Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to work as a volunteer or retained firefighter. Experience of this nature could increase your chances of gaining a full-time position.
Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available. Fire and rescue services only recruit when they need firefighters to replace those who are retiring or leaving the service, and competition can be fierce.
Each fire service recruits independently so contact services directly. The current economic climate and public sector cuts may affect the number of jobs available. In England, there are 46 fire and rescue services run by fire and rescue authorities FRA. Initial firefighter training takes an intensive 12 and 18 weeks to complete.
It's usually held at a specially-equipped training centre where you will be taught basic firefighting skills such as ladder safety, hose laying and how to use breathing apparatus. Training also involves learning about fire safety and the importance of getting the fire safety message across within the local community. You'll be required to undertake regular study, both in the training centre and out of hours, and your progress will be regularly assessed.
Once you've attained your first aid certificate and got to grips with the basic skills, you'll get to experience a simulated fire. On successful completion of the initial training, you'll join a fire station on probation and your performance will be continuously assessed. This development programme typically takes around two years and focuses on learning about the community and the risks surrounding your station, and showing competence in the areas covered at the training centre.
Visit individual fire and rescue service websites for details of their training programme. You'll be expected to undertake a CPD programme throughout your career, which includes attending lectures, exercises, practical training sessions and other forms of training to maintain your competence levels. You'll be responsible for developing your own skills and maintaining fitness.
A range of specialist courses are run by the Fire Service College , covering areas such as:. Promotion is earned on individual merit subject to demonstrating competence in each role and showing evidence of potential through attendance at assessment and development centres.
There's a well-structured career path, which gives real responsibility at an early stage. From the role of firefighter, career development typically runs as follows:. Beyond the level of station manager, it's often necessary to move between services to get promoted.
It's possible to specialise in a particular area of the fire and rescue service and there are opportunities to study for a foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate degree in areas such as:. Other possible opportunities include study for membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers IFE for those involved in fire safety and prevention work, or study for a general postgraduate management qualification.
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Add to favourites. Dealing with the public and remaining calm under extreme levels of pressure are just some of the many aspects of a successful firefighter As a firefighter, you'll respond to emergency situations and protect people, the environment and property from all types of accident and emergencies.
Types of firefighter wholetime firefighters - work for the fire service full time and usually cover urban areas. There are more risks of accidents and fires between 8 am and 8 pm. These shorter shifts can also minimize that risk that firefighter will develop fatigue while on-duty and compromise their work. Originally developed by the large departments in California, the California swing shift is a slightly different take on the hour schedule.
This means firefighters will be on duty for 24 hours at a time, every other day, for 5 days. Then the schedule repeats. I personally work at a department that uses the California swing shift and I love it. Firefighters are on duty for 48 hours then off for 4 days. One hour period is often followed by a block of 48 hours or 72 hours off.
Those on hour shifts get 4 days in a row. This can be great for firefighters that want to spend more time with their families or work on side projects. In addition to the unpaid sleep breaks mentioned above, there is also an FLSA ruling where firefighters can take an unpaid, uninterrupted meal break.
The frequency of these days can depend on the policy of the station or the type of schedule members are on. The strange name comes from the former mayor of Chicago, Edward J. Kelly, who implemented the idea for firefighters in the city in These Kelly Days play an important role in firefighter shift schedules because not only do they offer an extra break for firefighters, they also help with overtime regulations.
Federal law on firefighter employment states that firefighters can work for 53 hours a week before they are entitled to overtime pay. Overtime payments are an issue in the fire service because some departments struggle to budget for them. This is significantly more than the LA police or medical staff.
As a result, the LA department faced accusations of struggling to manage its budget or schedule staff effectively. Some crew members can be on call in case they are needed for an incident. Being available for active duty and working a shift are not the same thing. If they do help out with other duties while on call, they can receive compensation through overtime pay.
Now that you know this you may be asking how many hours do firefighter work on average with all this in mind? There really is no strict average as each department will be slightly different.
All of these points about the schedules, working hours, days off and pay conditions can vary between different departments. In the end, those in charge of the department need to create employment policies that are effective for all firefighters. This means providing the right amount of coverage and manning at the right times.
It's imperative that the Firefighters ensure their personal protective gear and equipment is in proper working order. Once the personal protective gear check is completed, the fire truck is checked and equipment is made ready for service.
Daily truck maintenance includes washing the truck, cleaning equipment, and if necessary, changing batteries on radios and heart monitors. Firefighters are also responsible for cleaning their station. The crew cleans, mops, and vacuums all living areas and bathrooms.
After all the routine checks and facility maintenance tasks are done, the Company Officer facilitates a crew meeting. The Company Officer provides the crew an agenda for the day's activities. The Firefighter's priority is to respond to fire and medical calls. All scheduled activities are altered depending on emergency incidents. Throughout the day, Firefighters will respond to many different calls for service.
Those calls may include structural fires, technical rescues, medical emergencies and hazardous material spills.
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