025, 8/19/2025; final session: 9/2/2025

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 7/15: 8/5/2025, 8/19/2025, 9/2/2025; final session: 9/16/2025

Tuesday, August 5, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 8/5: 8/19/2025, 9/2/2025, 9/16/2025; final session: 10/7/2025

Tuesday, August 19, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 8/19: 9/2/2025, 9/16/2025, 10/7/2025; final session: 10/21/2025

Tuesday, September 2, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 9/2: 9/16/2025, 10/7/2025, 10/21/2025; final session: 11/4/2025

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 9/16: 10/7/2025, 10/21/2025, 11/4/2025; final session: 11/18/2025

Tuesday, October 7, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 10/7: 10/21/2025, 11/4/2025, 11/18/2025; final session: 12/2/2025

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 (first session)
Remaining dates if you don’t pass on 10/21: 11/4/2025, 11/18/2025, 12/2/2025; final session: 12/16/2025

When you register for a session, the fee covers five (5) sessions. You will receive an email with the five dates. You can take a timed test during the first (Orientation) session. If you pass this timed test, it will count as successful completion, and you will be issued your CPAT card that day. If you don’t pass the timed test or choose to use the first session as a practice session, you will return on the next scheduled date. You will receive an email reminding you of the upcoming session. You must reply to the email regarding your attendance. If you don’t reply to the email, you forfeit a session. Over the next three (3) sessions, you have the option of either taking a timed test or practicing the CPAT. Again, if you successfully complete a timed session, it will count as successful completion, and you will be issued your CPAT card that day. On the final (5th session), you must successfully complete a timed test. If you do not pass a timed test by the 5th and final session, you must register for another CPAT session and pay the applicable fee at that time. You must complete your five sessions within a year of the start date.

The fee for the test is $150.00. All fees are non-refundable. Payment is due PRIOR to the first session. A 3% service fee is added to all card sales. Personal checks & cash are not accepted. (A 35′ ladder climb is available for an additional $10.00. Please let us know in advance if you need a ladder climb.

Your CPAT card is valid for one year (expiration date is shown on the card). The fee for a replacement card is $10.00.

Attire/dress: long pants (no shorts), athletic shoes & t-shirt.

St. Louis County Fire Academy provides convenient, professional administration of the Candidate Physical Ability Test for firefighter candidates. The Candidate Physical Ability Test is the new minimum requirement for the position of Firefighter at many fire departments in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. It is also a requirement for certification. The St. Louis County Fire Academy provides the Candidate Physical Ability Test according to the IAFF/IAFC Joint Labor-Management Wellness/Fitness Initiative.

The C.P.A.T. consists of eight (8) critical physical tasks that simulate actual job duties on the fire ground. This test is physically demanding and requires you to be physically fit to succeed. This test, as well as the job of a firefighter, requires high levels of cardiopulmonary endurance, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. The CPAT is a sequence of events requiring you to progress along a pre-determined path from event to event in a continuous manner. This test was developed to allow fire departments to obtain pools of trainable candidates who are physically able to perform essential job tasks at fire scenes.

The eight (8) physical tasks in this test are:

Stair Climb
Hose Drag
Equipment Carry
Ladder Raise and Extension
Forcible Entry
Search
Rescue
Ceiling Breach and Pull

This is a pass/fail test based on a validated maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds.

In these events, you wear a 50-pound (22.68-kg) vest to simulate the weight of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and firefighter protective clothing. An additional 25 pounds (11.34 kg), using two 12.5-pound (5.67-kg) weights that simulate a high-rise pack (hose bundle), is added to your shoulders for the stair-climb event.

Throughout all events, you must wear long pants, a hard hat with chin strap, work gloves, and footwear with no open heel or toe. Watches and loose or restrictive jewelry are not permitted.

All props were designed to obtain the necessary information regarding your physical ability. The tools and equipment were chosen to provide the highest level of consistency, safety, and validity in measuring your physical abilities.

The events are placed in a sequence that best simulates fire scene events while allowing an 85-foot (25.91-m) walk between events.

To ensure the highest level of safety and to prevent exhaustion, no running is allowed between events.

This walk allows you approximately 20 seconds to recover and regroup before each event. To ensure scoring accuracy by eliminating timer failure, two stopwatches are used to time the CPAT. One stopwatch is designated as the official test time stopwatch, the second is the backup stopwatch. If mechanical failure occurs, the time on the backup stopwatch is used. The stopwatches are set to the pass/fail time and count down from 10 minutes and 20 seconds. If time elapses prior to the completion of the test, the test is concluded and you fail the test.