04 Jan Medical Requirements for Employment
Firefighters must be of sound mental and physical health. SLCFD utilizes the criteria found in NFPA 1582. Due to the nature of this job, the examination is very thorough.
Height & Weight – There is no minimum or maximum height requirement. Weight should be proportionate to height (tested by measuring percent of body fat).
Eyesight – Visual acuity, without correction, worse than 20/40 in one eye and 20/100 in the other eye; or visual acuity, with correction, worse than 20/20 in one eye, and 20/40 in the other eye is cause for rejection.
Color Vision – Failure to identify red or green or both is cause for rejection.
Hearing – Hearing acuity loss by audiometric test of 20 decibels or more for the speech frequencies in either ear or loss of speech reception of phonetically balanced words at or below 90 percent normal reception for either ear is cause for rejection.
Blood Pressure – Hypertension evidenced by preponderant blood pressure readings of 150 mm or more systolic in an individual over 35 years of age or preponderant readings of 140 mm or more systolic in an individual 35 years of age or less is cause for rejection. Preponderant pressure over 90 mm diastolic is cause for rejection at any age.
Drug Screen – Candidates who are selected for hire must pass a physical examination, including a drug screen.