Kokua Line
Kokua Line
No guarantees after
passing HFD hire testQuestion: I am inquiring about the Honolulu Fire Department hiring process. I took the department's test in April 2002 and received the results as a passing score of 85 percent in July 2002. I understand that the written test is just one of four parts you need to complete before being hired. Will everyone who passed the written test be called to take the physical part or is it given to only the top percentages of the written test applicants? I heard that in the past, only a select few (top 100) are able to take the physical part. If true, then why does the city consider my score passing?
Answer: Passing the written test is just the first hurdle an applicant has to clear, but passing it does not mean someone will automatically move onto the second hurdle.
That's the word from the city Department of Human Resources, which administers both the written test and the performance test, the latter known as the Candidate Physical Abilities Test.
If an applicant passes both tests, his or her name will be referred to the Honolulu Fire Department, which has its own selection process, including interviews.
Tests are administered every two to three years, based on the needs of the Fire Department, a spokeswoman for the Department of Human Resources said.
Last year, for example, 1,427 people passed the written exam by scoring 83 percent or higher. A total of 3,401 applicants took the exam.
When HFD notifies the Human Resources Department that there is a recruit class coming up, it schedules "candidates" who passed the written test to take the performance test.
The candidates are scheduled in groups according to their scores, with the higher scores given first preference.
Based on the number of vacancies anticipated for the next recruit class, 219 candidates were invited to take the performance test. They were the ones who scored 94 percent or higher.
From there, only the names of the candidates who passed the performance test were then forwarded to HFD.
The list of candidates is good for about three years.
However, "for the life of the list," only 150 to 200 firefighter vacancies are anticipated, the spokeswoman said.
Auwe
About 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, I was walking makai on Bishop Street, between Hotel and South King streets, crossing King at Fort Street Mall. I went onto the walkway, passing some customers at tables along Starbucks and then walking by Territorial Savings and Loan.I heard someone come rushing up behind me. When I turned the corner, a pervert touched my bottom, then rushed back toward Bishop and King.
I felt contaminated. I think that Asian male was wearing Bermuda shorts, a red T-shirt, and sandals or slippers. His straight hair was cut long and he might have been wearing glasses. I don't know what other women could do to avoid my experience, but I'll probably be looking over my shoulders a lot. -- Disgusted
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