Eyesight Requirements - Fire Protection

[LMFDE26]

Just wanted to address a few comments I have seen regarding eyesight requirements for 3E7X1. (FIRE PROT) I was once told that the requirements are: No worse than 20/100 in each eye, correctable to 20/20.
I was rejected several times by ANG units who advised my eyes were not good enough, being worse than 20/100, even though correctable to 20/20. So I did some research on my own, and discovered that the NFPA has a clause at the end of the 'requirement" section that reads something to the effect of: "Those who have successfully worn soft contact lenses for at least 6 months, and whose eyesight is correctable to 20/20, shall not be subject to minimum vision requirements." I brought this to the attention of a recruiter, and Medical passed me. I now am on contract w/ the ANG as Fire Protection and am awaiting a BMT/class date. It turns out that it wasn't that my vision wasn't good enough at the other units, there just wasn't any FP positions open.

I am told there will be another physical at the start of FP School at Goodfellow. Does anyone have any insight on this? Are these the vision standards of the NFPA, or the Air Force? Though my eyes are OK for the ANG, will I not qualify for civilian Dept in the future?

I am also writing this to give some hope to those who may have been otherwise thwarted after being told their eyes weren't good enough. It depends on what mood the Medical Dept is in that day.

[arff42]

If you are looking to work with a civilian fed fire position, it should go by OPM standards. The requirement is correctable to 20/30 one eye and 20/70 in the other. I believe you cannot be worse then 20/100 in either eye uncorrected.

Look it up in the OPM website under 0081. Everything you need should be there. Hell, if you need to, wear your contact lenses and don't tell the MD yoiu have them in.

Later

[tms1989]

What are the eyesight standards for the NFPA or Fire Protection?

[arff42]

I was kidding about cheating on the eye test. Any physician will know if you try. In alot of cases, if the physicain feels you can do the job, you will be passed. This is especially true if you meet the requirements for binocular vision (both eyes at the same time). NFPA 1582 states 20/40 binocular corrected. The minimum standard for monucular (each eye seperately) is not specified in 1582. Ultimately, every department is different, even though it will say in the job announcement that you must pass a NFPA 1582 medical. IE, city of Anaheim wants 20/30 binocular vision, but San Bernardino County wants 20/20 vision in each eye.

[tms1989]

So are the eyesight standards for the Air Force FP 20/20 corrected?
If so is that the better eye, or both eyes combined?