Firefighter physical agility test in Gulfport

Over a dozen men put their physical and mental strength to the test today with the Gulfport Fire Department. This was all in hopes to become a firefighter.
News 25’s Laurene Callander takes us through the physical agility test.
The pressure is high as these seven recruits swing, crawl, and take another step to bring a long time dream to life. Recruit Dylan Dedeaux said, “It’s always been like a thing I’ve wanted to do. I’ve pursued many things and just every single time I end up coming back to do this test.”
Recruit Derek Angle said, “Best kept secret as far as a career you can have. It’s rewarding every second of the day.”
But first, they have to pass the Gulfport Fire Department’s physical agility test. Each event is timed, aimed at pushing recruits to the limit. Training Chief Eric Valles said, “You’re going to want to quit. The test is designed to make you want to quit, but you have to push forward. You have to block it out of your mind and push forward.”
Not only do they have to complete these physically demanding tasks, they have to do it with gear and about 40 pounds of equipment. “It doesn’t allow stuff to come in, but it also doesn’t allow anything to escape. It’s hot, it’s heavy. It’s cumbersome, but it’s what saves our lives in a fire,” said Valles.
Out of the seven recruits Thursday morning, four passed and three failed with 19 still reaching for a spot in the department. Those who succeeded still needed to pull from deep within. “Just stay at this pace and don’t pass out. Just keep this steady pace and you’ll be alright is what I was thinking, really,” said Dedeaux.
“Tired, winded. It’s a tough test, think Gulfport has to have one of the toughest tests around,” said Angle.
The next steps for the recruits who passed include an interview, a background check, and the Fire Academy. For a firefighter, hard work does not stop after the hiring process. “Firefighters never stop training. You never stop learning. Technology improves every day so we’re constantly getting new equipment, learning new things, learning more things about how fire works,” said Angle.
Dedeaux and Angle both passed the physical agility test, hoping to soon use these skills to save lives.