What’s the job like? I think it’s one of a few jobs which it think I would actually like to do. Talk to me about your role please!

Nah, clearly all on strike or sleeping through their shift.

I honestly wouldn’t bother mate. If I wasnt tied up with 17 years in the pension id have left

NSFW – http://www.visordown.com/forum/crap-jokes/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-fireman-unashamedly-stolen-from-viz/233289.html

With current situation in local government spending, I very much doubt there’s many Fire Authorities recruiting at the moment for wholetime firefighters.

It is still a great job. However hodge is right at the moment when FRA’s are looking at redundancy’s I can’t see anyone recruiting in the near future.
I’m happy to answer any questions Edward200.

What hodge said. Although West Mids are taking on nearly 100 new recruits, I think the process may have already started by now. Our (Cheshire) minimum staffing for a shift has dropped from 78 to 55 since 2008, all 2 pump stations being dropped to 1 pump as from April next year and a 2 stations going to the retained system.

Keep an eye on the websites of the services you are interested in and check each week – that’s the usual place to get the info first hand and a lot of applications are done online.

twoniner…. zzzz

how good are you on a playstaion?

can be very rewarding and interesting at times, but mostly leaves me disillusioned with it.

Thanks all. I’m aware there aren’t many jobs at the moment but it might change in the next year or two. I imagine I would think its a very rewarding job; helping people in need would be, I imagine, more rewarding than selling commodities which is what I do at the moment. I’m also attracted to it as I like physical work and I think staring in front of a screen or sitting behind a steering wheel all day is a waste of flesh and bones. I think I could climatise to the more gruesome side of the work.

As a paramedic who has spent nearly 20 years driving past our local main fire station and seeing the fire trucks almost constantly parked up and the fire bods tucked up for the night… I don’t think that I’ve worked a shift and not thought…

I should have been a fireman!

Watching this thread with interest. I’ve often thought about joining up. I saw some vacancies recently for ‘on call’ PT firefighters, but the money wasn’t amazing. Is this a typical ‘route’ to a full-time position?

I wouldn’t bother. Just over 6 yrs to go. Public mps etc etc hate us as we are demonised as lazy work shy layabout who watch tv all day or playing snooker or washing cars. Oh the good old 2nd job will be trotted out as well, I pay tax, NI and pay other people for services. Nothing said about MP’s multiple jobs or the receptionist or nurse who works pt in a bar.

Public love to hate us until they need us.
Oh if you are serious about joining loose the fireman/women bit we are firefighters

If you want more info email me but the haterz will be along soon……

Don’t get the firefighter hate thing. The things they see/have to deal with ffs. I guess it’s just ‘divide and rule’ in action.

It’s a great job that gives you a feeling of giving something back rather than just taking
Got a bit fed up of being brick and spat at though and glad I’ve done my time
Don’t dwell on the gruesome bits you’ll adopt coping strategy, usually laughter
Go for it if you get chance, not easy to get though

Watching this thread with interest. I’ve often thought about joining up. I saw some vacancies recently for ‘on call’ PT firefighters, but the money wasn’t amazing. Is this a typical ‘route’ to a full-time position?

it only helps that youll have some idea of the process for getting in (PQAs), and could possibly get a bit of help preparing for the interviews. it doesnt give you an easier route in. for instance they wont say “yep, youre a good lad/lass, we know youll make an excellent firefighter, we’ll take you”

as for all the sleeping, snooker playing firemen with second jobs, that seems to have died a death now. at least in our county. the bars went a long time ago along with the snooker tables. more and more counties now will be moving to our ‘day crewed plus’ system, where we will work 4 or 5 days at a time and be on call during the night too on alerters. so we would take every call for a solid 120hrs. get a busy night and youre pooped for the next few days.
you can see why more counties are bringing this in now, cos youre paying 2 watches for the work of 4 (we get a paltry extra 20% for the night cover)

oh….and fair play to anyone who takes on a second job doing this shift system, they wouldnt have any sort of home life at all!!