Tell me about it
Firefighters work in teams to reduce deaths and losses from fire. They do this not only by providing a practical firefighting and rescue service but also by offering fire safety advice and education and ensuring that fire safety standards are complied with.

When an emergency call is received, a controller decides how best to deal with the incident. A Watch or Station Commander takes charge of the operation and leads the fire crew(s). With a major incident, a more senior Commander coordinates the work. Apart from fire, the emergency could involve rescuing people, animals or property from a disaster such as a flood, road, rail or air crash or releasing someone trapped in a dangerous or confined space. Equally, it could be a bomb alert, a spillage of chemicals or other hazardous substances. In dealing with the injured, firefighters use first aid techniques to administer immediate help before the arrival of emergency medical services.

In addition to some 41,000 full-time firefighters, there are around 17,900 'retained' or part-time firefighters, mainly in rural areas and small towns. About 1,400 people work as volunteer firefighters in Scotland.

Entry level
Firefighters need a good general education. Some brigades may ask for specific GCSEs/S grades, while some entrants already have A levels/AH or H grades or a degree. You may have to pass a written entrance test and you would have to undergo a series of initiative and physical tests. These may be conducted over two days. Brigades may also test for practical aptitude and aerobic fitness and the ability to work well in a team.

There is no minimum or maximum height, but you must pass a test of fitness and strength. You need good eyesight without glasses or contact lenses, and you must be at least 18.

Making the grade
As a new full-time recruit in England and Wales, you would attend an induction course, lasting between 12 and 16 weeks, in a local fire training centre. In Scotland, you would attend a 16-week course at the Scottish Fire Training School.

Initial training includes using protective clothing and breathing apparatus, entering smoke-filled rooms, using foam and other fire extinguishing media, using ladders, hoses, knots, hydraulic and other equipment, and administering first aid. There is also an emphasis on personal discipline and fitness.

After induction training, you would join a fire station and spend a probationary period of up to two years learning from experienced firefighters. In most brigades, you would be encouraged to work towards National/Scottish Vocational Qualifications (NVQ/SVQ) Levels 2 and 3 in Emergency Fire Services. You would be expected to continue to train throughout your career.

Induction training for retained firefighters is usually spread over a series of weekends. Throughout their service, retained firefighters attend weekly drill nights at which they practise the same practical skills as full-time firefighters.

Personal qualities
Firefighters need courage, stamina and an advanced standard of physical fitness. You must be able to react quickly but to remain calm in hazardous situations. You would need a high level of personal discipline and must enjoy working as a member of a close-knit team.

You should have good practical skills to operate a variety of hand and power tools and equipment, and the ability to write clear incident reports, which may be used by accident or insurance investigators as a basis for claims in a court of law.

Good communication skills and the ability to inspire confidence are necessary when dealing with members of the public who are frightened, injured or in a state of shock.

Looking ahead
There is considerable competition for full-time firefighter positions and there are always many more applicants than vacancies. However, some rural areas find it difficult to fill all retained firefighter positions.

All new entrants start in the same grade, with promotion strictly on merit. If you can demonstrate competence in your current role and pass the necessary exams, you can progress from firefighter to crew commander, then to watch, station, area, group and finally brigade commander. It is usually necessary to move to different areas for promotion and most senior officers have worked in several brigades, at one of the training colleges or with the Fire Service Inspectorate.

Alternative suggestions
Within the emergency services, you might consider training as a police officer or ambulance paramedic; within the armed services, you could become an army serviceman/woman, RAF airman/woman, Royal Navy rating or an officer in the army, navy or air force.

Take-home pay
Starting pay for a firefighter is around £17,000, rising to £21,000 with experience. At the higher levels, assistant chief officers and chief officers/firemasters are not paid on fixed scales, and salaries vary with different fire authorities.

Retained firefighters are paid additional fees, in line with their rank, for attendance, extra duties and turnouts.

Effects
You would normally work a 42-hour week, which may include shifts and overtime. The practical emergency work can be very stressful, physically demanding and often very uncomfortable. Conditions are often hazardous, featuring extremes of heat and cold, at heights, in enclosed spaces, in smoke-filled buildings, on moorland or in forests in all kinds of weather, during the day or at night in almost nil visibility. You can also be exposed to danger from buildings collapsing and vehicle fumes and explosions.

Retained firefighters must live or work within a few minutes of a fire station. On average, they are called out two or three times a week for a couple of hours each time.

Sources of information
Contact the recruitment department of your local fire service. You can also obtain useful background information from the Fire Service Inspectorate website at: www.safety.dtlr.gov.uk/fire/fepd/hmfsi.htm

CRCI: UB