31 March 2021
Chief Brent Collins, President, www.FirePrep.com
Coming to the fire academy out of shape
Do you want one easy way to not be successful once you get in the fire academy? Come to the academy out of shape. You know that there will be a very intense physical training program in the academy. If you show up out of shape, what kind of impact will that make on the instructors concerning how serious you are taking this opportunity?
A lot of people come into the academy thinking that they passed the physical agility test and feel that they are in pretty good shape. If you think you’re in shape, you’re not.
The first day at many academies, you will be running 2-3 miles, doing pushups, sit-ups, calisthenics. Next day – same thing. You’ll develop shin splits and get injured because you are out of shape. The fire academy doesn’t care.
If you’re not in shape on day one and able to handle the rigors of the physical training program, you might be finding your way out the door.
I used to be Chief of the Cleveland Fire Academy and I was amazed at how some people came into the academy – overweight, out of shape, and expect us to take care of them. It’s not going to happen.
Put a physical training program on top of being hammered by all the reading assignments you will be given, and it will drain you and pull you down. You won’t be primed for success.
Four to six weeks before you go to the academy, get yourself in excellent shape. That will be the first impression you will make to the fire academy instructors – that you took the job seriously and I came in ready to go.