Recruitment

[firedaven41]

Hi all, just a little bit about me as im new to this and dont know any of you.

Name is Dave Shaw, am a retained firefighter at Chatham in Kent and have been for just 9 months. Hoping to go Whole time, as are many of you form what i can gather!

Do any of you know of any recruiting brigades at the moment? And for any of you that are interested, Kent are recruiting whole time, but the only people they are interested in are those that got to interview stage 2 years ago in the last recruitment campaign. Rumours have it that this recruitment is for the dedicated Search and Rescue Station they are planning to build, but as they are only rumours, dont read too much into it.

Look forward to hearing from you all

Dave Shaw

[Game on]

Dave

Try www.fireservice.co.uk

The site has everything you need to know about the fire service and a section on recruitment showing which Brigades are recruiting at the moment.

I live in Kent and want to go wholetime but I didn't apply 2 years ago due to personal circumstances so if what you've heard is true I could be stuffed!

Where will the search and rescue station be based?

John

[burgermuncher999]

I would doubt if they are recruiting specifically to fill places on a so called search and rescue station. What they are most likely looking to do is set up a specialist unit and fill these posts using existing skilled and experienced personnel which in turn will leave posts to be back filled. Successful applicants to the recruitment stage would then be trained as a standard opertional Firefighter and fill the posts made vacant by those who have gone onto specialist search and rescue.
It is worth noting that all fire stations other than selected volunteer stations have serach and rescue as a primary role. Search and rescue per se is not a specialism unless of course you are referring to urban search and rescue (UK resilience) and other specialist functions such as line rescue, water rescue etc.
It is extremely unlikely that any individual would be taken in off the streets to fill such a role requiring a great deal of experience, technical knowledge and practical skill.
Contact the Kent HR dept for further details.

[firedaven41]

yes, i understand that they will not be recruiting people to crew the station, i just didnt explain my point very well, apologies. I have tried fireservice.co.uk but they do seem to be quite behind in the recruitment.

The rumours that i have heard are from a DO and north Division, and it seems they a piece of land somewhere in North Division for this dedicated station (yes it was Urban Search and Rescue I was reffering to), most likely is in the Medway Towns.


I haven't applied to Kent yet either, so it will probably be a while before either of us can get into Kent Wholetime, especially with me being retained at Chatham, i think i have shot myself in the foot a bit there!

Dave

[Game on]

firedaven41,

I was in the retained at Dover for 10 years up to 2002. I'm now in the process of re-joining at Deal. Not sure if its such a good idea as I want to join wholetime and being retained might go against me as its harder to recruit people for the retained.

I've heard that Kent have booked 60 trainee spaces at Surrey F&RS for a recruit course in March 2006. Hopefully this will be open to everybody and not just those that got to the interview stage last time.

Keep your ear to the ground.
John

[firedaven41]

Well lets hope so. I'll keep an ear open at this end, if youll do the same at yours!

Dave

[firedaven41]

For anyone interested, Avon Fire Brigade are recruiting in September 2005.

Dave

[voho]

Hi Dave,

I'm interested in become a retained firefighter in Ramsgate, Kent. I wonder if you might let me know about the recruitment process and training as you've recently joined. Also how does the cover work? I know that the minimum in Kent is 84 hours. I haven't gone to the station commander as yet because I don't want to jump the gun as I'm buying a property in the area, but things aren't complete yet. (No I'm not moving there to become a retained firefighter!). I understand that day cover is well sought after. I'm also starting a new job at the connexions youth service. The office I am based it is within the 5 minutes response time, but there is some travelling invloved and I may only be based there a couple of days a week. Anyway. Any help, advise or information would be welcome.

Many thanks.

Chris

[dave bev]

i would have thought that most brigades would welcome someone who has professional experience in working with young people, if you can reach/meet their other requirements im sure youd be just what the doctor ordered!

dave bev

[voho]

Hi Dav Bev,

Funny I hadn't thought my experience working with young people would make a difference either way, but good to know as I managed a children's home for teenage boys for ten years.

Thanks,

Chris

[dave bev]

the fire service is big on working with youth and youth issues currently - 'so fill yer boots while yer can' (which i believe is an old scottish phrase)

dave bev

[Matt Akers]

Sounds like a funny rumour about the new station in Kent, will have to keep my ears open. If you are in the retained already why not fill in your IPDS folder, by that time, Kent would of worked out what they are doing about retained transferring into whole time. Once your book is complete ask your RSM or training centre about transferring. I know at present they are not carrying out this, but it is only a matter of time.
Good luck.

[firedaven41]

Chris,

You are right about the minimum availability being 84 hours. However, a firefighter on my station has an individual contract, where he only gives 32 hours cover a week, during the day from his office. so there is awlways that option for you.

Again, you are right about day cover, it is very highly sought after, particularly in Kent, which is why, dependant on crewing levels at Ramsgate, who would probably get a special contract.

Recruitment consists of an informal interveiw with station commander, followed by issue and completion of application form. This is then followed by interveiw, ususally with RSM. If satisfied (they usually are) then you will attend selection tests at training centre in maidstone. This consists of maths, english, hose running, ladder climbing, the BA 'rat run' and various lifting tests. if successful with these, you will then be required to attend for medical examination, and if satisfactory in this, you will be offered a place on a recruit course.

the recruit course consists of 3 alternate weekends at training centre (non residential) in which you learn lots of useless information about the fire brigade, a little bit about ladders and pumps, a lot about Entry control and then you are tested on your final day. If you pass the recruit course, you are given an ID card, a pocket alerter, wished all the best and you go 'on the run' after your first drill night.

As for Ramsgate station itself, i know very little about it, other than they have a very quiet wholetime shift Rescue pump Ladder, and an even quiter retained water tender. It isn't a very busy station at all, but then i do not think any of the East diviasion retained appliances are.

Hope this is of some help to you

Regards,
Dave

[stevie]

Hi there.

Can any off you tell me the type of answers the fire brigade are looking for when they ask why you want to join the brigade. and what type of research are you expected to know about the service

[dave bev]

how about telling them why you want to join, it may sound a bit 'novel' but sometimes people want to know what you think/believe, as opposed to rolling out the same old tired phrases! - think about this, if everyone who applies says the same things - what will be the difference between them, what will place one 'candidate' in front of the others? trust me, those who interview for posts can tell those who have put their own effort in as opposed to repeating what they have been told to say.

dave bev