NBC2 spoke with the Fort Myers Fire Department Chief after a firefighter applicant died in the hospital after a routine training session on Tuesday.
"All applicants must wear long pants, closed-toe footwear and supplied PPE as although not required it is recommended applicants wear long sleeve shirts," the official Fort Myers Fire Department training video said.
Nathaniel Wilcox was undergoing the same physical assessment before he died at a hospital on Tuesday.
"Currently, I'm at American Medical Academy, earning my certificate to be an EMT. I gained a certificate on June 26 of this year. Becoming a firefighter has always been a dream of mine," Wilcox said in his FMPD applicant video.
That dream was just shy of reality. On Tuesday, Wilcox went through a routine fitness test while trying to achieve that dream.
"He went out to the test with full hustle and passion," FMPD Chief Tracy McMillion said.
That fitness evaluation starts with a ladder climb, which is outdoors in the sunlight.
"The City of Fort Myers Fire Department's Physical Assessment evaluation is designed to replicate functional body movements and activities performed by firefighters on the fire ground," the evaluation instruction video said.
Applicants go through a list of tasks that simulate what they'd do on duty—everything from pulling a hose and rescuing victims to climbing stairs and making forced entry.
Fire Chief Tracy McMillion says there is a time limit put in place for safety.
"The maximum time that they could actually go through, not with a ladder but go through the rest of the test was a ten minute. We have a ten-minute cutoff and we actually have that built in there. So we don't have the overexertion as well," McMillion said.
Applicants must have a doctor's signature that says they are healthy enough to complete the test.
Chief McMillion says throughout Wilcox was doing fine.
It wasn't until after the evaluation that the 22-year-old former college athlete showed something wasn't right.
"So once he actually indicated that there was a problem, we actually automatically went into care," McMillion said.
Crews brought Nathaniel to the hospital where he died.
The medical examiner is working to find out what caused his death.
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