Joining the Fire Service ( Rant alert )

I have just been turned down for a position of wholetime Firefighter within Avon Brigade. I recently sat a series of new tests ( psychometric ) to ascertain whether I have the ability to be a Firefighter.

They have 6 key skills which you must meet their required levels and they said I failed in 2. So the letter basically said I am not good enough to become a wholetime Firefighter.............

...........which is quite bizarre considering I am a Retained Firefighter and have been putting out fires, rescuing trapped people in accidents and generally being a Firefighter for the last few years.

Those unfamiliar with the difference between Retained and Wholetime is there is none operationally, except we respond from home rather than the station.
Now I respond to my station which is made up of Wholetimers due to it being a city and we share the vehicles and responsibilties. Its all about Money at the end of the day.

I also have a training folder that say's I must meet the required 6 skills I mentioned earlier, which I have written proof. However this cannot be transferred! So any ret'd FF must start the recruitment process as if completely new and their skills are ignored.

Explain to me the sense in that????

Rant Over, thanks for listening if you made it up to hear.

Sounds rather ghey.

Did you go for the 'save the kitten' instead of the 'crying baby' option?

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever

Sounds rather ghey.

Did you go for the 'save the kitten' instead of the 'crying baby' option?

I thought I would have head's up being I'm in the job, I answerred all questions based on my experience and knowledge. Hate to say it though think my background my have been my weak point. Sadly strong, fit, white males don't fit the image anymore.

Originally Posted by DanDare

I thought I would have head's up being I'm in the job, I answerred all questions based on my experience and knowledge. Hate to say it though think my background my have been my weak point. Sadly strong, fit, white males don't fit the image anymore.

Positive discrimination is a load of balls!

I heard them advertising for firemen in the Thames Valley, on the radio yesterday. That would give you the chance to join the best section on the site.

Originally Posted by DanDare

Sadly strong, fit, white males don't fit the image anymore.

Don't worry - that image still works for me!



If you could only take one thing out of a burning building what would it be?

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by K

If you could only take one thing out of a burning building what would it be?

Himself, if he's got any sense

My father was a retained fireman for years, but he was 'too short' to be a full time firefighter. He still did exactly the same job as the 'proper' ones though, so it's not just recently that the rules have become silly, they always have been.

world gone mad !! sorry to hear this matey it is all wrong

can i ask a really dumb question, what is the diff between whole and retained?? eg pay pension working hours etc. Is retained like the TA and you have an other full time job??

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by neio79

can i ask a really dumb question, what is the diff between whole and retained?? eg pay pension working hours etc. Is retained like the TA and you have an other full time job??

My father was a welder by trade, worked for Eagle Engineering in Warwick. He had a bleeper, and when it went off he would just drop everything and run to the fire station..............which was across the road

Our house was in the same street as the fire station, so if his bleeper went off while he was at home, he was usually the first to the station.

Originally Posted by neio79

can i ask a really dumb question, what is the diff between whole and retained?? eg pay pension working hours etc. Is retained like the TA and you have an other full time job??

Most retained guys hate being called part time and I'll explain why.

The majority of W/T work 2 days then 2 nights followed by 4 days off then its repeated.

Ret. give so many hours a week cover depending on their circumstances ie: work commitments etc. I give 120 hours a week cover as my work allow me to respnd from there. So technically I give more cover than the W/T and potentially have more shouts in a week than W/T.

Money wise its based on the level of cover you give, you get approx 2 grand a year for just doing the job. You have an hourly rate which is roughly the same and you get a woping ?3.83 for every time you get called out.

But most RET. will tell you its not about the money........much.

Pension wise new rules haqve come into play so nobody has a clue as to whether their up or down at the end. Typical.

I must admit its weird sat at my computer working ( on the org. ) than I get a call to an RTC and save somebodies life or going to a burning building.
Then back to the station, wash up and go back to work and carry on.
Some people in the office are none the wiser as to what you've just done.