The mercury drops to five degrees as dozens of enthusiastic entrants in helmets and gloves gather at the emergency services training centre in Hume.
Almost 60 people at the ACT Fire and Rescue's (ACTFR) "come and try" evening session are about to face a series of endurance challenges involving running, weightlifting and teamwork under pressure.
The informal event aims to recruit firefighters for the new Molonglo Emergency Services Station, expected to open in August-September, and address staff attrition and retirement.
Upon invitation, this reporter joined one of four groups confronting their first challenge - lifting a 20-kilogram hydraulic rescue tool and holding it steady at three heights marked on a pole - to be done only using one's arms.
The first volunteer, a man who appears to have aced the test, makes the combination tool look like a harmless home appliance.
I put my hand up next and firefighter Ashleigh Gold, a former teacher recruited after her second application attempt, steps up to assess me.
Shocked by the weight, I somehow carry the tool and waddle to the pole while using my legs for intermittent support (cheating).
Once I squat down and point the tool to the lowest marking on the pole, Ms Gold politely tells me to raise it to a height above my shoulder.
At this point, we both chuckle.
My arms have tragically betrayed me and I must yield my time before the taxpayer-funded machine slips from my fingers.
According to the training centre's station officer Rod Tarlinton, just putting on basic protective gear and a breathing apparatus adds 15 kilograms to a firefighter's body weight.
With 20-kilogram foam drums, equipment, heavy hoses and casualty rescues factored in, recruits can expect to carry up to 50 kilograms of additional weight during emergencies.
Additionally, aspiring applicants must hit at least a 9.6 on the beep test, higher than the pre-entry fitness benchmark for many defence roles.
Mr Tarlinton says evaluators are looking for candidates with a fire in their belly, who can push themselves to their limits to save a colleague or a civilian in a real fire.
"That's what you look for, people that have got a bit of a ticker on them, showing grit, that they really want it and they really push for it because that's what will happen in real life when you're firefighting," he says.
It is rare for ACTFR to accept first-time applicants.
Mr Tarlinton himself was recruited on his third attempt, at 34 years old, and came from the automotive trade industry.
"Back then we used to recruit once every four years ... I started in '97. I didn't get in until 2008," he says.
Now with two intakes a year, evaluators are actively looking for "ticker" and grit, candidates who will push themselves to their absolute limits, just as they would to save a colleague or a civilian in a real fire.
Anyone who meets the following requirements can apply for an ACTFR firefighter role:
Applicants will need to pass eight elements of the physical aptitude test:
Before applications close at midnight on August 2, the service expects about 400 applicants will be vying for a spot.
About 60 to 90 applicants will progress to the interview stage, before 40 are selected to join the ACTFR college in 2027.
Recruits will be paid while attending the firefighting college, and upon graduation, will receive a starting salary ranging from $90,000 to about $114,800.
