Firefighter/Firefighting Manager

Firefighters and firefighting managers tackle a wide range of emergency situations. Over recent years, the focus has turned to prevention rather than purely intervention. This means that firefighters spend an increasing amount of their time talking to the public and businesses, helping to increase the level of awareness and prevent incidents from happening in the first place.

Their work in community fire safety may involve:

• giving talks and demonstrations to groups in the community
• advising individuals in their homes on fire safety and conducting fire safety checks.

Their work in responding to emergencies may involve:

• providing casualty care at road accidents and freeing people who are trapped
• rescuing people from disasters, such as floods and rail or air crashes
• dealing with spills of chemicals or other hazardous substances
• putting out fires and rescuing people and animals
• responding to bomb alerts and incidents involving biological and radioactive materials.

Firefighters may work full time (known as whole-time), or on call as retained firefighters. Retained firefighters usually combine their work in the fire and rescue service with their main job.

Whole-time firefighters work a variety of shift patterns. Retained firefighters are on call on agreed days and times.

Working conditions can be dangerous and may involve coping with extreme heat and cold, working at heights and operating in enclosed spaces.

Salaries range from at least £21,157 for whole-time firefighters to £40,109 for station managers.

A firefighter should:

• have stamina and physical strength
• be able to react quickly, but keep calm in hazardous situations
• have courage, determination and resilience
• work well in a close-knit team
• be able to follow instructions
• enjoy practical work.

Entry to whole-time work is very competitive. There is, however, a national shortage of retained firefighters.

The main employers are the local fire and rescue authorities. Other organisations also employ firefighters. These include the British Airports Authority and non-BAA airports, the Defence Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS), which provides fire services to military and other defence sites, and the RAF.

There are no set academic qualifications needed for entry. Applicants have to pass written and physical tests and a medical.

All entrants start as firefighters. They may to advance to crew manager, then to watch manager, station manager, area manager, group manager and finally, brigade manager. Firefighters may move into training or other departments.

Further details