Sorry to drag this up, but it is topical at the moment.
The FBU says many firefighters will not be able to maintain fitness standards into their late 50s and this endangers the public.
Now I've done a little bit of research and found that the recommended level of fitness is going to be a VO2 Max score of 42 or above - this equates to about Level 8-6 in the beep test. However, it further states that Firefighters won't be dismissed from operational duties until they are below a VO2 Max score of 35 (about Level 6-7), but some reading has shown that those between 35-42 VO2 max will be singled out for extra phys training to help them improve. Wonder why I post this on the Mil forum? Does it sound familiar?
Yes -
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafi...2735D95037.doc
The link above shows our current multi-stage fitness standards. Guess what? We are asking no higher level of fitness from civil fire fighters than what we ask of the RAF.
So if the military have to achieve a standard of fitness that is for all including Adminers, Trainers, Engineers, Aircrew, Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists then why, oh, why should it be so very hard for the personnel of the Fire and Rescue Service to achieve? They are supposed to be this uber-fit bunch of individuals that they'd have us all believe. Also, FTRS(HC) and FTRS(LC) can serve to 65 as long as they achieve the required fitness standard
I think the FBU are being a little economical with the truth and I don't believe that they are being asked to keep a ridiculous level of fitness as they would have you believe.
The B Word
Notes
Link to fireman's fitness standards according to FBU
http://www.img.fbu.org.uk/wp-content...r-Work-IOM.pdf
Independant study into required fitness standards
http://www.firefitsteeringgroup.co.uk/kevinsykes.pdf