Standards lowered for new firemen to fill 100 new jobs

The county Fire Department is losing firefighters almost as fast as it can hire them, leading officials to lower standards for new recruits.

The county Personnel Office has started giving passing grades to new hires who correctly answer 60 percent of questions on a written test - the equivalent of a low D in a county grade school. The previous standard was 70 percent.

Over objections from the union that represents the county's firefighters, the department also has cut an intensive physical conditioning course from 12 weeks to a couple of hours.

The changes were made as the department tries to fill more than 100 new...