You will need a Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) certificate to become a firefighter in Illinois. You will have to get the CPAT well before you apply for the position of a firefighter. Since the CPAT certification has an expiration date, you should make sure you have a valid certificate when you apply for the job.
In order to take the CPAT and ladder test, applicants must make an appointment with one of the certified agencies. Locally, CPAT tests can be completed at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy. Check out the following link to get more information:
A complete listing of certified agencies that can provide CPAT testing can be found at https://www.iaff.org/cpat/#licensing.