Columbia, SC (WLTX) - The Columbia Fire Department is hiring, but the road to getting the job isn't easy.
"Tough Course," said Assistant Chief Jamie Helms of the training system for recruits.
Many start, but only a select few can finish.
"They all took a written test just to get to this point and what we are trying today is to see if they have the physical ability to be Columbia Fire Firefighters," said Helms.
Helm says these candidates are in the physical agility stage of training and News19's Steven Dial joined them to see how well this training prepares them.
"Involves carrying a hose up four flights of stairs, pulling a roll of hose all the way up to the Kizer sled, and eventually they end with about a 185 pound dummy at the very end you have to drag it about 150 feet."
Even with some motivation, when Steven got to the 185 pound dummy I hit my breaking point.
"Sometimes speed is not always the best, you have to pace yourself so you can have the strength you need to get to the mannequin. The mannequin will really put it on you if you if you burn everything on the course so you really want to conserve some energy."
The road to being a Columbia firefighter isn't just about physical ability; it's also about making decisions in a short period of time.
"Firefighting itself is like running a marathon and playing a chess game at the same time. You have to think critically while you are stressed," said Anthony Holloway with the Columbia Fire Department.
After recruits finish this part of the test they have 16 more weeks of training.