Surrey Fire and Rescue Service
On-Call Firefighter - Candidate Guidance
Introduction
The Fire and Rescue Service can offer you a satisfying, exciting and varied career, and the
aim of this guidance is to give you a better insight into what the work involves. The role of
the Fire Service has changed considerably in the last five years and the role within the
community has had to change to reflect the new demands made on the Service.
Today’s Firefighter is not an individual who is focused on the traditionally perceived role of
attending emergency incidents and the physical requirements to achieve that. The
Firefighter is now required to be even more adaptable than previously. Yes, the modern
Firefighter still fulfils the traditional role of dealing with fires in all types of premises and a
variety of special service calls, which include incidents such as entrapment of persons at
road traffic collisions, chemical emergencies, flooding and other natural disasters. However,
today’s Firefighter is also able to switch from this reactive role to a more preventative role,
which involves the education of our communities about the hazards presented by fire.
While you might start as a Firefighter, there are plenty of opportunities for career
development if you want it, and how quickly you progress will depend upon you.
Equal Opportunities
Our aim and commitment is to ensure no person whether an applicant for employment,
employee or member of the community receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of
age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and
maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.
All employees have the right to be treated with dignity and consideration at work. This
extends to the right to work in a safe and healthy environment free from harassment,
bullying, discrimination or intimidation either directly or indirectly by other employees.
The Service is committed to the implementation of this Policy and will actively pursue
practices designed to promote Equality and Fairness at Work and to eliminate discrimination,
bullying and harassment.
The overall responsibility for the Policy lies with the Chief Fire Officer / Fire and Rescue
Service, however, all staff are expected to comply with the policy and to act in accordance
with its objectives so as to remove any barriers to equality and fairness.
Any act of discrimination by employees or any failure to comply with the terms
of the Policy will result in disciplinary action.
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The Work Of The Fire Service
Key Objectives
The objectives of a modern fire and rescue service are to build a safer society by working in
partnership with others, and to reduce death, injury, damage to property and the environment
from fire and other emergencies.
Dealing With Emergencies
Technology obviously plays a major role in helping Firefighters to tackle emergencies as
efficiently and effectively as possible. For example, computers in control rooms store street
plans, details of high-risk buildings and the latest information on hazardous materials. This
ensures that as soon as an emergency call is received - whether a fire, chemical spillage or
road traffic collision – controllers can immediately assess what appliances are required to
attend.
On attending a fire, the Firefighters have to make a very quick assessment of the situation as materials used in homes and factories change, so does the way the fire is tackled. A
house fire may require two appliances whereas a commercial or factory fire may involve
several more appliances as well as requiring thousands of litres of water and foam, plus the
use of specialist equipment.
There is also the hazard of toxic fumes and heavy smoke, which can be generated from
modern materials - for example foam-filled furniture. This makes tackling a fire much more
difficult and Firefighters always go fully protected with equipment such as breathing
apparatus as well as personal radio sets to keep them in contact with colleagues at the
scene or back at HQ. Firefighters will also have a range of other equipment at their disposal
depending on the incident to which they have been called; cutting and lifting gear to deal with
traffic collisions; protective suits for use at chemical spills and thermal imaging cameras to
help locate victims in smoke filled rooms.
Fire Safety - A Key Area Of Work
Specialist training for officers involved in fire safety is provided at the National Fire Service
College in Gloucestershire and with individual Services. Based on the study of Fire
Engineering, there is also the opportunity to study other relevant academic qualifications,
such as the membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers. Training in fire safety is critical
to much of the day-to-day work of a Firefighter. Factories, offices, shops, hotels, boarding
houses and railway premises are all required to comply with certain fire precaution
measures, which include providing adequate means of escape. It is the job of the Fire and
Rescue Service to ensure that these requirements are being followed and effectively
maintained. We also provide specialist fire protection advice to local authorities responsible
for licensing buildings such as theatres, cinemas, clubs and sports grounds. Hospitals,
schools, nursing homes and many other institutions also need professional advice regarding
fire safety.
Another important area of work is promoting fire safety through education and publicity to the
general public. Close links between individual stations and their communities are vital in this,
and building these gives Firefighters the opportunity to take part in all sorts of events and
activities that you might not have imagined could count as “work”!
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When applying to become a Firefighter there are various duty systems available:
Wholetime Firefighter:
Shift Based - A Surrey Firefighter usually working shifts based on
two days, two nights and four days off.
Wholetime Firefighter:
Variable Crewing - your duty system will be based on an average
of 42 hours per week with 3 hours voluntary pre-arranged overtime.
On Call Firefighter:
Planned around your current job or other commitments. You
would be on call. You would need to live or work close (at
present four minutes) to the On-Call fire station, serving the local
community.
On Call Duty System
Introduction
Generally the role of an On-Call Firefighter is the same as that of a Wholetime Firefighter
with exception of salary and certain conditions of service.
We look to recruit committed, dedicated people who will be required to attend weekly training
periods of between 3-5 hours. You will have the opportunity to carry out additional duties
such as community fire safety, fire hydrant inspections, equipment maintenance and testing
and general station routines. These duties are in addition to responding to emergencies for
which you will receive a retaining fee, turnout fee and additional hourly rate payments. The
range of duties and opportunities to earn more are expanding.
On-Call Firefighters
The role of an On-Call Firefighter offers the chance to serve your local community. On-Call
Firefighters do a whole range of jobs and attend the same operational incidents as
Wholetime Firefighters varying from fires, floods, road traffic collisions and chemical spills.
On-Call Firefighters are a diverse group of men and women from various vocational
backgrounds. They are ready to go to an incident the moment an emergency call comes in.
They are committed, professional, highly trained competent people on the front line, saving
lives and making headlines.
How Do You Become An On-Call Firefighter?
You generally need to live or work within four minutes of the On-Call Fire Station at which
you wish to serve and should be able to respond to the alarm by foot or by vehicle at normal
road speeds. If your travel time is more than 4 minutes up to a maximum of 10 minutes we
would still be interested in hearing from you.
As we are unable to predict when you will be called out you need to be flexible.
Career Development
All members of the Fire and Rescue Service start their career gaining the essential front-line
experience and training needed for employment as a competent Firefighter. For those OnCall Firefighters seeking promotion, there are opportunities available to the roles of On-Call
Crew Commander and On-Call Watch Commander.
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Becoming A Firefighter
The National Firefighter Selection Tests will be used to select all new operational
Firefighters. This will include Shift, Day-Crewing, Variable Crewing and On-Call personnel.
Firefighters come from all walks of life; some are school leavers, some have degrees and
others are trained in other professions.
As a Firefighter there is much involvement with the public and other agencies such as the
police, ambulance service and local authorities.
The Fire Service has identified Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs) that are required for
today’s Firefighter.
Personal Qualities And Attributes (PQAs)
Commitment to Diversity and Integrity: Understands and respects diversity and
adopts a fair and ethical approach to others.
Openness To Change: Is open to change and actively seeks to support it.
Confidence and Resilience: Maintains a confident and resilient attitude even in
highly challenging situations.
Working With Others: Works effectively with others both within the Fire and Rescue
Service and in the community.
Commitment To Excellence: Adopts a conscientious and proactive approach to
work to achieve and maintain excellent standards.
Commitment To Development: Committed to and able to develop self and others.
Situational Awareness: Maintains an active aware of the environment to promote
safe and effective working.
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Application Form
Pre Application Checklists 1 and 2
These checklists are designed for candidates to complete prior to filling in the application
form. They will:
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help you to decide whether you have the potential to be a successful Firefighter
give you an idea of what it means to be a Firefighter
describe what Firefighters are expected to do
give you a chance to see whether the reality matches what you thought would be
involved in being a Firefighter
give you an idea of whether being a Firefighter is right for you.
Section 1 - Personal Details - Equal Opportunities Monitoring
The information on this form is for monitoring purposes only and will not be made available
to those assessing your application. The information supplied will be treated in the strictest
confidence and will not affect your job application in any way. Completion of this section of
the application form is voluntary, but the information will help us to ensure equality of
opportunity. This information forms no part of the recruitment process. It will be detached
from your application on receipt.
Section 2 - Assessment of Personal Qualities and Attributes
In this section, we ask you to tell us about your skills and experience in relation to various
Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQA’s) that are required as a Firefighter. You may draw
on any of your experiences to answer the questions - from home life, leisure activities, work
(paid or unpaid), voluntary work or education.
The information you provide to us on your application form is the only information we will use
in deciding whether or not you are to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.
Previous applications and/or prior knowledge of you are not taken into account, even if you
already work for the Fire and Rescue Service.
Therefore, it is important that you take your time and complete the application form as fully
and as accurately as possible. In doing so, you should not under-estimate the time you will
need to prepare and complete the form. Some applicants are unsuccessful because their
form is not returned by the closing date.
As part of an application package, the candidate will receive a great deal of information. You
must read all the information thoroughly. This information tells you what we are looking for
and should help you to sell yourself. Some applicants are unsuccessful at the application
stage because they have not read the information or followed the instructions.
The form must be completed by you. All the questions asked should be answered. Each
form will be scored and sifted and successful candidates will be invited to the Psychometric
stage of the recruitment process.
The application form plays a vital role in the short-listing process, so it is important that the
form is completed as fully and as accurately as possible. You should complete the
application form enclosed with the information pack and return it to the address on the form
by the closing date.
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Psychometric Assessments (Written Tests)
These tests consist of a series of multiple choice questions designed to assess your abilities
and aptitude for becoming a Firefighter.
The tests are likely to be carried out locally and will take approximately three hours. They are
split in to two categories:
National Firefighter Ability Tests
This consists of three timed tests:
Working With Numbers
Understanding Information
Situational Awareness And Problem Solving
National Firefighter Questionnaire
This has been designed to provide information on personal style and behaviour. The
information given will be considered alongside other parts of the selection process to
decide if you are suited to becoming a Firefighter.
You will be provided with assessment guidance notes and practice booklets at the mentoring
event, which you will be invited to attend if you meet the eligibility criteria to apply to us.
Interview (PQA Based)
The purpose of the interview is to assess your general aptitude for the role of a Firefighter.
Candidates will be unable to do any preparation, as the interviewer will ask questions about
life experiences with regard to the relevant Fire Service PQAs.
The interview is up to an hour long, including a ten-minute conversation, which is not part of
the overall assessment but designed to help the candidate to relax.
The candidate will be told when the assessment element begins. There are no right or
wrong answers; candidates need only answer in a considered way drawing from their own
experiences. This may include drawing on experience from home life, leisure activities, work
(paid or unpaid), voluntary work or education.
Your application form score and interview score will be combined to give you an overall
score.
If you are unsuccessful at interview you will be provided with feedback in order to help you
for the future should you decide to apply again.
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Occupational Health Medical Examination / Fitness Assessment
Medical Examination
You will be asked to attend your medical / fitness test on the day of your physical tests. This
will be confirmed to you in writing
There will be a full medical carried out by our Occupational Health Department. The purpose
of the medical is to assess the general level of health, including weight, blood pressure and
lung function, and to ensure that you are safe to undertake operational firefighting.
Candidates will also have a hearing test, eyesight test and a urine test.
A report may also be required from a hospital or GP if you have received treatment and if the
Occupational Health Department requires it, in order to be able to advise the Service of your
fitness for the role. If a report is needed, the applicant may need to pay for the report, this
will depend on individual GP's and specialist’s costs for supplying a report.
Your written consent is required to access these records and it is a condition that, for your
progression through the recruitment process, this consent is given as requested.
Fitness Assessment
For all entry into the service candidates must show an adequate level of fitness to be
competent to undertake full Firefighter duties. The fitness test used for entry into the service
is the Multi-Stage Shuttle Run (Bleep Test). The Bleep Test is a running test and further
detail is listed below:
you will be tested over a 20-meter track and must achieve level 8-7
the test can be maximal in nature - working as hard as you can
the test is conducted over 2 markers placed 20 meters apart
you will need to run between the 2 markers in time with the “bleeps” on the CD
each level get quicker so the time between the bleeps gets shorter but the distance
(20m) never changes
each level has between 7 and 11 shuttles
you should keep running until you can no longer make the line in time with the CD, at
this point the test ends.
your V02 max score is determined from the level and shuttle you stopped on
For entry into Surrey Fire and Rescue Service you must reach level 8-7. This equates to a
V02 max of 42ml / kg / min-1
Candidates must also perform a Dead-Lift of 50Kg and a Grip Test on a dynamometer,
achieving 35kg on their dominant hand and 33kg on their non-dominant hand.
For information on health, fitness and well-being in the UK Fire and Rescue Service please
visit http://www.firefitsteeringgroup.co.uk/selection.htm. Should you have any other queries
regarding your personal fitness please contact our Health and Safety Advisor on 01737
733645.
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Physical Assessments (Role Related Tests)
As part of the selection process, you will be required to undertake physical tests, which aim
to assess your level of fitness, strength and manual dexterity as well as your level of
confidence in simulated exercises. These tests are designed to reflect operational practice
and may change from time to time.
The physical assessments are based on the National Firefighters Selection Testing process
(NFST). However, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service have made a number of amendments to
some of the tests to reflect an improved and realistic assessment of performance.
Candidates will be asked to complete successful complete a full medical examination and
fitness assessment prior to undertaking any of these tests. This is to ensure that individual’s
are fit enough to undertake them.
There are currently seven tests that make up the National Firefighter Physical assessments:
Ladder Ascent / Dismount
Casualty Evacuation
Ladder Lift / Ladder Extension
Enclosed Space
Equipment Assembly
Equipment Carry
Equipment Presentation
All assessments will be undertaken in full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), unless
otherwise instructed. Full instructions will be given prior to the commencement of each
assessment.
Ladder Ascent / Dismount
The test is in two parts. To complete both tests successfully you will need to demonstrate
confidence in working at height by ascending and descending the ladder along with applying
the correct techniques at both stages. The first being on the ladder and the second on the
window ledge:
1. Wearing a harness and attached to a fall-arrest device at all times, you will be
required to climb the ladder to two-thirds of its height or on the direction of the
assessor.
2. You will then be required to take a leg lock, release your hands from the ladder,
outstretch your arms to the side, look down to identify a symbol, call out the symbol;
you will be expected to do this on both your left and right hand sides.
3. Regaining your hand-hold, you will then remove the leg lock and climb the top of the
ladder. Under instruction, dismount the ladder on to the sill, you will turn around and
face out on to the training ground. You will then mount the ladder and descend,
completing this task in a safe and controlled manner.
This is not a timed assessment.
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Casualty Evacuation
To complete the test successfully you will need to combine upper and lower body strength
and co-ordination to complete the test.
1. Wearing full PPE you will firmly take a secure hold of the dummy under the arms with
both arms.
2. Whilst adopting the correct manual handling technique which will be demonstrated by
an instructor, you will pick up the dummy, weighing 55 kg, and manoeuvre it around
30 metre route negotiating stairs both up and down to the finish line.
You will have to perform this assessment within a specified time.
Ladder Lift / Ladder Extension
To complete this two part test successfully you will need to combine upper and lower body
strength and co-ordination to lift the ladder to the required height and lower it safely under
control.
Part One
1. You will lift and drive a weighted bar to reach a height of 182 cm
2. Then you will lower the bar back to its resting position under control.
3. You will first practice the lift and lower with 5 kg on a cradle and then an extra 10 kg
will be added for the assessment.
Part Two
1. You will be required to extend a weight equivalent to two extensions of a 13.5 metre
ladder to the top under control.
2. You will then lower the weight to the ground under control using the hand over hand
method.
You will have to perform this assessment within a specified time.
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Enclosed Space
To complete the test successfully you will need to combine confidence, agility, stamina and
display the ability to communicate to a partner and negotiate the crawl/walk way in
1. Initially you will be required to negotiate a crawl/walk way wearing a face mask with a
BA set on your back with limited light. You will not be under air from the cylinder, but
you will be able to breathe normally.
2. You will make your way through the crawl/walk way, until you reach an assessor there is only one way along the route; forward, left, right, up and down and there are
no doors to open.
3. There is a drop-down section from the upper to the lower levels which you must
negotiate feet first.
4. When you reached the assessor, he/she will place an obscuration cover over your
face mask, turn you around and instruct you to retrace your steps. You will return
taking with you a weighted box and be accompanied with a partner, who will be a
Service Instructor.
5. You will be expected to communicate with your partner at all times.
6. You should complete the test without jeopardising your safety and wellbeing.
You may withdraw yourself from the test at any time or if the assessor thinks you are
suffering unduly, you will be withdrawn from the test.
You will have to perform this assessment within a specified time.
Equipment Assembly
To complete the test successfully you will need to assemble and then disassemble a
Portable pump. This is a test of manual dexterity:
1. You will be expected to follow pictorial instructions, constructing the portable pump in a
structured sequence.
2. Once the pump is assembled you will then be expected to disassemble the pump, placing
the equipment placing each item of equipment back in its original position.
You will have to perform this assessment within a specified time.
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Equipment Carry
To complete the test successfully you will need to combine aerobic fitness, endurance, upper
and lower body strength and co-ordination.
1. You will hold a hose reel at waist height and run it up out 25 metres and place the
hose reel on the ground.
2. Run/jog back to the start line and pick up the two coils of hose and carry them up and
down the course for 4 lengths of 25 metres, then place one down back in a marked
space.
3. Pick up one length of the coiled hose and carry at chest height down the 25 metre
course and place it on the ground. Then run/jog three lengths back to the start line.
4. Pick up and carry the straight hose and basket up and down the course 4 lengths and
place back in the marked space.
5. Then run/ jog up and down the course 4 lengths
6. Then pick up and carry the barbell up and down the course 4 lengths
You will be required to perform this test within a specified time.
Equipment Presentation
To complete the test successfully you will need to demonstrate that you have studied the four
Equipment Usage Document / Specification sheets that will be emailed to you approximately
two weeks prior to your assessment day. You will deliver a small presentation on one of
these four pieces of equipment. This test is designed to assess your ability to retain
information. An assessor may ask questions to clarify certain points during your
presentation.
You will be required to perform this test within a specified time.
References
You are asked to supply the names of two people who can be contacted for a character
reference. Preferably these people should have known you well for at least three years.
• Neither of the names supplied should be people who are related to you or reside with
you
• If you are currently in employment, the name of your present or most recent employer
must be one of your referees - Note: Your current employer will not be approached
without your consent
• If you are still in full / part-time education, you should give the name of your college /
university tutor to whom reference can be made
• If you have never been in employment, then the names of a referee who knows you in
some capacity may be substituted for that of your employer
It is important that these referees are willing to supply us with details regarding your
character. You should, therefore, contact them to verify this prior to submitting their names.
Note: Serving Police Officers cannot give you a reference.
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Driving Licence
The Service requires you to hold a full, current driving licence valid for use in the UK, as you
will be expected to drive Service vehicles. As a minimum it should be a manual category B
car licence. If your licence is endorsed, now or in the future, you must inform the Service,
giving full details to the nature of the offence, offence code (example CD10 driving without
due care and attention, DR10 drinking and driving) and also give details of the penalty and
details of the penalty (example - £150 fine and the number of penalty points and if you had to
attend court).
Drivers who have more than 7 current penalty points will be referred to the Driving Training
Manager for consideration.
Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 - Work Permit
The Service is required by law to ensure that any person it employs has the right or
permission to reside or work in the United Kingdom. Any person to be offered employment
will be required to produce relevant original documentation when requested.
Health and Safety
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service is committed as an organisation to the implementation and
maintenance of the highest standards of health, safety and welfare for all its employees and
also to other persons who may be affected by it activities.
To achieve this, the Service will operate a system of health and safety management
designed to be proactive which will integrate both health and safety into all aspects of its
work.
The Service is committed to the provision of information, support and training to enable all
employees to carry out their responsibilities with minimum of risk. To achieve this, the
Service will maintain its plant, equipment and workplaces to a high standard and conduct risk
assessments to produce safe systems of work.
The Service will strive to maintain a positive culture that encourages participation, cooperation and commitment of all employees to work together to promote health and safety.
Online Disclosure and Barring Service (ODBS)
You are required to complete forms prior to the day, as all applicants awaiting a place on a
training course are required to have ODBS clearance formerly Criminal Records Bureau
(CRB).
You should be aware that an enhanced ODBS check will reveal any previous cautions /
convictions, including any unspent convictions. Following the result of the ODBS check it
may be necessary to speak to you further.
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Declaration Of Criminal Offences
If you have a record of offence/s, this will not necessarily disqualify you as all applications
are considered strictly on their merits. However, you are required to declare any offence for
which the conviction is not yet ‘spent’ within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders
Act 1974 (Incorporating the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act [Exceptions] 1975 and the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 [Exceptions] [Amendment] Order 1986).
You must declare any convictions unspent and you are advised to declare any charge that is
pending; a subsequent conviction could lead to your dismissal from the Service.
Broadly, the Act provides for anyone who has ever been convicted of a criminal offence and
not sentenced to more than 2.5 years in prison to become a ‘Rehabilitated Person’ at the end
of the Rehabilitation period, provided there have been no further convictions. At the end of
this period, the conviction is considered ‘spent’ and thus to be treated as if it never
happened.
There is no requirement to disclose ‘spent’ convictions.
These sentences have fixed rehabilitation periods:
Sentence
Rehabilitation Period
People aged under
18 when convicted
People aged 18 or
over when convicted
3 ½ years
7 years
Prison sentences* of more than 6 months to 2 ½ years
5 years
10 years
Borstal (abolished in 1983)
7 years
7 years
Detention Centres (abolished in 1988)
3 years
3 years
Fines, compensation, community service, combination
and curfew orders
2 ½ years
5 years
Absolute discharge
6 months
6 months
Prison sentences* of 6 months or less
* Including suspended sentences, youth custody (abolished 1988) and detention in a young offender
institution.
You should be aware that the Rehabilitation of Offenders is likely to be amended in 2014 and
further information and guidance on the current and proposed Act can be found at
www.legislation.gov.uk
Note: Should the candidate knowingly provide any particulars given in the answers within
the application form that are found to be false within the knowledge of the candidate or
should there be any willful omission or suppression of any material fact, the candidate will, if
appointed, be liable to dismissal from the Fire and Rescue Service.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who do Firefighters work for?
A. There is no national Fire Service - Firefighters in the public sector work for a local or
County Fire and Rescue Service, which is part of Local Government. However, some
things like pay are agreed nationally.
Q. What do Firefighters actually do, apart from putting fires out?
A. The emphasis for Firefighters is on prevention, which means helping to educate the
community about the importance of fire safety. Firefighters also deal with many other
types of emergency; road, rail or air crashes, floods, chemical spills or rescuing people
trapped in lifts or other confined spaces. They also spend a lot of time training and
doing routine things, like checking and testing equipment. In fact, most Firefighters
probably only spend about 5% of their time dealing with fires.
Q. What qualifications do I need to become a Firefighter?
A. We do not ask for any academic qualifications, however there are several tests you will
have to pass. These are specific to the role of a Firefighter and test mental skills, such
as using numbers and understanding written information, and physical abilities, such as
fitness, strength, dexterity and stamina.
Q. How fit do I need to be to be a Firefighter?
A. Many people have an idea that Firefighters are super fit and strong people. This really is
not the case - we do look for a good level of fitness and strength but most people with a
little guidance and perseverance can achieve this.
Q. How old do I need to be to join the Fire Service?
A. Although you can apply at the age of 17 years and 6 months you have to be at least 18
years of age when your employment starts.
Q. Is there any upper limit on age for becoming a Firefighter?
A. There is no upper limit. What people need to bear in mind is that the older we get, the
harder it is to improve our strength and fitness to the level needed to pass the tests.
However we have certainly had candidates in their 40’s who have successfully come
through the selection process.
Q. How long does the recruitment process take?
A. This will vary on when you apply but most candidates should be appointed within six
months. For further information please contact the HR team on 01737 224056.
Q. I have minor convictions such as points on my licence - can I still become a
Firefighter?
A. As we ask for a current valid driving licence for UK use (manual class B category) you
will need to disclose any driving convictions. If you have more than 7 penalty points your
application will be referred to our Driving Training Manager. Some other ‘unspent’
convictions might not be a problem, however Firefighters do need to have a high level of
self-discipline and be people in whom the public can have complete confidence. Each
case will be considered on its own merits.
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Q. Will I be expected to drive Service vehicles?
A. Yes - these will include fire appliances (engines), 4x4’s and specialist vehicles.
Q. What’s the training like?
A. The initial training involved to become an On Call Firefighter is carried out over 4
weekends, this is split up as follows:
5 days core skills training (long weekend)
8 Days Breathing Apparatus training (2 long weekends)
5 Days Road Traffic Collision Training (long weekend)
You’ll then start your “on the job” training at Station, learning about the community and
the risks surrounding your Station, and showing competence in those areas learnt at the
Training Centre. This stage usually takes up to 2 years, during which you will be
working towards an NVQ qualification. When you successfully complete it, you will be
‘signed off’ as a competent Firefighter. Training also continues throughout your career
as a Firefighter.
Q. Can I work in a specialist unit such as Fire Investigation within the Fire Service?
A. There are lots of specialist positions in the Fire Service that may be open to you once
you are competent. You may be able to apply for specialist posts when you’re applying
for promotion.
Q. Is there a “graduate entry” scheme?
A. Currently we do not operate a “fast track” or “graduate entry” scheme for Firefighters. In
a few Services, some operational management vacancies are now open to external
candidates who then undertake a period of development in operational skills. However
99% of operational managers (from Crew Commander to Chief Fire Officer) started as a
Firefighter.
Q. I have long hair - will I need to have it cut if I were selected as an On-Call
Firefighter?
A. It is not compulsory but to comply with health and safety requirements, long hair has to
be worn above the collar and off the ears and held in place by secure means eg hair
band. It is very important that the wearing of a helmet and breathing apparatus is not
impeded in any way.
Q. Are beards, goatees or moustaches allowed?
A. Only where they will not impede the wearing of breathing apparatus in any way.
Q. I have a body piercing - will I be able to wear it whilst on duty?
A. You will not be allowed to wear facial piercings whilst on duty. Other forms of jewellery
should generally be removed or covered with tape eg wedding ring, before commencing
duty due to health and safety restrictions.
Q. I have tattoos - will I be able to apply?
A. Tattoos are only acceptable if they not perceived to be of an offensive nature. You may
be requested to cover your tattoo in a public setting where there is likelihood that it might
cause offence or project an unprofessional image.
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Q. Can I wear make-up?
A. Operational personnel are not permitted to wear cosmetic make-up whilst on duty due to
health and safety reasons.
Q. Is there a minimum height restriction?
A. No. There are no minimum or maximum height restrictions.
Q. Do men and women wear the same design Firefighter uniform?
A. All uniforms are made to the same design although necessary considerations are taken
in account for the differences between the male and female form. All personal protective
equipment, which includes tunics and trousers are tailor made.
Q. Are the recruitment standards different for men and women?
A. No. The same assessments are carried out for both.
Q. My faith requires me to allocate certain times a day for prayer - will this be
accommodated?
A. Due to the nature of the job there may be times when this is not possible, however,
every effort will be made to provide appropriate facilities for employees.
Q. Do I have to have 20/20 vision?
A. No - however if you have concerns over your eyesight or you wear glasses you may
wish to consider contacting our Occupational Health team on 01737 224085 to discuss
the eyesight standards. If you are colour blind you should also contact Occupational
Health.
Q. I suffer from dyslexia - will this make me ineligible to be a Firefighter?
A. No - reasonable adjustments will be made, however, you will be asked to provide official
documentary evidence; evidence in the form of a diagnostic assessment report post 16
years from a psychologist or specialist dyslexia teacher with a Practicing Certificate
which states any recommendation of reasonable adjustments that should be made to
enable you to fully participate in the assessments.
Q. If I am unsuccessful at any stage when can I reapply?
A. You are able to reapply after three months and you will commence from the stage that
you were unsuccessful at. However you should be aware that each stage has a validity
period attached to it:
•
•
•
application / psychometric = 1 year
interview / medical = six months
fitness / physicals = three months
For further information please contact the HR team on 01737 224056.
Q. How many On-Call Firefighters do you recruit each year?
A. This will depend on the number of operational vacancies occurring due to retirement,
inter-service transfers or resignations.
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Q. If I’m selected can I choose which Fire Station I want to be posted to?
A. No. Due to the nature of the On-Call system, you will have to live or work within four
minutes of the On-Call Station you have applied to.
Q. When will my permanent appointment be confirmed?
A. Once the 10 month probationary service has been satisfactorily completed.
Q. I want to give cover when I’m at work - do I need my employer’s consent?
A. Yes you must have permission from your employer before making a commitment to the
Service. If you will be responding outside of normal working hours then your employer
needs to be aware that you, on occasions, may be delayed due to operational
commitments and, therefore, be late to work. They also need to be aware that you may
be required to attend short training courses, some of which may be during week days as
well as evenings.
Q. Can I socialise while I am on-call?
A. Yes you can, as long as you stay within four minutes safe traveling time of the fire
station and do not consume any alcohol.
Q. What if I’m caring for dependants?
A. If you are caring for dependants when you are on-call, you must ensure that you have
alternative arrangements in place for their care in case you need to attend an
emergency.
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