Chicago Fire Exam, March 2006

[varg]

No idea, I've talk to a Lt anc Cpt and both said they heard nothing about a new test coming in 2014, while both said there are gonna be 2 possible 3 classes soon or this year.

[UPCFire]

Ok thanks I appreciate it.

[UPCFire]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhal...d-of-year.html

[Chicagoblaze]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhal...d-of-year.html

Well, considering this was from last November, not too much "news" in this article. And as far as 600 retires- I'll believe it when I see it

[UPCFire]

"Thanks", for "clearing" that up. It's the only "news" on the topic I've seen so far.

[BODE]

I'm hearing a lot of rumors about new Classes to be held soon. The most recent being this June. My question is, if the CFD proposed doubling the amount of money in the budget to pay for overtime this year, does it make sense to put a Class in as well?

[goldie2002]

OK, so I am a long time follower, but first time poster. First of all, thanks for all the great info over the past year. I wanted to post because I recently moved and my new neighbor is on CFD and is actually assigned down at the headquarters building. He told me they had a big meeting with a lot of top brass the other day. He told me yesterday that they have decided that the new entrance exam will be Jan/Feb 2014. And that at the meeting yesterday it was decided that they will be using CPAT without a doubt for the next physical agility. He also said that they are going to try and get 2 more classes off the current list this year, and another 1 to 2 more will be hired in 2014. He said that even though they will be holding a new entrance exam in 2014, they will most likely not hire off that until 2015. So lets hope for at least another 3-4 classes off this list. Oh, and lastly, not that is concerns us, but they are having an Engineer exam this year.

[Iceman26]

OK, so I am a long time follower, but first time poster. First of all, thanks for all the great info over the past year. I wanted to post because I recently moved and my new neighbor is on CFD and is actually assigned down at the headquarters building. He told me they had a big meeting with a lot of top brass the other day. He told me yesterday that they have decided that the new entrance exam will be Jan/Feb 2014. And that at the meeting yesterday it was decided that they will be using CPAT without a doubt for the next physical agility. He also said that they are going to try and get 2 more classes off the current list this year, and another 1 to 2 more will be hired in 2014. He said that even though they will be holding a new entrance exam in 2014, they will most likely not hire off that until 2015. So lets hope for at least another 3-4 classes off this list. Oh, and lastly, not that is concerns us, but they are having an Engineer exam this year.

I know there's a separate thread for the paramedic list but seems relevant at the moment, was anything said about any new EMS classes this year?

[BODE]

Adding to the rumor mill, albeit a negative one..All woman academy class(per the lawsuit), people in processing getting dumped, and new test to create a new diverse candidate list. Thoughts?

[ILFFPM]

May I ask where you have heard this from? i was waiting for the negative rumor after all these positive ones, not saying anything bad about you bode just seems to be the way this forum goes. I for one have mixed thoughts on this Im hearing that they are going to change the PAT to CPAT which is what the women wanted, so is that the city admitting guilt or is it they just want to change it and it is in there right to do so without admitting guilt. Also i have heard from a lot of people that there is a june/july class in the mix maybe two classes. I mean there is a ton of retirement/promotions again this year so waiting to hire till the retest is a loooooonnnng time i mean our test was announced in 10/05 and the first class was hired in like 1/08. so i really dont know anymore im just praying us waiting for FP get in the next class and that it is soon.

[ILFFPM]

There was a recent ruling of sorts on that occured on Jan 7 2013 for the womens lawsuit. Ill post the link and summarize as best i can. Basically the city seeked to limit the class action period to June 27, 2009 (after us waiting for FP took our PAT) and they won this judgement so the lawsuit as i understand it and it currently stands only applies to those after june 27 2009. Now they lost the other two parts of the judgement which was to throw out the lawsuit as a whole based on the fact that the city will not use the current PAT but the citys language was muddy, so that was denied as was the third motion seeking impact and intentional discrimination. This does not mean the city has lost it will proceed to a further court date. but as it stands this only applies to june 27 2009 forward. so I dont know how many women that is, it is the african american lawsuit group as well as the two pats in 2010. So the case is not done and further court proceedings are to occur. Here is the link http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal...pdf?1357643175

[teddyball]

Just talked to my source who has been totally optimistic through this whole process and he told me it's not looking good for me. He of course has inside information.
Bottom line. Mayor Emanuel is pretty much done with the 2006 test. If they were to give us a Cpat, anyone who failed would possibly sue as they passed the initial test. Plus anyone who failed the original pat could sue to be able to take the cpat. I guess these scenarios have been tossed around and the easiest solution is to just re-test as we are pretty much the only groups who cannot sue.
Sorry for the bad news and as usual nothing is set in stone. But he does not see a likely scenario where we get hired.

[ILFFPM]

i suppose that could be true who knows. however a few thoughts, they retested the paramedics and had them do the PAT again albeit the same one, however i don't see any liability with them having us redo the PAT in a different format, time has passed and as long as we get proper notification and training on the new PAT how is there liability? secondly in the womens lawsuit court document the judge related that if the city had outright said there doing a new PAT there would possibly be no relief or damages for the Women (i think i read that part right). So just them simply having us redo the PAT in possibly the CPAT format is not grounds for some huge lawsuit in my humble opinion. I say give us the shot to do so we have come so far in the process especially us in the group who are waiting for FP we have done all the processing once, and been semi reprocessed a second time, whats once more if we are lucky enough to have the chance!

[JR1980]

If there is one thing that we can all be sure of, it is that this thread is full of speculation, rumors, and opinions. I'd love to know the truth behind this week's rumors. Goldie2002 and Teddyball's posts were in the same week and they completely contradict each other. Obviously I want to remain optimistic and it seems that if there really was a meeting with top brass about holding academies this year, we would get a chance. Who knows, this is all a mindf^ck

[jetguy81]

If there is one thing that we can all be sure of, it is that this thread is full of speculation, rumors, and opinions. I'd love to know the truth behind this week's rumors. Goldie2002 and Teddyball's posts were in the same week and they completely contradict each other. Obviously I want to remain optimistic and it seems that if there really was a meeting with top brass about holding academies this year, we would get a chance. Who knows, this is all a mindf^ck

Or perhaps this is just part of a psych evaluation and we just don't know it (kidding of course)

[Shadez]

Or perhaps this is just part of a psych evaluation and we just don't know it (kidding of course)

LOL Thanks for the laugh.

[teddyball]

I guess I should clarify a little better (my typing skills stink so I try to type as little as possible LOL).
The thought is if the city give all of us a cpat, they must include the people who failed the same PAT we took for fear they may sue. The initial PAt was a step in the process. If they re test us they basically are saying the last PAT was inept and must allow those who failed another chance. If we fail the CPAT we may also sue because we passed the first test given to us. There was never any indication that we would have to take 2 PAT's let alone a completely new PAT. Which by the way is more difficult. If they give us the same PAT again the women may gain ground in their lawsuit. BUT and this is the big one. If the city completely scraps the test and issues a new one the lawsuit will be void as no one has been hired since the women's lawsuit group took their PAT. We are basically the only group who cannot sue if we are not hired. We were never offered the job. Just like the group that tried to sue after the 2006 group was hired passing over 1995 group in processing. LIke many of us. I think the brass would like to hire and hold a few more classes rather than wait for a new test which will cost money. But the potential lawsuits could end up costing more money in lawsuits, payouts, etc.

I should also note that I hate being all doom and gloom about this but I kind of gave up on this a while ago. I keep checking here for news and when I see my source I talk to him but I stopped calling him for updates and even told him not to call me regarding the FD unless he has positive, definite news. It just so happened I ran into him at a bachelor party when he told me the news I just passed along.

[goldie2002]

I know it has been awhile since I wrote my last post, but also to clarify about what my friend told me that was in the meeting with the brass...the CPAT will be for the new entrance exam people. The classes they are going to get off the 2006 list will be people either processed, or will take the same physical everyone else off the 2006 took. I just talked to him yesterday, and he clarified that they CANNOT give CPAT to 2006 people because they just can't change format in the middle because of lawsuits. All they have to look into, he said, was since it has been so long since we took our physical, was if they were going to make us do it again....which would be the same one we already took.

[Shadez]

My source heard this AM that they're shooting for a class in the summer and another in the fall.

Lets all pray this rumor holds true.

[jetguy81]

I was told same info as Shadez from my contact. Late summer and fall/winter academy. Fire side, 2006 candidate list.

I'd strongly suggest those not hitting the gym or keeping up with working out, get to it and get to it now. Ive been doing a deck of cards workout alongside weight training and lots of cardio (running, bike, and stairs).

All this waiting will be worth it at the end of the day.