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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Service Training OR Recruitment => Topic started by: sean87 on August 19, 2007, 04:39:18 PM

Title: Becoming a firefighter
Post by: sean87 on August 19, 2007, 04:39:18 PM
How long does it take to become a  trainee firefighter -on average?
Thanks for reply
Title: Becoming a firefighter
Post by: Andy Cole on August 19, 2007, 10:59:16 PM
What are you trying to do Wholetime? Retained?, what have you already done? One of the hardest part's is getting through the Application form stage in the first place I think!
Title: Becoming a firefighter
Post by: sierra2 on January 02, 2008, 10:39:21 PM
I am currently on the long road to retained in gloucestershire It can take up to a year! to give you an idea of time scales: I attended a recruitment event in August 07, returned 'stage one' application by september, an information evening about the 'stage two' application form in oct, returned that in nov. had me intelligence/psychometric tests in early december, passed and have my physical and medical on 21 jan. after that its an interview. with commenment of employment in march, however, i won't be 'on the run' until i have done 4 weeks residential training over 2 months, ending in august 08, so from attending a recruitment event to being a trained and active firefighter takes about a year! still i'm halfway there eh!
Title: Becoming a firefighter
Post by: pugh on January 03, 2008, 09:13:22 AM
Blinkin' eck!  How long?

I joined in '77 and it took until the ink was dry.  Interview, exam's and physical (humping one of the duty crew around the appliance room in a firemans lift) December '76, medical in January '77 and started my course in February.  Yes, of course, they were desperate back then but even so, I still think that maybe the service is missing out on a lot of good people due to the time it takes and all the hoops to jump through.  Different times, same job basically.
Title: Becoming a firefighter
Post by: Andy Cole on January 04, 2008, 09:22:55 PM
Took me over two years from expressing an interest to being on the run for Retained!