The Woodward News

Local News

October 18, 2009

Firefighter applicants tested

Dakota Lamberth of Sharon picked up the coiled fire truck hose.

Balancing the weight of the hose, he carefully walked the length of a beam.

“I was nervous about the beam,” Lamberth said after he finished the test. “If I had stepped off, I would have failed.”

Lamberth was one of eight applicants who participated in an agility test conducted by the Woodward Fire Department Saturday morning.

“It’s part of the hiring process,” Fire Capt. Kevin Dixon said of the agility test, noting the test is comprised of six different exercises designed to test physical endurance.

The eight applicants were required to not only walk the beam, but to do 25 push-ups and 35 sit-ups within certain time limits, run 1.5 miles in 13 minutes, and perform a flexibility exercise with a dumbbell as well as carry a 150-pound dummy a distance of 100 feet.

“Usually they also climb a ladder on our ladder truck,” Dixon said. “But the ladder truck is out of service this weekend.”

The agility tests are used as the initial entry system into the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement system, which is a prerequisite for employment, he said.

Dixon said the fire department was conducting the tests because there are openings for a public education officer and a firefighter, and the fire department wants to fill the positions.

Although only eight applicants went through the tests Saturday, a total of 21 applicants have signed up to compete for the open positions, he said. So the fire department will be hosting another agility test day on Oct. 31 for the remaining applicants, he said.

“The agility test is good for one year,” Dixon said. “It’s the first step to getting hired.”

A written exam comes next, then an interviewing process, he said.

Text Only
Local News
  • VFW to hold Memorial Day ceremony

    Memorial Day is a day for people to remember and honor those who have fought and fallen in all of our nation's wars.

    May 26, 2012

  • Voter registration deadline approaching

    Those wanting cast a ballot in the June 26 Primary Election need to be registered to vote by June 1.

    May 26, 2012

  • Alabaster Caverns sets science camp

    FREEDOM - Alabaster Caverns State Park and the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) are teaming up to provide a summer science camp.

    May 26, 2012

  • Giving kids a reason to smile

    SHARON - An area organization wants to give children affected by the April 15 tornado a reason to smile.
    Knowing how much many families lost during the tornado, the newly formed "Make a Child Smile" program seeks to help replace the children's beloved items that were stolen by the storm.

    May 25, 2012

  • Oklahoma House narrowly passes annual budget bill

    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House on Thursday narrowly approved a $6.8 billion general appropriations bill to fund state government, just hours after the same bill failed, avoiding the need to return for a special session.

    May 25, 2012

  • Farmer’s Market opening up Saturday

    The Woodward Farmer's Market Association will be back this summer.

    May 25, 2012

  • Officials expect busy weekend on highways


    OKLAHOMA CITY -  AAA Oklahoma expects over 500,000 state residents to be on the road for the Memorial Day holiday. That's a 2.2 percent increase from last year, said Chuck Mai, AAA public affairs vice president.
     

    May 24, 2012

  • Busy summer at library

    The Woodward Public Library will be staying busy in months to come with several summer reading programs.

    May 24, 2012

  • Quinlan event set

    QUINLAN - The annual Quinlan Alumni and Former Quinlan Students' covered dish supper is Saturday at the Quinlan Fellowship Hall.

    May 24, 2012

  • Big numbers expected at area lakes, state parks

    Memorial Day weekend is the annual kickoff of the summer season and area parks and recreation areas are expecting big numbers of visitors, including Fort Supply Lake.

    May 23, 2012