Do metropolitan Queensland firefighters meet the international firefighting standards for aerobic fitness?

The aim of this study was to compare the physical fitness levels of 48 metropolitan Queensland firefighters with those of a normal, age- matched Australian population and the aerobic fitness standards recommended by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Measures of physical fitness were determined using standardised procedures. Using a single-sample t-test and an alpha level of 0.05, results for four age groups were statistically compared with existing Australian fitness norms and aerobic capacity standards recommended by the IAFF. The results demonstrated that metropolitan Queensland firefighters have significantly higher body mass and body mass index values, but similar aerobic capacities to those of age-matched Australian males. The aerobic capacities were equal to or below those recommended by the IAFF. The risk of falling below these standards increased with age. Taken together, these findings suggest that many operational firefighters in metropolitan Queensland do not meet the aerobic fitness standards recommended by the IAFF.