Pack Test times

[JR3115]

Just took the ARD. pack test for the first time this morning and passed with a time of 39:17.

My dad blew my doors off with an amazing time of 34:06 (he's been a long time wildland firefighter).

Just curious as to some other impressive times out there.

[RangerJake72]

I've always been told it was pass fail, so long as you made it in under the time limit, you're good, and they usually don't even tell us or record our times

[RxFire]

It is pass/fail only. Some crews will have a friendly competition with their times.

[smketer]

Eric H who is a BLM SMKJ holds the base record.

As long as you finish, and feel good is all that counts, if you have guys start pushing themselves to where they have a high heart rate could be bad. So just have an AED on site.

SMK

[aromania]

Eric H who is a BLM SMKJ holds the base record.

As long as you finish, and feel good is all that counts, if you have guys start pushing themselves to where they have a high heart rate could be bad. So just have an AED on site.

SMK

The pack test is no different then any other physical test... while you should have medical support at any physical ability test. The pack test IS a pass/fail but I would rather see my firefighters push themselves are hard as they can for the test then just pass. The pack test is no different then someone running a 10K run, any healthy person can do it. If firefighters are not fit enough to work for 45 minutes at a higher heart rate then they need to start focusing on their cardio conditioning more. You may see people "blow up" and try to go out too fast which is an entirely different issue, but if a firefighter is NOT FIT ENOUGH to work for 45min at a high level they have NO business being on the fireline!

I have seen a couple quick times, including a 29:18, but I a 99.9% sure there was some running there. The fastest time I have witnessed and I know there was no running was a 36:10.

[JR3115]

I agree with you 100 percent aromania. Btw yes I do know the pack test is pass/fail, but like any other test, there are always going to be higher or lower scores.

[smketer]

Yes I am all for pushing people, I am all for pushing people on the pack test. But just watch the people as your giving the test. Because I have seen in the past, people eat all winter, do very little PT then come on and try to do the Test and it looks like they are going to die.

Now for you guys that drive Green trucks, or Yellow (USFS/BLM) and you old Shots/SMKJ I would expect your times to be a little better then city boys times.

SMK

[Bowbreaker]

We all used to try to finish in under 40 minutes. Now I am happy to finish under 42 minutes. Several years ago my brother tested with a friend that was having some foot problems and they used a GPS to pace themselves to finish in just under 45 minutes. After they did it once they both decided to keep using their method with the GPS and finish as close to 45 minutes as possible. 2 years ago they had 9 seconds left. Their philosophy is they allow you 45 minutes so why no use it.

It is just a personal challenge to beat a certain time whether it is a low time or as close to 45 minutes with out stopping. It still goes in the books as passed or failed. Good luck and stay safe.

Brad

[volfireman034]

I'm not trying to get on a wildland team but I wanted to use the pack test as a measuring mark for my stamina. So my daughter and I went to the school track with a pack that weighted the amount needed and she timed me. I was expecting to maybe get it done the first time in about 50 minutes. WOW was I surpised that my very first time with no previous practice I completed it in 43 minutes 33 seconds. After I was done I wasn't really in any pain or sore either. SO now im going to do it once a quarter and work my time lower and lower. Just for personal fun.

[JR3115]

Were you sore the next day volff034? Cause I sure as hell was!

[volfireman034]

Yes some mostly the balls of my feet. I was expecting my legs to hurt but they didn't.

[RangerJake72]

you certainly do feel it the next day

[ChiefKN]

I haven't been red-carded in a few years and have not had opportunity to take the past test in a while..

One year, I took the pack test along a track that was finished with these tiny little stones... I wound up getting a bunch in my sneakers.

I finished, and couldn't put weight on my feet for 3 days, they hurt so bad. I was literally crawling around my apartment it hurt so bad.. turns out that those little stones got in my shoe and really chewed my feet up (although there were no physical marks).

Now a few years later, I have plantar fascitis in both feet... and i've wondered if my feet were in some way damaged from that event or just from those pack tests? My feet were probably always low arch.

After a year of stretching and working on them, they are better, but still give me grief from time to time.

[TheEnginist]

Moving post to another location.

[Ticonderoga]

Is there an upper age limit for wildland firefighters? I'm a 60-year-old firefighter in a large city. I'll retire soon and would like to supplement my pension with some wildland firefighting. I don't think fitness would be a problem. I run a 9:30 mile-and-a-half and often do stairs with a weight vest. If I passed the physical part of it, would they give me a job? Or is there an institutional bias against older guys?

Really depends on where you go for. I know there are a few reserves out where I live that are pushing the 60 mark, and are still smoking kids my age on progressive hose lays.


But more on topic, my pack for the OCFA's Hand Crew rounded in about 30:06, But I blame my long legs for that one.

[TheEnginist]

Is there an upper age limit for wildland firefighters? I'm a 60-year-old firefighter in a large city. I'll retire soon and would like to supplement my pension with some wildland firefighting. I don't think fitness would be a problem. I run a 9:30 mile-and-a-half and often do stairs with a weight vest. If I passed the physical part of it, would they give me a job? Or is there an institutional bias against older guys?

[thechief1702]

I Have Also Finished In 36.22 With No Running.

[MTWILDMAN]

I have known a few guys that are in their late 70's on engine crews that will keep pace with some of the young gung ho kids. If you can pass the pack test and have the right quals there should be no problem being hired.

[Gnufsh]

The feds force you to retire from primary fire positions at 57. Other organizations (local gov, contractrors, etc) have their own requirements.

[Crwb4104]

Yes I am all for pushing people, I am all for pushing people on the pack test. But just watch the people as your giving the test. Because I have seen in the past, people eat all winter, do very little PT then come on and try to do the Test and it looks like they are going to die.

Now for you guys that drive Green trucks, or Yellow (USFS/BLM) and you old Shots/SMKJ I would expect your times to be a little better then city boys times.

SMK

Couldn't agree more, on every level. My advice, keep and AED and CPR mask handy. My agency has had two major heart attacks during the pack test in the last four years. The first was an inmate- 100 lbs overweight, years of drug abuse, etc. coded and ended up having to have a quadruple bipass. The second the employee had just passed the required doctors physical that included a stress test, ekg, heart & lung's x-ray's, blood, urine, the whole boatload. Needless to say, it can happen to anyone.