The medical assessment will include measurement or assessment of:

• Height
• Weight
• Blood Pressure
• Spirometry (lung function assessment)
• Audiometry (hearing assessment)
• Urinalysis
• Analysis of any skin conditions
• Review of your medical history

Your health information is confidential. This will not be passed on to anyone other than the Health and Wellbeing staff without your consent. They will identify and discuss with you any medical conditions that may affect your ability to undertake the role of a Firefighter.   In some cases, we may need to seek further information from your GP.

In advance of your attendance at medical, you will require to attend your optician to have an eyesight examination report completed by them to allow Health and Wellbeing to determine that your eyesight meets the requirements.

Eyesight Requirements

The eyesight requirements for the role of a Firefighter are:

• Uncorrected visual acuity should be at least 6/18 or better in the best eye and 6/24 or better in the worst eye
• Corrected acuity should be a minimum of 6/7.5 in the best eye, with the worse eye at least 6/12
• The ability to read N6 at 30cm (under 25 years) or N12 at 30cm (25 years and over) unaided binocularly
• Normal visual fields to confrontation in both eyes
• Minor colour vision defects may be acceptable subject to the results of specialist testing. Applicants failing the Ishihara screening test will be informed by the optician. The result and further steps will be discussed at the medical to determine type and severity of the colour vision defect. Further specialist testing may be required
• Candidates who have had surgical correction (e.g. laser correction) can be admitted after a period of 12 months providing they meet the above standards and have no evidence of other complications that would impair safe or effective working
• Other eye disorders will be assessed on a case-by-case basis

If you have any doubts that you can meet the eyesight requirements above, we strongly recommend that you seek advice from an optician on whether you meet the standards above BEFORE applying to become a Firefighter. Please note, if there are any costs involved with the independent completion of the required eyesight reports this will not be compensated by SFRS.