The Fire Service offers a career that is exciting, challenging and deeply rewarding. Indeed, it seems that the only drawback lies in its very popularity - the most sought after of all public service careers.
While firefighting undoubtedly holds a widespread appeal, there may be another factor prompting the flurry of applications made to Brigades throughout the UK; it’s accessibility. If you are over 18, are physically fit, have good eyesight without the use of glasses or contact lenses, are not colour-blind, and do not suffer from conditions such as asthma, epilepsy or chronic bronchitis, you are eligible to apply.
As the UK does not have a national Fire Service, but rather comprises 59 independently run brigades, there is no central body that deals with recruitment. Applicants must therefore contact the brigade that they are interested in joining, keep an eye out for vacancies in local newspapers, or look on the Fire Service’s website for a full list of brigades that are currently recruiting.
While brigades may recruit at different times, once the application process has begun it is the same throughout the country. Candidates will be asked to fill out an application form, which is then measured against a list of personal qualities and attributes that the Fire Service believes to be essential in a recruit. These characteristics include confidence, the ability to work with others, and a good situational awareness; all of which would be obvious assets in a firefighter.
Suitable applicants will then be required to sit both written and practical exams, and endure gruelling fitness tests. The fortunate applicants who are the selected to join the Brigade enter the service as trainee firefighters and are expected to complete three months of induction training before undergoing 18 months of continual assessment, finally qualifying after three years of employment. And it doesn’t end there; most brigades operate continuous in-service training programmes to ensure that their staff is kept up to date.
Firefighters can gain promotion relatively quickly by taking examinations, with the exceptionally able often attaining positions of authority within five years. Those who reach more senior positions are required to attend management training courses designed to help them handle their new responsibilities.
Rates of pay also increase steadily, with the basic Trainee’s salary of £19,918 per annum rising to over £35,000 for a Station Manager. Hourly overtime rates are competitive, and provide pay packets with a welcome boost.
Whilst the Fire Service offers the chance to earn a decent living, this is very rarely the sole attraction for those who join the profession. Indeed, the firefighters whom I spoke to named the sense of camaraderie that working as part of a team brings, the excitement and adrenalin of emergency response, and the satisfaction of helping others as the most enjoyable aspects of their job.
Topping all of these benefits, however, seems to be the scope and variety of the work involved. Firefighting is not a nine to five office job, and therein lies its appeal. In addition to tackling blazes, firefighters deal with road, rail and air disasters, and carry out valuable fire safety work in their local communities. Whilst a week in the corporate world can revolve around budget meetings and client appraisals, a firefighter’s week can potentially involve rescuing people from a house fire on a Monday, talking to university students on the importance of fire safety on a Tuesday, halting a potential arson attack on a Wednesday….in short, there is never a dull moment.
Keen to obtain more specific information about this exciting career, I quizzed one of London Fire Brigade’s senior firefighters, Norman Perry. In addition to his everyday duties as part of the third largest fire brigade in the world, Norman, 34, is a key figure in the Brigade’s LGBT network, which provides vital support for the Fire Service’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers.
“I decided to be a firefighter quite late in life, around five years ago. I was on holiday and started chatting with a group of firefighters, who gave me a different and more accurate picture of what the Brigade offers in terms of a career.
“My impression of firefighters up until then was inevitably somewhat unrealistic, with television programmes like London’s Burning and films such as Backdraft providing the only available insight into the lives of firefighters.
“Once I decided to join the Fire Service, I embarked upon the application process which was quite challenging. After passing the initial stage, I had to sit a series of psychometric tests, including maths, English and spatial awareness. I then had an interview to determine my suitability before finally completing a test to assess
my physical fitness.
“I’m happy to say that my career has progressed quite rapidly in the three and a half years I have been employed by the London Fire Brigade, and I was recently promoted to Crew Manager.
“Training is very much a priority in the Brigade and can range from training on new equipment or firefighting techniques, to schooling in Equality and Diversity. We are continually assessed in our positions and if we require training, it’s rarely seen as a personal failing, but as a learning curve that will help you and others.
“If anyone is considering becoming a firefighter, I would definitely advise they go for it! Get more information by attending an open day or going to the local station and speaking with the on-duty watch. Definitely go in with an open mind and an eagerness to learn, as the modern day Fire Brigade is different from most people’s expectations, and as society changes, so too does the Brigade, in order to meet society’s needs.
“Examples of this are the growing support networks for LGBT members of the Service. When I joined the Brigade, I was lucky that there were two areas of LGBT support available - the Brigade’s LGBT support group, and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Gay and Lesbian section.
“The Brigade support group, of which I am an executive committee member, is available for all Brigade staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. It meets regularly and is a place where LGBT people can share their experiences with each other and network with other groups. I am the FBU Gay and Lesbian representative for London and, as such, I am involved with other national representatives around the country in dealing with legislation, and assisting the Brigade with some of their equality issues.
“My role in the LGBT Support Group and FBU keeps me very busy - I can be attending meetings nationally, dealing with legislation, or meeting with senior managers to address local issues. I also try and contact our members as often as possible and build links with other groups such as the Gay Police Association so our networking groups can become stronger.
“We were recently named the most gay-friendly Fire Brigade in the country by Stonewall through their Equality Impact Assessment, which is something both the Brigade and LGBT support group are very proud of and hope to improve on in next year’s ratings.
“It’s estimated that we have several hundred LGBT members in the Brigade although, as in society, many members are not ‘out’ at work, so exact numbers are difficult to obtain.
“Despite the lack of definite figures, it has been widely acknowledged that LGBT people are very much under-represented within the Fire Service as a whole. I believe that this is down to many factors, namely a lack of role models, pervading stereotypes, inadequate advertising and marketing towards LGBT people, and bullying - a factor that is thankfully on the decline, as management and staff now operate a zero-tolerance policy.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
Cleveland Fire Brigade
www.clevelandfire.gov.uk
Fire Brigades Union
www.fbu.org.uk
Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service
www.glosfire.gov.uk
Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service
www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk
London Fire Brigade
www.london-fire.gov.uk
