Physical Ability Tests

Physical abilities are a large part of success in most law enforcement and fire service positions.  Certainly, a firefighter must be able to climb stairs, carry heavy equipment and drag unconscious victims, and police must be able to chase down and physically control suspects.  The inability to perform these functions should render a candidate unfit for such a position.  This is why physical ability testing is critical for public safety agencies.

There are two primary methods for assessing a candidate’s physical ability.  The first model directly simulates physical tasks that are performed on the job.  This "job-simulation" model ensures that each candidate can perform essential job elements.  The second model is "fitness-based" and operates on the premise that a physically fit candidate is more likely to competently perform physical job tasks.

I/O Solutions specializes in the development of job-simulation physical ability tests.  This type of test is relatively easy to validate because it can clearly be linked to the content of the job.  The true challenge of developing a job-simulation physical ability test, besides simply identifying the task simulations, is determining an appropriate timed cut-off score.  As the physical job tasks of a firefighter and police officer are both time-sensitive, it is necessary that a candidate be able to perform essential tasks in an acceptable time period.  The challenging part of developing a physical ability test is identifying the cut-off score that clearly relates to minimally competent performance, this is one of the core services that I/O Solutions provides.