The test details below come from the University of Alberta’s testing page and its information package dated 1 May 2026, checked 21 October 2026. Each department card gives its own source and the date it was checked. The University can change the test; its package is the version to train to.
How the day runs
The test is run by the University’s Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the Van Vliet Complex in Edmonton, and takes three to four hours. Appointments start between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
- The treadmill test, in running shoes.
- A 60 minute rest.
- A walk through of about 30 minutes, where you practise each job task. Everyone does it, and it doubles as your warm up.
- The six job tasks, each followed by exactly three minutes of rest. You stay in the testing area and keep your gear on.
Everything is done in firefighting gear of about 23 kg (51 lb): helmet, flash hood, gloves, coveralls, pants, boots, jacket and an SCBA, which you carry as weight only. You leave with a copy of your results, and the University sends them to the departments you consent to share them with.
The treadmill test
After a five minute warm up you walk at 3.5 mph on a 10 percent grade for eight minutes. The grade then rises one percent a minute to 15 percent, and after that the speed rises 0.5 mph a minute until you stop. Most people last about 16 minutes. A mandatory five minute cool down follows.
To pass, you have to complete the warm up, the eight minute constant phase and the cool down, at least 18 minutes in all. Your result is your total time and your peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), measured from your breathing while a monitor tracks your heart rate. The longer you last, the better your VO2peak score generally is.
The six job tasks and their time limits
Each task has to be done correctly and safely inside its limit.
| Task | What you do | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment carry | Carry a 20 kg and a 36 kg extrication tool 15 m, hold the smaller one against three points of a door mock up for 30 seconds each, then return both. About 105 m of walking in all. | 225 seconds |
| Charged hose advance | Advance a charged 44 mm hose line 30 m over your shoulder at a fast walk; the rules forbid running. | 27 seconds |
| Weighted sled pull | With your feet planted, pull a weighted sled 15 m by rope, three times, walking 15 m between pulls. | 110 seconds |
| Forcible entry | Strike a braked target with a 4.5 kg sledgehammer until the buzzer sounds. | 19 seconds |
| Victim rescue | Drag an 83 kg mannequin by its harness 30 m around a cone. You and the mannequin must stay clear of the cones. | 57 seconds |
| Ladder climb | Climb ten rungs up and back down, five times, with three points of contact and every rung used. | 97 seconds |
University of Alberta, Firefighter Applicant Physical Aptitude Evaluation information package, dated 1 May 2026, and its demonstration videos
Cost, booking and results
The University lists $399 plus GST, paid in full at booking. $150 of it is non refundable, and you get a partial refund for a cancellation at least two weeks out. Edmonton’s recruitment page lists $388.50; the University’s booking page shows what you pay.
You book online through the University’s activity registration site, first come, first served. The registration tab appears only when spots are open, and you reschedule your own appointment.
The University says results are typically valid for six months. Check your department’s window below before you book, so the result still counts on the closing date.
What to bring
- The medical clearance form, signed by your physician with the clinic’s details. Book that appointment early; the University turns away anyone who arrives with it incomplete.
- Plain leather work gloves, the ordinary gardening kind, with a bare leather grip. They are inspected on the day.
- Government photo ID.
- Shorts, two T shirts, running shoes, thin and thick socks for the boots, and warm clothes for the hour of rest.
- A towel and a lock for a day locker.
The University provides the gear, including boots. Its advice for the day before: rest, skip hard training, and leave alcohol alone. On the day, stop caffeine and smoking two hours before and stop eating two hours before. For an early appointment, eat a light breakfast about three hours ahead.
Departments that ask for it
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Airdrie Fire Department
Airdrie accepts the U of A test, the Red Deer Polytechnic test or the CPAT, and adds a treadmill test at the medical stage. Results count for 12 months.
City of Airdrie, Firefighter Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
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Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
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. 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
Strathcona County asks for a pass on the U of A test. Any pass dated after 1 January 2026 is accepted.
Strathcona County, Applying, checked 4 October 2026
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St. Albert Fire Services
St. Albert asks for the U of A test, and earlier results can be transferred through the University. 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
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
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Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Regional Emergency Services
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. A U of A pass from the last six months.
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Firefighter and Paramedic Recruitment, checked 4 October 2026
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Medicine Hat Fire and Emergency Services
Medicine Hat asks for the U of A test, paid for by the candidate. 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 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
Some departments run their own test instead, and Calgary uses the CPAT. Check which test your department asks for.
How to prepare
Build aerobic capacity for the treadmill. The tasks, an hour later, ask for strength and power in the carries, pulls and hammer strikes, repeated in gear with three minutes of rest between them. Practise in a weighted vest, and learn each task’s technique from the University’s videos before the walk through.
The University also runs open house sessions, at $60 plus GST, for people planning to test in the next 6 to 12 months. They let you handle the real equipment. They follow their own procedure, so treat them as practice.
The Firefighter Standard, a 12 week program for the U of A test