The Jerome Fire Department's firefighters are required annually to go through a physical ability course to determine if they are fit enough to do their tasks. "We use our physical ability course to establish a baseline for all of our employee's, part-time employees, full-time employees," said Benjamin Landrian, a firefighter with the department.
Landrian said it gives the department a good guideline to where the firefighters are "physically and what their mental capability is as far as pushing through some adversity and being able to complete day to day tasks as a firefighter."
The course has eight stations, and all stations must be done under 10 minutes, 30 seconds. The course starts with a stair climb, "which simulates 10 stories."