Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

Bodmin Fire Station at 11/12/2002 09:00

Over 30 women attended Cornwall County Fire Brigade’s Awareness Days for Women last week. The Brigade invited the women after they had left their details at various events, expressing an interest in becoming a firefighter.

The days were held at Bodmin Fire Station and the Dragon Leisure Centre. The females were able to experience most of the tests that potential recruits would have to pass to become firefighters. These were the ‘bleep’ test, the dead lift test, and an opportunity to experience extending a ladder, hose running and the wearing of Breathing Apparatus in confined spaces.

The bleep test is a fitness test involving running from two points twenty metres apart arriving at each point before the ‘bleep’ (which gets faster and faster as you go up the levels). The dead lift test consists of weights, which test your leg and back strength, the ladder extension involves erecting a ladder using pulley ropes, and the hose running tests strength and determination as recruits must run out lengths of hose and then roll them back up again several times. The Breathing Apparatus Chamber tests a person’s ability to work in confined spaces in complete darkness.

During the days two female firefighters from the Brigade were also available for a question and answer session.

Assistant Chief Officer Mark Yates explains: “The aim of the days were to give potential women recruits an insight into what is expected of them if the do apply to become firefighters. The recruitment process can be physically difficult, but no more difficult than what it would take to play a club sports in the county. The Brigade is very keen to recruit more women to make it a true representation of the community it serves”


He continued, “We try to hold the awareness days annually and they are always a great success. Many women do not realise that they have the potential to become a firefighter, the days make them more ‘aware’ and hopefully make them more determined to apply”

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/fire/recruit/r01.htm