Guidance Notes for Firefighter Candidates

Anyone aged 18 or over can apply to become a firefighter;but candidates must have the potential to meet all the requirements of the role. There is no upper age limit

There are a range of duties carried out by a Firefighter but a lot of the job is based around working within the community, so good communication skills are essential. There is also the physical element of the role, such as using ladders, hoses and other equipment; therefore candidates are also required to reach a prescribed standard of physical fitness.

There are various stages of the application process and you must complete and be successful at each stage to progressto the next one. If we do not feel that you are suitable at any stage of the process, you will be advised that you will not progress any further. You may therefore be unsuccessful at any stage in the process below

Stage 1 Application Form:
To complete your applicationyou will be asked to provide your personal details, which includes your education and employment history. There is no requirement for any level of qualification to apply but you will be required to undertake some assessments which are done on line as part of the process. The additional information we will ask for is:

  • Equal Opportunities Monitoring Information – this information will not be used as part of the selection process. It is for monitoring purposes only.
  • At the application stage under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 you are obliged to declare if you have any unspent convictions or criminal proceedings pending as part of your application as these may bar you from working for the Service.
  • You will also be asked a few short questions in order for you to progress to the next stage

Any personal data that we collect during the process will be destroyed should you not be successful. If you provide false information your application will be rejected.

Stage 2 -On line assessments:
If you are successful at Stage 1, you will be sent on-line assessments, these help us determine if you may be suitable for the role of a firefighter. You need to be successful at each assessment to be able to start the next one in the sequence and must complete all the assessments successfully in order to proceed to the next stage – there are 4 assessments in total. You will also be given a date by which the assessments must be completed – if you do not complete them by this date, then you will be withdrawn from the process. You are able to do some practice tests on line before you take your actual assessment if you wish to.

Stage 3 Job Related Assessments:
These are exercisesdesigned tomeasure your practical and physical ability. This will include assessments on:

Ladder Climb
Casualty Evacuation
Ladder Lift
Confined Space
Equipment Assembly
Equipment Carry

Aptitude test

If you are successful at Stage 3, you will be invited to an Assessment Centre:-

Stage 4 – Assessment Centre

This will be approximately half a day and will include:

  • Formal Interview & Presentation
  • Group discussion with other candidates.

Stage 5 Fitness Assessment

This will be undertaken by the Service Fitness advisor and involves a treadmill test designed to measure your aerobic fitness.

If you are successful at Stage 5, an offer of employment may be made subject to the satisfactory completion of the elements outlined in Stage 6 below.

Stage 6Pre Employment Checks:

You will be invited to attend a health assessment at our Occupational Health Unit where you will be assessed by an Occupational Health Professional.

Medical

This test consists of Health questionnaire, Height, Weight, Blood pressure, Eye test (including colour blindness test), Lung function, and Hearing test.

You will be asked questions about your health and any disabilities or medical needs you have, the information from which will then be assessed by the Occupational Health Team who will provide a report on your fitness to perform the role of Firefighter based up on National Occupational Standards.

References

We require two references covering the last 3 years; one must be your current employer or education provider. One reference can be a character reference from someone who has known you for 2 years or more.

DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)

Your role will require at least a Baseline Security Checkand you will be expected to co-operate with the application process.

Human Resources Department – February 2018

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