AR SB149

The Arkansas Fire Protection Services Board shall adopt a nationally recognized Candidate Physical Ability Test for pre-employment testing of firefighting candidates, administered on a pass/fail basis without ranking by completion time.

The Arkansas Fire Training Academy administers the test, issues certification cards valid for 1 year, and maintains a database of all valid cardholders.

Certification cards are required for employment with municipal fire departments, county fire departments, fire protection districts, and state agency fire departments that employ more than 5 full-time fire protection employees.

Candidates must be within 1 year of their 18th birthday or not yet 35 years old to be eligible; testing is free for state residents and nonresidents pay a board-set fee.

The act takes effect January 1, 2017, to the extent funding is available.