Requirements

Fire Fighter Requirements

There is no single national fire fighter entry standard on this page: recruitment is run by each municipal fire and rescue service. The most detailed published example is the City of Cape Town’s Learner Fire Fighter post (ref. SS 10/24 Ext, closed 4 April 2024): Grade 12, age 18 or older, medically and physically fit, no criminal record, and no fear of confined spaces or heights.

Selection turns on the fitness test, the claustrophobia and acrophobia test, a medical and drug test, a written assessment and an interview. Other municipalities set their own criteria, so check the advert of the service you want to join. For the wider picture, see firefighter requirements.

Entry Requirements at a Glance

For the Cape Town learner post, the City asked for:

Treat these as an example of what a large metro asks for, not a national rule. Other services publish their own recruit adverts with their own criteria.

Education and Subject Requirements

Grade 12 is the entry qualification in the Cape Town post. Mathematics and Physical Science are listed as preferred, not compulsory.

If you are still at school and want to be a fire fighter, choosing Mathematics and Physical Science in Grade 10 to 12 matches what Cape Town prefers and keeps your options open. You can still apply with other subjects as long as you pass Grade 12.

Age, Fitness, Licence and Background Requirements

Candidates who are shortlisted must pass a compulsory physical fitness test. In the Cape Town post it consisted of:

Candidates who pass the physical test must then pass a claustrophobia and acrophobia test (fear of confined spaces and fear of heights). Applicants must not suffer from either fear. Candidates also undergo the City’s medical evaluation and a compulsory drug test at a City testing centre.

The Cape Town post sets a minimum age of 18 and does not state a maximum. It does not list a driving licence or citizenship as requirements, but licence rules differ by post, so read the advert of the service you are applying to. For the criminal check, the City asks for your fingerprints or ID number.

Documents and Evidence Required

The Cape Town post asked applicants to submit a certified copy of their ID and a certified copy of their matric certificate with the online application. For the criminal record check, the City takes your fingerprints or ID number and states that no other criminal clearances are acceptable, so do not pay for a separate police clearance certificate unless the advert asks for one. The City also does its own medical evaluation rather than asking you to bring a medical certificate.

Application and Selection Process

  1. Apply online. Cape Town accepts applications only through its eRecruitment system at careers.capetown.gov.za; other municipalities use their own vacancy pages.
  2. Pass the fitness test if you are shortlisted.
  3. Pass the claustrophobia and acrophobia test.
  4. Complete the City’s medical evaluation and the drug test.
  5. Pass a written assessment and an interview.

Training is on a non-permanent contract. A permanent post follows only after you complete Firefighter 1 (NFPA 1001), Hazmat Awareness and Operations (NFPA 1072) and First Aid Level 3. The full conditions are in the City’s Learner Fire Fighter advert, which is a 2024 post, so check careers.capetown.gov.za for the current one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the fire fighter fitness test involve?

In Cape Town’s post it was a 1.9 m reach test, a 2.4 km run (11 minutes for men, 13 for women), 30 push-ups and 30 sit-ups in 60 seconds each, and a carry of two 25 kg drums over 100 m.

How should I train for it?

Practise the exact events above against the clock: running 2.4 km, timed push-ups and sit-ups, and carrying heavy loads over distance. Standards can differ between municipalities, so train to the figures in the advert you apply under.

Is there a claustrophobia test for fire fighters?

Yes, in Cape Town. Candidates who pass the physical test must pass a claustrophobia and acrophobia test, and applicants must not suffer from fear of confined spaces or heights. It is a required stage of selection.

What subjects should I choose if I want to be a fire fighter?

Cape Town prefers Mathematics and Physical Science, but the minimum is a Grade 12 certificate. If you are choosing subjects for Grade 10 to 12, those two are the safest picks.

Do I need a police clearance certificate?

Not for Cape Town. The City checks your criminal record using your fingerprints or ID number and accepts no other clearances.

Confirm the current requirements, dates and process with the municipal fire and rescue service you are applying to, for example through the City of Cape Town careers portal. See career requirements and browse all job requirements.

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