Assessment access
Stage One and Hearing must already be passed
Candidates must have passed the Stage One FACT™ and the Stage Two Hearing Assessment before taking the Encapsulated Treadmill Test.
Stage Two Assessment
Encapsulated Treadmill Test (ETT)
Candidates must demonstrate the level of physical fitness required of entry-level firefighters through pre-appraisal screening and an aerobic fitness evaluation using the Encapsulated Treadmill Test (ETT) protocol.
A commitment to lifelong fitness is essential for recruit training and a career in firefighting. Candidates should already be maintaining a job-specific conditioning program before attempting this assessment.
Candidates must demonstrate the level of physical fitness required of entry-level firefighters. Physical fitness is an integral component of firefighting, and a commitment to a life-long fitness regime is essential to safely perform firefighter duties.
To prepare for the physical demands of recruit training and a career in firefighting, candidates should already be following a job-specific conditioning program that focuses on flexibility, cardiopulmonary endurance, muscular strength and power, muscular endurance, and healthy body composition.
The Encapsulated Treadmill Test (ETT) consists of:
Pre-Appraisal Screening
Aerobic Fitness Evaluation – Encapsulated Treadmill Protocol
In order to take this assessment, you must pass your Stage One – Firefighter Aptitude and Character Test™ and Stage Two – Hearing Assessment.
Stage Two at a glance
Key Encapsulated Treadmill Test (ETT) details before you book
This section summarizes the main operational requirements and preparation expectations candidates should understand before attending the Encapsulated Treadmill Test (ETT).
Fee
$110.00 plus HST
Preparation resources are available through the Pre-Assessment Guides.
Nutrition
Avoid heavy meals before testing
Do not eat large meals or consume large amounts of liquid within 2 to 3 hours of testing.
Restricted substances
No caffeine, energy drinks, or alcohol
Avoid coffee, caffeine, energy drinks, and alcohol for at least 12 hours before your evaluation because they can affect heart rate and blood pressure.
Exercise restriction
Avoid exercise beforehand
Avoid all exercise within 4 hours of the assessment and avoid intense exercise within 24 hours of testing.
PPE and fit
Mask seal and equipment fit matter
Candidates should be clean shaven where mask seal is required, should use the restroom before the assessment, and must advise the evaluator of any concerns related to PPE fit or other equipment before testing begins.
Pre-appraisal screening
What happens before the treadmill protocol begins
All candidates complete pre-appraisal screening before continuing with the Encapsulated Treadmill Test. This stage is used to identify candidates for whom physical activity may be unsafe on that specific test date.
Screening components
Medical review
A medical officer asks a series of questions and reviews the Informed Consent for Clinical Evaluation form, the OFAI Medical Questionnaire, and when required, the OFAI Medical Clearance Form.
Physician clearance
Candidates who answer “Yes” to any Medical Questionnaire item must consult with their physician and submit a completed Medical Clearance Form before being allowed to participate.
Blood pressure and heart rate
Candidates are given up to six readings for resting heart rate and blood pressure. If readings remain outside the expected range after six attempts, the candidate cannot continue on that date and must reschedule.
Not a fail if screening stops you
If you do not pass pre-appraisal screening, this is not considered a fail. It means it is not safe to proceed with physical testing on that specific day.
Doctor notes are not accepted
OFAI does not accept doctor’s notes in place of passing blood pressure and heart rate readings during the on-site pre-appraisal screening.
Pregnancy
Candidates who are pregnant should obtain medical clearance before registering and participating in the Encapsulated Treadmill Test and should contact the OFAI Administration office for more information.
Exercise testing reference
Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion (RPE) - Candidate Guidance
The Borg Scale of Perceived Exertion is a standardized way to rate how hard the work feels while you are exercising. It reflects your sense of breathing effort, local muscular fatigue, and overall strain. It is not the same as heart rate, but it should generally rise in parallel as workload increases.
During treadmill testing, the scale helps the clinical team understand how demanding the effort feels to you at each stage of the protocol.
During treadmill testing, the scale helps the clinical team understand how demanding the effort feels to you at each stage of the protocol.
6
No exertion
Complete rest.
7-8
Very light
Minimal effort. Easy to sustain and well below working intensity.
9-10
Light
Comfortable pace with only a slight increase in breathing.
11-12
Moderate
Noticeable effort, but still controlled. You are working, though not yet near your upper limit.
13-14
Hard
Clearly challenging. Breathing is heavier and the workload requires concentration to maintain.
15-16
Very hard
High physiological strain. This level is difficult to hold for long without fatigue accumulating quickly.
17-18
Very, very hard
Near-maximal effort. Breathing and local fatigue are both prominent, and continuation becomes difficult.
19
Extremely hard
Almost complete exhaustion. Only a small reserve remains.
20
Maximum effort
Absolute physical limit. No sustainable reserve remains.
Operational relevance for OFAI candidates
During firefighter assessment and training evolutions, candidates should expect to work in the higher RPE ranges.
A practical working zone is often around 13 to 16, where the task is hard to very hard but still mechanically controlled. Brief peak phases may rise into 17 to 19 during demanding efforts, particularly when personal protective equipment, heat load, and cumulative fatigue are present.
The key skill is not avoiding exertion. It is recognizing when workload is increasing faster than recovery can keep pace, and then adjusting pacing or communicating early if symptoms begin to move beyond expected effort.
A practical working zone is often around 13 to 16, where the task is hard to very hard but still mechanically controlled. Brief peak phases may rise into 17 to 19 during demanding efforts, particularly when personal protective equipment, heat load, and cumulative fatigue are present.
The key skill is not avoiding exertion. It is recognizing when workload is increasing faster than recovery can keep pace, and then adjusting pacing or communicating early if symptoms begin to move beyond expected effort.