I've been thinking about maybe applying for the retained fire service over here for the last few months, and just want to know the ins and outs of it.

I'm basically bored on my days off (I do 4 on 4 off nights/days) and need something to occupy my mind.

I know that your always on call but do you have to go to ALL the shouts you get?

If anyone can give me information on this it would be much appreciated.

The Fire Service is something I always considered as a career years ago and I guess this would be a good balance of 2 things I like doing...

 

are you quite close to your station? not sure of the regs in IOW but over here you need to be within 5mins (i think) of your station at all times you are on call.
you aren't always on call here its shifts, but when you are on then yea you are required it aint pick'n'mix

can get you more info later on matey

 

sweet nice one mate.

I'm about 10 mins walk from my station, so about 2 mins on the bike

 

well basically mate you'd be best to look on your local webpage for the next recruitment day or give them a ring.

not sure how big it is over there but our recruitments are massive and spread over a few days here!

You really do need to be fit, a lot fitter than you think! Again its prob. different over here but try and get a spec of the tests on the day.
There will be a medical, physical and mental exam. mental is pretty easy as long as you revise, need to know a fair bit of maths!
Medical is well a medical, cant do much about it cos if you pass the physical then your medical will be fine, and if you fail either you aint fit enuf!

Basically i started building up to a 3mile run and just reduced the time that got me started then i bought a bleep test and did that down the park until i got to level 9 i think it was.

if you can do that you should be alright, altho nothing can prepare you for the hose run absolute killer!!!!!

it could all be different over there i dunno but if you are at that fitness level you will be fine.

best thing is ring your local station tho, they will gladly talk you through it and may even let you go down there and train (altho strictly speaking they arent allowed so dont push it!)

hope that helps! good luck, excellent job

 

Blakey on here is a retained fireman

 

hmmm I best get down the gym then, I'm not overly fit lol

cool that sounds like the kind of info I want, I've got a few mates in there and they've said its a good thing to get into.

Any more info welcome....

 

You do not need to go to all the shouts