A few points i believe need to be clarified:
CFS may be the only service using a BMI for BA operators, however we do not have to do fitness testing (level 9.6 on the shuttle run alone, not to mention the rest) to join or a medical that even compares to he MFS! It is interesting that stamina is also included in testing to a certain extent.
If paid staff dont pass that test, then the same rule applies for them as does everyone else.
For anyone interested in calculating it:
weight(kg) / height^2(cm) * 10000
How many BA operators (as part of an emergency service) in Australia have died period?
and did fitness have anything to do with it?
I dont know the answer, but i would tend to think it didnt......
Come on wake up and get with it, members need to have some fitness but how far shall we take it???
I agree there are 2 sides to every argument, we can offer the same comment for anything we do as a service. The thing that pops to mind straight away is OH&S. But, the more important side is how far do we let it go before we decide something needs to be done?
At a local level, any person willing to put time aside to asist the community (for the right reasons) is a welcome asset, and should be encouraged in every way.
But when talking about large, exended, long distance jobs where our service is on show, and we may not be working with a crew that knows everything we are capable of, I dont find it unreasonable to ask that all personel wanting to participate pass a fitness test (parks use
something like: 4.5Km on level ground carrying 11Kg in 45minutes. ~i think~ Feel free to correct me!!!!)
I dont believe a test to exclude is appropriate, mearly to set a benchmark. So, if its requested that i be part of an interstate team, that i can have confidence that the person sitting next to me is capable of doing the same thing i had to do. In all honesty i dont give a rats arse what they look like be it short, tall, built like a broomstick or a brick S...house as long as i can have the confidence they can do the job....
Anyways... thats my 2c for today....
Hope everyone have a good easter