# Physical Agility Test



## Kmuggee

Hi everyone,

I've looked through other threads but I am wanting to gather more responses because I'm sure answers will vary somewhat.

I may begin working for an ambulance company soon, and upon being hired, I am aware EMTs have to pass a physical agility test to be eligible to work.

What type of exercises will be asked of me? Weights, cardio, etc.

I am physically active but I am a petite 110 lb female who has been trying to gain healthy weight/muscle.. just a little nervous right now so advice on how to prepare for the agility test would be appreciated!

Thank you!


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## NomadicMedic

There are many different types of physical agility tests, from complex to the very simple.

Couldn't even begin to guess what your particular services test looks like. I'd hazard that there's some type of cardio to assess your max heart rate and some sort of lift test to see if you can manage a loaded stretcher. Aside from that, it's anyone's guess.

This sounds like a perfect question for the hiring manager or HR department. "Hi, I am planning on applying with your company soon and I was wondering if you could give me specifics on the physical agility test?"

This link is for the Mecklenburg County "medic 911" physical agility test. They call it the MedPAT. http://www.medic911.com/careers/medpat_careers


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## Tigger

I've never done a physical agility test anywhere I worked (all two places haha...). So unless you know the agency requires one, you may not have to.

If the company requires a pre-employment physical, you may have to demonstrate your ability to pick up a weighted object and place it on a waist height surface, or at least that's what my physical had. Your''s may also be different.


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## Abel

you may have to show your capability to choose up a heavy item and place it on a hips size area, or at least that's what my actual had, Your's may also be different....


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## lightsandsirens5

Abel said:


> you may have to show your capability to choose up a heavy item and place it on a hips size area, or at least that's what my actual had, Your's may also be different....



Uh....what? 


Also, most EMS service PATs are fairly simple and easy. Nothing like a fire department CPAT.

At last that has been my experience in the few I have taken.


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## NomadicMedic

Our department's new FJA, functional job analysis, is a bit over the top. It's a series of circuits that must be completed without going over your max heart rate.  Our minimum standard is 4.3 circuits in less than 1 hour. It's not difficult, but tedious, and more than a little nerve racking for the folks on the bubble.


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## DesertMedic66

Ours was lifting weights in a simulated gurney weight holder. They started off with 20lbs and went up to 145lbs. We had to lift the weights different heights to simulate moving a patient from the ground to the gurney, from the gurney into the back of the ambulance, and then from a gurney to a hospital bed. We also had to carry 145lbs up and down a set of 3 stairs 3 times.


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## Handsome Robb

I haven't taken ours in two years so I don't remember the weights so they're just ballparks.

First is a group stretching session with a  Physical Therapist that has you do a few different movements on top of stretching.

First you pick up and put on our First Out bag that has backpack straps. Then pick up a monitor in one hand and the airway bag in the other and carry it ~50 feet across the garage and turn around and being it back. 

The rest is done with a spotter.

Lift a 100# dummy on a scoop with partner off the ground and place it on a manual Stryker gurney in the low position. Raise the gurney to the highest position, lower it to the middle position, lower it to the low position, place the dummy back on the ground, switch ends, repeat with 150# and 220# dummies.

You and a partner lift a 100# dummy on a scoop off the ground and load the scoop into the ambulance. Once in you both lift it onto the hanging flat above the bench. Then lift it down and take it out of the ambulance and put it down on the ground. Repeat that with 175# dummy.

Next take a 100# dummy on a scoop with a partner and lift it off the ground, carry it up a flight of stairs over a construction cone, set it down, switch sides then back down the stairs. Repeat with a 175# and a 220# dummy. 

Last is take a 220# dummy down the stairs in a stair chair with a partner twice. Once in each position. Half way down you stop and the person on top lets go and the bottom person had to hold t in place. The Stryker stair chairs are designed to do this and they show you how before the test. It's to teach you to trust the equipment and how to operate it. 

I've seen lots of small males and females pass this test. Hell I'm only 140#. It's all about lifting techniques.

These are all movements that we do on a daily basis in EMS, most in the higher end of the weight range. I'd venture to say the average weight of the patients I see is ~200#. The heaviest I've seen is 630#. Most of these are done with more than two people however some staircases on some homes don't allow more than two people to do the lifting, spotters are important. 3 or 4 point lifts whenever you can even if they're light. You only have one back, not worth blowing it on little old Grandma you thought was a piece of cake to lift.


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## cfd3091

I just took an agility test today for a County EMS only agency. It was quite demanding involving three flights of stairs with equipment. Bringing a live patient back down on a stair chair(with an assistant), some basic skills, airway and such. Loading 150 lbs. onto a stretcher, into the unit and back out(with an assistant). Last station was an emergency removal of a 170lb. patient from a car and drag him about 50ft.(just you no help). I thought it was a good test and a good representation of what you can expect to have to do.


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## TheFairy

Kmuggee said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I may begin working for an ambulance company soon, and upon being hired, I am aware EMTs have to pass a physical agility test to be eligible to work.
> 
> What type of exercises will be asked of me? Weights, cardio, etc.
> 
> I am physically active but I am a petite 110 lb female who has been trying to gain healthy weight/muscle.. just a little nervous right now so advice on how to prepare for the agility test would be appreciated!
> 
> Thank you!



Did you ever have to take a physical agility test?  I'm a small female and live in orange county as well.  I hope you didn't, some of these tests sound, uh....challenging.  :huh:


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## OnceAnEMT

Physical "agility" isn't exactly correct. I think FJA (Functional Job Analysis) is actually a pretty good term for it, otherwise Functional Testing (AT world). I think it equates more to an obstacle course than a fitness test. Robb had a really good list of things that are done, except I'd add in rough terrain and pulling/pushing a stretcher over rough terrain. 

Don't be afraid of the weights of the dummies, because compared to the real world 75% of the time it gets even heavier.

Edit: Oh, another thing. As Robb mentioned about the stair chair being taught before tested, the same is usually true for the rest of the test. You'll be taught how to use and load the stretcher before they challenge you to navigate it over terrain and load it into a truck while loaded.


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## NomadicMedic

There's a good video of a typical FJT on MEDIC's site. They call it the MEDPAT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqzYI-Qh_0&sns=em

I just realized that I posted this same link above.


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## OnceAnEMT

That video reminded me of a good point. I'd argue that the main critical criteria for this test is form/technique. Know your various types of lifts.


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## TheFairy

Thanks everyone for responding!  Yikes, so I watched the Youtube video, so thank you.  Everything looks cool except I don't know if I'll be able to lift that  barbell.  I'm short and thin :sad:  ugh.  I guess I better start doing some light weight training.


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## jesse24b

I'd start doing some body weight exercises push-ups and pull-ups etc.


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## bradpop14

The IFT company I am with had a simple course. 
1.)Grab your jump bag and AED and run up a flight of stairs then back down
2.)Unload the gurney from the rig with an employee on it.
3.) Properly maneuver around the station lot 
4.)enter the building and collapse the gurney to match the height of the stair chair.
5.)GS the patient and transfer into the stair chair and strap in.
6.)walk the patient, in the stair chair, up the stairs. Rotate positions. Walk the patient back down.
7.)GS patient back on to the gurney and make a lap around the station lot guiding it properly 
8.)Load the patient back into the rig and sit down 

Time limit was 10 minutes. Very basic. They just wanted to see that you knew how to properly work the equipment and that you can properly lift with a patient. 

Each company will be different. And it depends on what kind of company you will be working for. No natter what, upon being hired, the company should prepare you on how to operate the equipment prior to testing.

Good luck! And don't psych yourself out over it. Its just a work out


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## restlessprairie

I'm also a small female and although I didn't have to pass a PAT for my job I have upped my training based on what the job actually requires. I've had a lot of success with a really solid crossfit program that is heavy on olympic lifts and super crazy about good form. 

Proper nutrition, lifting heavy weights properly, and a healthy amount of cardio is helping me perform my duties as well as help me manage stress. 

Good luck. and train like you would for the CPAT. Then whatever they toss at you will be cake.


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