Hiring Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements for Firefighters

  1. No person shall be eligible for an original position in the Tyler Fire Department unless they meet the following requirements:
    1. Be at least eighteen years of age and not have reached his/her thirty-sixth birthday on the date of the written examination.
    2. Be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D.
    3. Be a citizen of the United States by birth, naturalization, or meet an employment authorization requirement as mandated by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
    4. Have a valid driver's license.
    5. Must be able to proficiently read, write and speak the English language. (amended 7/9/20) (f. & g. deleted, amended 7/9/20)
  2. Firefighter applicants must successfully complete the following:
    1. Written examination
    2. Interview
    3. Polygraph exam
    4. Background investigation
    5. Drug Screening Test
    6. Medical exam
    7. Work fitness testing

Physical Ability Test (PAT)

Dress Requirements

The Tyler Fire Department will provide a helmet, 50 lb. weighted vest (that simulates the weight of an air pack), and gloves.

Participants will need to wear a t-shirt, shorts, jogging pants, tennis shoes, or boots.

The following activities must be completed, but are untimed.

  • Confined space - applicants must negotiate a thirty (30) foot long narrow crawl space with low ceiling height, as low as two feet, with obstacles, while wearing a SCBA face piece, helmet, and a 50-pound weighted vest simulating the weight of an air pack, bunker coat, bunker pants, and boots.
  • Heights/balance - while wearing the same gear as required in the confined space test, must walk 8" beam/harness and safety line - 8 ft. high, 18 ft. long (no SCBA face piece worn). Must be able to complete without difficulty.

The following activities must be completed within 6 minutes.

  • Stair Climb - Must climb 3 flights of stairs with 42 pounds of 1-1/2 inch hose, place hose in the designated area, and continue.
  • Hose Hoist - Must pull 42-pound donut roll of fire hose (equivalent weight of an extension ladder, smoke extractor fan, 50-foot section of 2-1/2" fire hose) up to 35 feet, pick up 1-1/2" hose, descend stairs, place hose in designated area, and continue.
  • Forcible entry - Using a 9-pound slot mallet, must drive a 165-pound object 5 ft. and continue.
  • Hose Advance - Must negotiate the 140-foot slalom course, then pick up the nozzle end of the 1 3/4-inch charged hose line and drag it a distance of 75 feet. Once the nozzle crosses the threshold at 75 feet, place the nozzle on the pavement and continue
  • Victim Rescue - drag backwards a 185-pound dummy a distance of 106 feet. The entire dummy must cross the line. This will conclude the Physical Ability Test.
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