Firefighter recruitment....help please
Discussion
So at the age of 31 a fire service close to me is finally recruiting. This is something I've wanted to do since being a boy despite the drop in wage an unsociable hours a career as a firefighter would be a dream.
Any firefighters of PH care to offer some advice? There's a whole host of tests a Situational judgement test, behavioural test and many others. Are they looking for younger guys at 31 I'm not exactly old but nor am I a spring chicken now.
An insight into the job would also be appreciated what's the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance Stu
Any firefighters of PH care to offer some advice? There's a whole host of tests a Situational judgement test, behavioural test and many others. Are they looking for younger guys at 31 I'm not exactly old but nor am I a spring chicken now.
An insight into the job would also be appreciated what's the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance Stu
sidekickdmr said:
One my my mates just started doing it, really wanted to do it for years but only got in about 6 months ago, he was 29/30 and had no issues, apart from the fact that he seems to enjoy it, I cant be much help im afraid.
That's quite reassuring actually thanks mate. Edited by Stu-nph26 on Tuesday 10th January 22:08
Mark300zx said:
I would visit a local fire station and ask about it, this will help a lot, visit their training centre and ask around. What have you done to replicate similar community work that the fire brigade do, what have you done to confirm your acceptance of the varied and wonderful local community, do you have any ethnic heritage?
Great advice thanks. In all honestly not much, I did apply and was sucsesful for a volunteer firefighter role but due to being made reduntant I couldn't go ahead. My current job is about 60 hours a week not including the commute so I simply don't have time. I know that isn't going to be a good enough answer mind. No I have no ethnic heritage, I take it that will put me at a disadvantage?!
Mark300zx said:
There are a people who turned joining the fire brigade into a career in it's own right, they travel the country for whatever Brigade is recruiting and have done all the private courses, what have you done to make yourself more desirable by a Brigade?
Not alot which is what I want to address. This oppurtunity may have come to soon but I can make myself a better candidate come the next oppurtunity. [quote=Mark300zx]Apply for the volunteer role, look at all of the job descriptions and think what you have done in your life to meet those, practice the tests, look at the courses, wouldntfitness, visit stations, look at retained FFs. [/quowouldn't
I wouldn't be able to honuor the commitment of the volunteer role in my current role as I do far too many hours. I've looked at the job role etc and the fitness tests which seem comfortable. I'll have a look for the practice tests I didnt think these were available.
Are you saying it pretty much impossible to get hired without being a volunteer or retained firefighter?
I wouldn't be able to honuor the commitment of the volunteer role in my current role as I do far too many hours. I've looked at the job role etc and the fitness tests which seem comfortable. I'll have a look for the practice tests I didnt think these were available.
Are you saying it pretty much impossible to get hired without being a volunteer or retained firefighter?
Mark300zx said:
TBH you can be lucky, but they have applicants coming out of their ears, would they rather employ someone who has volunteered for similar work and displays a proactive interest in doing the work or someone who has a career and says they haven't got enough time, what Brigade is it?
Yea I get that its Durham and Darlington dave_s13 said:
It's really hard to get in from what I remember some 15 years ago.
It was a lottery to just be allowed the chance to apply! They opened up interest in applications and then drew randomly from that. There was no initial application sift or anything like that, they must get enough to be sure of getting decent candidates.
The guys that run/own and train in the gym I go to are firefighters, I know one of them is 40 and the other must be mid-30s. The older fella is professional athlete level fit, so you can still do it at pretty much any age.
Good luck anyway, I bet it's a great thing to be a part of despite having it's gruesome side.
Yea this echo's what I've heard, to be honest, I live in the North East so I'm hoping it isn't quite as oversubscribed It was a lottery to just be allowed the chance to apply! They opened up interest in applications and then drew randomly from that. There was no initial application sift or anything like that, they must get enough to be sure of getting decent candidates.
The guys that run/own and train in the gym I go to are firefighters, I know one of them is 40 and the other must be mid-30s. The older fella is professional athlete level fit, so you can still do it at pretty much any age.
Good luck anyway, I bet it's a great thing to be a part of despite having it's gruesome side.
croggers said:
If you applied for the Durham and Darlo one that closed on Monday, just over 4000 applied and I've heard there is 10 jobs going. Always slim odds for the Fire Service unfortunately.
Yea I know I heard the same thing I have to complete the behavioural assessment this week so through stage 1. croggers said:
Yep, done mine yesterday. I think the second online test is out tomorrow from memory. If you haven't already, take a look at the physical tests. There is videos on youtube. Get your fitness up, if it's not. Quick turnaround for the tests if you get through 1st stage. Physical is first or second week of Feb.
How was it, did you pass? croggers said:
I've had the same. Next test sent out after 5 today I believe. The fitness has a lot of timed sections as well, which isn't mentioned in the info pack. The equipment carry section is to be completed within 5 minutes 8 seconds last I'd seen. That's always been the killer bit for me. The rest is pretty straight forward.
Congrats 1 step closer, so what do you have to do in 5 minutes 8 seconds exactly? croggers said:
The equipment carry is a shuttle run, set out over 25 metre shuttles. Total 550 metres. You start with running out a hosereel for 1 shuttle, then 3 shuttles running, then it's a mix of carrying rolled hose, running, carrying hard suction and strainer, running, carrying 30kg weight bar and finish with running.
That's all from memory and I can't remember the exact order, etc. This is all done in full fire kit, so boots, over trousers, tunic, gloves and helmet. When carrying equipment, you are not allowed to run, a fast walk can be done.
The rest of the physical is simple in comparison. Ladder climb is climbing a ladder, doing leg lock and leaning back with no hands, cal out a symbol held by instructor on ground. Casualty drag is dragging a 55kg dummy for 90 metres (walking backwards). Equipment assembly is assembling a piece of equipment as you are shown and how diagrams are, then dis-assembling it. Ladder lift is simulating extending a ladder, lift a bar weighing 25kg above shoulder height (some services have a actual ladder to extend, instead of the bar). BA crawl is going through a rat run with a un-obscured mask, overcoming obstacles. At a certain point, the mask is obscured and you make your way back to the beginning. Some of these tests are timed, some aren't.
All tests are done on the day. They do a rotation, so as soon as you are done with one, you move to the next. Some services also do a bleep test on the same day. Some set the target at 8.4, others 9.6.
Sounds harder than I though. Thanks for this mate. That's all from memory and I can't remember the exact order, etc. This is all done in full fire kit, so boots, over trousers, tunic, gloves and helmet. When carrying equipment, you are not allowed to run, a fast walk can be done.
The rest of the physical is simple in comparison. Ladder climb is climbing a ladder, doing leg lock and leaning back with no hands, cal out a symbol held by instructor on ground. Casualty drag is dragging a 55kg dummy for 90 metres (walking backwards). Equipment assembly is assembling a piece of equipment as you are shown and how diagrams are, then dis-assembling it. Ladder lift is simulating extending a ladder, lift a bar weighing 25kg above shoulder height (some services have a actual ladder to extend, instead of the bar). BA crawl is going through a rat run with a un-obscured mask, overcoming obstacles. At a certain point, the mask is obscured and you make your way back to the beginning. Some of these tests are timed, some aren't.
All tests are done on the day. They do a rotation, so as soon as you are done with one, you move to the next. Some services also do a bleep test on the same day. Some set the target at 8.4, others 9.6.
croggers said:
It's certainly no walk in the park. I always hope to get the equipment carry first, so I'm at my freshest for it. Whilst not as taxing, the others add up and make it a killer if it's the last test you do. Passed the situational test. Waiting for ability test that comes out tomorrow now.
Same I wonder how many are left at this stageGassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff