Find your department
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Calgary Fire Department
CPAT
Calgary uses the CPAT, and offers two orientations and two timed trials before the test when you test with the department. A separate treadmill test follows at the medical stage.
City of Calgary, Firefighter Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
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Airdrie Fire Department
U of A test or Red Deer Polytechnic test or CPAT
Airdrie accepts the U of A test, the Red Deer Polytechnic test or the CPAT, and adds a treadmill test at the medical stage.
How long a result counts: Results count for 12 months.
City of Airdrie, Firefighter Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
Train for the U of A test About the Red Deer Polytechnic test Train for the CPAT
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Rocky View County Fire Services (part-time)
CPAT
The part-time process asks for a CPAT, with testing made available through the City of Calgary, plus a beep test.
How long a result counts: The CPAT must be current within one year.
Rocky View County, Part-Time Firefighters, checked 4 October 2026
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Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
U of A test
Edmonton uses the U of A test: a treadmill test, then six job tasks. Edmonton says its process for the 2027 intake is being updated.
How long a result counts: One attempt per recruitment cycle, and fitness is checked again before any offer.
City of Edmonton, Firefighter Physical Fitness Test, checked 4 October 2026
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Strathcona County Emergency Services
U of A test
Strathcona County asks for a pass on the U of A test.
How long a result counts: Any pass dated after 1 January 2026 is accepted.
Strathcona County, Applying, checked 4 October 2026
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St. Albert Fire Services
U of A test
St. Albert asks for the U of A test, and earlier results can be transferred through the University.
How long a result counts: The window is set in each posting.
City of St. Albert, Emergency Services Careers, checked 4 October 2026
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Spruce Grove Fire Services
U of A test or Red Deer Polytechnic test
The City's page names the U of A test. Red Deer Polytechnic also lists Spruce Grove as accepting its test.
City of Spruce Grove, Firefighter Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
Train for the U of A test About the Red Deer Polytechnic test
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Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Regional Emergency Services
U of A test or Red Deer Polytechnic test
Wood Buffalo asks for the U of A test and ranks candidates on the scores. Red Deer Polytechnic also lists Wood Buffalo as accepting its test.
How long a result counts: A U of A pass from the last six months.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Firefighter and Paramedic Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
Train for the U of A test About the Red Deer Polytechnic test
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Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services
U of A test
Medicine Hat asks for the U of A test, paid for by the candidate.
How long a result counts: Within 12 months of the application closing date.
Medicine Hat, Firefighter Recruitment FAQs, checked 4 October 2026
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Red Deer Emergency Services
Red Deer Polytechnic test or U of A test
Red Deer recognizes the Red Deer Polytechnic test and the U of A test, and candidates choose either testing site.
City of Red Deer, Firemedic Requirements, checked 4 October 2026
About the Red Deer Polytechnic test Train for the U of A test
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Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services
Its own test
Lethbridge now hires paramedics first, and its entry physical is the Lifemark F.A.R.E., the Alberta Health Services paramedic test.
How long a result counts: A pass within six months of the posting close.
City of Lethbridge, LFES Recruitment and Careers, checked 15 October 2026
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Grande Prairie Fire Department
Its own test
Grande Prairie runs its own fitness testing, which it says is based on the University of Alberta's firefighter assessment guidelines.
City of Grande Prairie, Fire Department Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
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Leduc Fire Services
Its own test
Leduc runs its own test: a seven event course with a weighted vest, then a timed run.
City of Leduc, Fire Recruit Training Package, checked 4 October 2026
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Chestermere Fire Services
Its own test
Chestermere's 2025 package ran its own fireground physical and a swim test at a two day tryout, then a VO2 max test.
City of Chestermere, 2025 Full-Time Firefighter Recruitment Package, checked 15 October 2026
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Lloydminster Fire Department
Its own test
Lloydminster runs its own six station job related assessment at Fire Station 1, in one sitting.
City of Lloydminster, Job-Related Physical Capacity Assessment, checked 4 October 2026
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Okotoks Fire & Rescue
Ask the department
The 2023 full time posting listed an Okotoks Physical Abilities Test as its first stage. Confirm the current test with the department.
Okotoks Firefighter Recruitment Guide, checked 15 October 2026
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Cochrane Fire Services
Ask the department
The 2024 casual posting asked that candidates be able to swim and be physically able to do the work. Ask the department which physical test applies.
Cochrane Firefighter Recruitment Guide, checked 25 October 2026
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Fort Saskatchewan Fire Department
Ask the department
The 2023 master plan names the physical as the "University of Alberta Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)", which joins two different tests. Ask the department which one it accepts.
Fort Saskatchewan Firefighter Recruitment Guide, checked 25 October 2026
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Another department
Ask the department which test it uses. For these departments, the test was unpublished in every source we checked on 4 October 2026:
Beaumont, Parkland County, Foothills County, Sturgeon County, Cold Lake, Banff, Canmore, Camrose, Brooks, Sylvan Lake.
The three tests
Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT)
Eight events in a row in a 50 lb vest, pass or fail at 10 minutes 20 seconds. Calgary and the Calgary region use it. Run by licensed CPAT test sites, such as Calgary Fire Department.
University of Alberta Firefighter Applicant Physical Aptitude Evaluation
A treadmill test, then six timed job tasks, run at the University of Alberta. It is the test named by the most departments on this page. Run by the University of Alberta, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation.
Red Deer Polytechnic Firefighter Applicant Physical Aptitude Test
Seven stations in a 45 lb vest at Red Deer Polytechnic. Red Deer, Airdrie, Spruce Grove and Wood Buffalo accept it. Run by Red Deer Polytechnic, Fitness and Sport Services.
Earlier in the process?
If you are still working out the whole recruitment process, start with the free Firefighter Candidate Starter Kit. It covers your target department, documents and certificates, your tests, your interview stories and your next three actions.