ANGOLA – The Angola Board of Public Works and Safety approved the lowering of the age of new hires for the Angola Fire Department.

At the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting at City Hall on Monday, June 5, Angola Fire Chief Doug Call requested the approval for the minimum age for part-time and full-time firefighter new hires be lowered from 21 to 18.

After Angola Mayor Richard Hickman asked if the request was as a result of the state has changing the law Call said, “within our application process (the application states) 21 years of age, but there is no reason we have to restrict it to 21… For me I am looking for the best candidates. I do not care if they 18, 19, 21, 35… there is no reason we should not open up our process to get the best candidate.”

The board approved the lowering of the age to 18.

Call also requested during the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting the board’s approval to remove the CPAT Certification from full-time firefighter hiring process and return to the in-house Physical Ability Test.

Call said the request was due to the Angola Fire Department’s ability to perform CPAT testing in-house more frequently and effectively.

The request was approved by the board.