Firefighter Medicals

Every firefighter in British Columbia must undergo a mandatory firefighter pre-employment medical in order to show they are fit and healthy enough to perform their duties safely.

Pre-employment medicals take about an hour and adhere strictly to the NFPA 1582 health and safety standards adopted by the National Fire Protection Association.

We also offer periodic medical exams to fire halls and fire chiefs looking to monitor and maintain the ongoing general health of their firefighters.

Periodic medicals are not mandatory, but should be because of the unique health risks associated with firefighting and to maintain a healthy and effective team.

We also offer a mobile periodic medical exam service where our team of doctors and nurses set up a temporary clinic and examine your staff on-site.

We review the general health of a firefighter applicant, look for pre-existing medical conditions and establish a medical baseline for ongoing monitoring

We also identify any problems that could affect an individual in relation to their work and safety

The physical includes the following:

  • A personal medical questionnaire
  • A full physical exam
  • An audiogram (hearing test)
  • Visual acuity testing
  • Colour vision testing
  • An ECG/EKG (Electrocardiograph)
  • Spirometry (A lung function test, where necessary)

The physician’s report specifies if a prospective firefighter meets the required standards and to what level

It is not a complete disclosure of the applicant’s medical history

The process is very similar to a pre-employment medical exam except it is ongoing and includes three levels of escalating service: FIRE FIT, FIRE FIT PRO  and  FIVE ALARM FIRE FIT

Each exam is a personalized health solution for employees with different needs

Here’s what you get with each of the plans: 

FIRE FIT

A personal medical questionnaire

An in-depth review of your family history and risk factors

A physical exam

An audiogram

Visual acuity testing

An ECG/EKG (Electrocardiograph)

Spirometry (A lung function test)

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Bend and Reach testing

Complete blood testing

FIT testing (colon cancer screening using stool sample)

*If you are a first-time firefighter participant under the age of 45 we recommend the FIRE FIT  periodic medical exam

FIRE FIT PRO

All the elements of FIRE FIT

PLUS a CT cardiac calcium score to assess heart disease risk

FIVE ALARM FIRE FIT

All elements of the FIRE FIT and FIRE FIT PRO plans

PLUS a colonoscopy (when age, sex and associated risk factors determine need)

*If you are over the age of 45 or have significant risk factors we recommend the FIVE ALARM FIRE FIT periodic medical exam

We do!

Contact our Richmond office, schedule an appointment and we’ll send a mobile medical clinic to your location where our team of doctors and staff will examine your firefighters on-site

NOTE: You need a minimum of 10 employees to qualify for this service