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Civil Service Rules and Regulations

Chapter 4: Minimum Standards for Entry-Level Positions in the Fire Department

All applicants must meet these standards and requirements as of the last date applications are accepted and subsequently throughout the selection process.

4.01

Age:

  1. At least 18 years of age by the time of entrance examination.
  2. A person must not have reached thirty six (36) years of age by the date of the entry-level test required of that candidate.

4.02

Education:

  1. At the time of application, an applicant must meet one of the following minimum educational requirements:
    1. Be a high school graduate;
    2. Have passed a general educational development (GED) test indicating high school graduation level; or
    3. Have 12 semester hours credit from an accredited college or university;
  2. Must be able to read and write the English language.

4.03

Military Service: (if applicable)

  1. Must not have been discharged from any military service under less than honorable conditions including:
    1. under other than honorable conditions;
    2. bad conduct;
    3. dishonorable; or
    4. any other characterization of service indicating bad character.

4.04

Criminal History:

  1. No conviction for any offense classified as a felony at the time of the offense.
  2. Cannot knowingly, intentionally or recklessly have committed a felony offense as an adult, or have received an unadjudicated or deferred adjudication or be on parole for a felony offense as an adult.
  3. Cannot have committed a violent felony offense or felony sexual assault as a juvenile.
  4. No conviction for any offense above the grade of a C misdemeanor in the past five years.
    1. In the event an applicant receives a conviction, probation, or court ordered community supervision for a criminal offense, the date the conviction, probation, or community supervision is imposed will be used to calculate the time period.
  5. Cannot be on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any misdemeanor offense above the grade of a C misdemeanor.
  6. No commissions, unadjudicated or deferred adjudication for any misdemeanor above the grade of a C misdemeanor in the past three years, except for marijuana use.
    1. In the event of a commission of an offense, the date of the commission will be used to calculate the time of disqualification.
    2. In the event of a finding of an unadjudicated or deferred adjudication for an offense, the date the offense was committed will be used to calculate the time of disqualification.
  7. Cannot be the subject of any arrest warrant above the grade of C misdemeanor.
  8. All C misdemeanor warrants must be cleared within fourteen (14) days of notification of existence of the warrants by the Hiring Process Administrator/Coordinator or his/her designee.
  9. Cannot have formal criminal charges above a C misdemeanor pending, before a District Attorney’s Office or Grand Jury.

4.05

Driving Record:

  1. Must possess a valid driver’s license and be able to obtain a Texas "B" driver’s license before completion of the Fire Training Academy;
  2. No DWI or DUID convictions in the last five years;
  3. No more than three hazardous moving violations in the last two years;
  4. No more than three at-fault vehicle accidents in the last two years; and
  5. No license suspensions in the last two years except that a license suspension for any reason other than hazardous driving violations is not considered a minimum standards violation.

4.06

Drugs/Narcotics:

  1. No unlawful consumption of marijuana or hashish within the last two years.
  2. No unlawful consumption of paints, gases, or other abusable chemicals within the last five years.
  3. No unlawful consumption of any Texas Health and Safety Code Schedule I drugs (excluding Marijuana) within the last ten years.
  4. No unlawful consumption of any Texas Health and Safety Code Schedule II, III, IV, or V drugs within the last five years.
  5. If an applicant has injected, ingested, inhaled, or consumed a prescription drug listed in the Texas Health and Safety Code Schedules of Controlled Substances and the drug is given to the applicant by a person other than a licensed physician, the applicant will not be disqualified expect if:
    1. The applicant did not have a current prescription for the same drug, strength and dosage at the time of consumption.  A prescription is not current if the controlled substance drug was injected, ingested, inhaled, or consumed more than one year after the last prescription fill or refill or as otherwise directed by the prescribing physician, or
    2. The prescription drug was not used for medicinal purposes.
  6. The applicant will not be disqualified if for medicinal purposes, he used a non-narcotic drug which was not prescribed to him and the drug is not listed in the Texas Health and Safety Code Schedules of Controlled Substances.

4.07

Physical Standards:

  1. Each applicant must pass a physical ability assessment, as prescribed by the Fort Worth Fire Department and approved by the Fort Worth Civil Service Commission, demonstrating the applicant is physically capable of performing the essential job functions for the position of firefighter. (See Pages 15 & 16 )
  2. Each applicant must be examined by a licensed physician approved by the Commission and be declared in writing before the date of employment by the department both:
    1. to be physically sound and free from any defect which may adversely affect the performance of duties as defined by the essential job functions appropriate to the position of firefighter; and
    2. to show no trace of drug dependency or illegal drug use after a physical examination, blood test, or other medical test.

4.08

Other Standards:

  1. Cannot have intentionally or knowingly provided false information related to the selection process.
  2. Applicant must meet all the requirements for certification as specified by the Commission on Fire Protection Personnel Standards and Education.
  3. Applicant must meet all the requirements for certification as a Emergency Medical Technician, as specified by the Texas Department of Health.
  4. All applicants shall be administered a polygraph examination.

4.09

Definitions:

  1. Consumption means the injection, inhalation, ingestion, or application of a substance to or into a human body.
  2. Adult is defined as a person 17 years of age or older.
  3. Juvenile is defined as a person 10 years of age or older and under 17 years of age.
  4. DWI or DUID commission is based on a preponderance of the evidence that demonstrates the applicant’s driving capacity was sufficiently impaired by the induction of a substance into the body.
  5. Intentionally is defined as when a person acts intentionally, or with intent, with respect to the nature of his or her conduct or to a result of his or her conduct when it is his or her conscious objective or desire to engage in the conduct or cause the result.
  6. Knowingly is defined as an act committed when the applicant was aware of the probable outcome.
  7. Recklessly is defined as an act committed when the applicant was aware of their actions but consciously disregarded a substantial and justifiable risk that the result would occur.
  8. Deferred adjudication is defined as when a court of competent jurisdiction, after receiving a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, finds in the best interest of society and the defendant to defer further proceeding without entering an adjudication of guilt. Upon successful completion of conditions imposed by the court, the criminal charge is subsequently dismissed and there is no judgment of guilt entered in the matter.
  9. Unadjudicated means any offense admitted during a sentence hearing and taken into account by a court in another criminal matter pursuant to Section 12.45 of the Texas Penal Code, or an equivalent federal procedure or statute, or any offense which is not formally filed or prosecuted in a state or federal court by virtue of an agreement allowing the accused to participate in any diversionary program which has been recognized or created by either the court or the prosecutor’s office which provides for the non-filing or the Nolle Prosequi of a criminal case upon the condition that a person successfully complete any certain tasks or curriculum.
  10. Community Supervision is defined as the placement of a defendant by a court under continuum of programs and sanctions, with condition imposed by the court for a specific period of time where criminal proceedings are suspended, deferred, or sentenced is probated or suspended, whole or in part.
  11. Placed on Probation means has received an unadjudicated or deferred adjudication probation for a criminal offense.
  12. Conviction is defined as when a person has been adjudged guilty of or has had a judgment of guilty entered in a criminal case that has not been set aside on appeal, regardless of whether:
    1. the sentence is subsequently probated and the person is discharged from probation;
    2. the charging instrument is dismissed and the person is released from all penalties and disabilities resulting from the offense;
    3. the cause has been made the subject of an expunction order; or
    4. the person is pardoned, unless the pardon is expressly granted for subsequent proof of innocence.
  13. Commission of a crime means committing an act or failing to act which the person clearly knew or should have known the act or omission` was illegal.
  14. Hazardous Moving violations are traffic violations as defined by the Texas Transportation Code or Texas Vehicle Law which directly relates to the operation of a motor vehicle in an unsafe manner. The following are considered to be hazardous moving violations:
    • Speeding;
    • No Seatbelt/Operator;
    • Disobeying a Traffic Control Device;
    • Violation of Traffic Signal Device;
    • Failure Yield Right of Way;
    • Improper Turn;
    • Improper Passing;
    • No Turn Signal;
    • Failure to Obey Police Officer;
    • Wrong Side of Street;
    • One Way Street;
    • Exhibition of Acceleration;
    • Racing;
    • Leaving Scene of Accident;
    • Following Too Closely;
    • Backing Unsafely;
    • Unsafe Movement Right/Left;
    • Crossing Median;
    • Impeding Traffic;
    • Disregard Barricade;
    • Failure to Control Speed to Avoid Collision;
    • Passing School Bus; or
    • Violations Against Pedestrians.

Fort Worth Fire Department Physical Ability Assessment 

(approved 12/16/2008)

The physical ability assessment utilized by the Fort Worth Fire Department to assess a candidate’s ability to satisfactorily perform the physical essential job functions of a firefighter was developed in cooperation with the consulting firm of ARA Human Factors. The exam is based on a thorough job analysis of the physical tasks performed by firefighters in the City of Fort Worth.

The assessment shall consist of two separate events.  No candidate shall attempt to complete both components on the same day.

  1. 1.5 mile walk/run (1.5MRW).  The 1.5MRW is a timed event in which candidates run or walk (or a combination of the two) 1.5 miles around a defined track, as determined by the Fire department.  This assessment is intended to measure aerobic fitness. Passing time: 13 minutes, 57 seconds – Pass/Fail only.
  2. Physical Ability Test (PAT).  The PAT is a timed, continuous event test that simulates activities typically performed on the fireground. The assessment is designed to measure both aerobic and anaerobic fitness for firefighting. The assessment consists of the following six events performed in succession and substantially as described below (with each applicant wearing a 32 pound vest):
    1. Humat and Boot Bag Carry – a 34 pound humat valve attached to 100 feet of 4-inch hose and a 30 pound boot bag are picked up and carried 100 feet.
    2. Fan Carry – a 69 pound electric power blower is lifted and carried a distance of 100 feet.
    3. Ladder Extension – the fly section of a 35 foot, vertically fixed extension ladder is extended to its upper position.
    4. Hose Load Carry/Stair Climb – carrying a 44 pound high rise pack, the candidate ascends and descends a five story (41 vertical feet) drill tower.
    5. Hose Advance – an S-laid, charged 1 ¾ inch attack line is pulled forward a distance of 100 feet.
    6. Victim Rescue – a 175 pound rescue mannequin, in supine position, is lifted and dragged 75 feet by walking backwards.

Passing Score: 5 minutes, 30 seconds – Pass/Fail only

Fort Worth Fire Department Physical Ability Assessment

Fire Physical Diagram

End of Chapter 4


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