Death during Forest Service Pack Test

[Captain Hickman]

Reported the U.S. Forest Service has suspended the use of the Pack Test to determine physical fitness of Wildland Fire Fighters. Suspention comes after the death an individual in Arkansas died during test. Has any other departments or organizations had problems with or during the Test? If you have any information, please post here.
Thanks
Captain Hickman

[Joker]

Is this true?? I have been training for this stupid test for 4 months. ARGH!!!
How will the testing be done now? Will they go back to the old "step test"? Please let me know, I'm very interested. Thanks.

[Captain Hickman]

Received the following information from another board:

The death occured on the Ozark National Forest. The individual was about 50 years old. He was in the middle of the second mile when the death occurred. He was fine, talking, and carrying on as usual. He was dead before he hit the ground.

As of 1/20/99 the pack test was suspended for all of the USFS until the proper investigation was completed.

The state of Arkansas was to start the test this spring, but it has been put on hold.

The rumor is that the pack test will resume with regard to age, sex, and frame of body with the appropriate time variations.

Still haven't been able to find out what NFS is going to do. We in Missouri are doing the Step Test or the 1.5 mile run. I too hope they go back to the Pack Test.