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Thousands Expected To Take First Chicago Fire Department Exam Since 2006

(CBS) -- 25,000 people who want to be Chicago firefighters or paramedics will file through McCormick Place Saturday and Sunday to take the exam to get into the training academy, reports WBBM's Mike Krauser.

It is the first entrance exam offered by the fire department since 2006 and before that it was 1995 when there was controversy over the exam being biased against minorities. The test has been changed since then and is now pass/fail.

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Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford says those who pass will get random numbers for callback.

"We have vacancies based on attrition," Langford said. "As people retire, we have openings and we have to fill them, so we have to keep the fire department at a certain strength and if we fall below that strength we have to hire members back on overtime so that is why we have a pool so we can always bring some people in and fill those vacancies as they occur."

He says the fire department hires between 200 and 300 people each year.

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