The Chicago Sun-Times recently published an article highlighting how the rising overtime costs within the Chicago Fire Department have prompted the city to conduct its first firefighter entrance exam in eight years in 2014. However, the process is not what some longtime advocates, like Alderman Nick Sposato, had hoped for.
Sposato, a former firefighter and now a member of the City Council representing the 36th Ward, believes that physical ability should be the primary factor in hiring new firefighters. He argues that candidates should be ranked based on their performance in the physical test, as long as they pass the written exam. This method was used in 1978 and 1985—when he took the test himself—and no legal challenges arose from those exams.
But this year’s exam will follow a different approach. The written portion will still be pass-fail, but once candidates pass, they will be assigned random numbers and called in order of availability, rather than based on their physical performance. This has raised concerns among those who feel the process lacks fairness and doesn’t reflect the physical demands of the job.
The need for more firefighters is urgent, as the department’s overtime costs have surged dramatically. From $13.5 million in 2011, it jumped to $20 million this year and is expected to hit $35.3 million by 2014. While the exact number of open positions remains unclear, the city is under pressure to address the issue before it spirals further out of control.
According to the current plan, applicants will first go through background checks, drug tests, and then the physical abilities test—all of which are pass-fail. Only those who clear all three will be considered for the next class of trainees. But Sposato is not satisfied with this system.
He insists that firefighters should be hired based on merit and preparation, not chance. “Firefighting is a physical job,†he said. “In 1978 and 1985, guys who wanted the job trained and worked hard were called first. Those who didn’t train or work out were called later.†He proposed that candidates be given time to prepare—three months, six months, or even a year—and then be ranked based on their physical performance.
Sposato recalls his own experience in 1985, when he went into the test unprepared and ended up being called eight years later. “I deserved that because I didn’t train,†he admitted. “My friends, who worked out and trained for months, got called first.â€
Some speculate that the city’s hesitation to prioritize physical performance may be linked to a costly legal settlement from earlier this year. In September, the city approved a $2 million payment, plus $1.7 million in legal fees, to compensate dozens of women who were denied firefighter positions due to a discriminatory physical test. That test has since been abandoned.
With the stakes high and the pressure mounting, the debate over how to fairly and effectively hire new firefighters continues to heat up.
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