Fire Safety Advisors

[Gary Howe]

Norfolk Fire Service are advertising today for fire safety advisors, 17-21K, the old adage of monkey and peanuts springs to mind!!!

[colin todd]

Depends on their age, experience, training proposed and responsibility given. £21k might be ok for someone training to do limited fire safety advice.

[AnthonyB]

If it's like at least two brigades in that pay scale they will be taking over enforcement under the Workplace Regs & in future the RRO.

Problem is the pay is poor - I can't easily afford the drop or might have gone over to the public sector - it seems that they are civilianising fire safety primarily to save money

[Graeme]

you all want to try living in my neck of the woods if you think £21k is poor.

now i feel undervalued.Time to work at Tesco's on the night shift i think.

[PhilB]

No doubt Gary they will all be sent on training courses to ensure they are competent to carry out their role. Some are cheaper.....some are better. The future's scarey!

[Gary Howe]

The point I was really trying to make is that Fire Safety should be viewed as a profession, attracting the sort of people who view it as a long-term career, FS advisors will be expected to offer professional advice and guidance at times.

In order to recruit and retain people with a high level of expertise and knowledge of fire safety, legislation, etc, etc a salary of 17K sends out the wrong message, I know people working in semi-skilled roles in factories who earn more than this. It’s a bit like going into a car showroom and looking at a top of the range BMW and saying “ yes, I would like this model with all the technology, features, interior leather, climate control” but I only want to pay £7000 for it!

If we are to attract the FS advisors of the future, who have IFE qualifications and possibly a Fire Engineering degree, do you think after all their effort to obtain a suitable level of competency, that they will be happy with 17K?

[Simon Morriss]

Gary

I could not agree more.  £17k does not help those of us who have worked hard to develop a career in FS only to be up against Ex brigade staff who are able to take a lower salery dur to the pension!

Safety Advisors will get anything from £30k upwards.

[timfsa]

In answer to Gary's original point you may very well get moneys for peanuts, but I am qualified to Nebosh Health & Safety Diploma level and decided to move over into fire safety as it was a particular interest of mine. I am in the fortunate position of not needing a huge income and not greedy enough to have to have one, I might add that I have no other income either.
I've been in post for 6 months now and been on some of the Fire Service college courses, not about to kid myself I know it all and I do know when to ask for help.
My point is that while I fully accept there is a risk of a venture like this failing, and it may well be based on cost cutting ideals, there are genuine people out there who want the chance to get into specialised areas that opportunities like this present.
With the RRO and risk based assessments coming up people from H&S backgrounds do have a different view to offer that I feel can help to improve standards.

Purely my own opinion of course and everyone is entitled to their own as well!

[jokar]

Depends what Norfolk are going to do with the advisors.  If they are to be enforcers under the legislation, current or future,  they will surely test their knowledge on appointment and take the best.  many people do not want to work for Companies or be self employed in this sector and will balance their needs against the salary.  If you earn too much it only goes to that "nice" Gordon Brown anyway.  I have never seen a quote on competence that has financial reward in it.  If that was the case, Erikson would never have got the job.

[Gary Howe]

'Nice' Gordon Brown oh yes, I think that when I look at whats left after he has taken his slice of the cake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!