Different Programmes For Regular Fitness Level Test

All disciplined institutions in the country – the Repub­lic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), the Fiji Police Force and the Fiji Corrections Service (FCS) – have their own regular fitness level (RFL) test.

The institutions explained their training procedures after concerns by the family of the late Abele Matai of the National Fire Author­ity (NFA) in Labasa, who claimed that he had collapsed during the RFL training.

One of the exercises is a 2.4 kilo­metre run which is to be completed in 12 minutes.

Another firefighter died in Suva but it was not clear whether it was linked to the RFL test.

The Fiji Sun visited the man’s family yesterday, but they refused to comment.

The NFA declined to comment.

Fiji Police Force media liaison of­ficer Ana Naisoro said the RFL pro­gramme was in accordance with age groups. For the RFL, she said all officers had to run or walk a dis­tance of 2.4 kilometres.

For young officers between the ages of 19 to 35, she said they were required to complete the distance in 12 minutes.

For those from ages 40 to 45 years, they were required to complete the distance in 16 minutes and for those above that age group, she said they was no time given, but they had to walk the distance.

She said age was also taken into account when they performed exer­cises. In the chin-up, young officers had their own number to do, but for the older officers they were only re­quired to do one chin-up.

FCS spokesperson Jone Kalouni­viti said the RFL was similar to all other security forces.

He said for the RFL at the Fiji Cor­rections Service, officers were told beforehand about the fitness test.

According to Mr Kalouniviti, all Corrections officers are to be fit all the time and should not be sur­prised when told about the RFL.

“The young officers run and for the senior officers, they just walk the distance,” he said.

When doing their exercises, he said the same rule applied.

He said for officers above the age of 40, they had to get the doctor’s clearance.

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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