Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 04/04/2005 16:47

Callington Fire Station is looking for potential recruits to join their very capable, enthusiastic firefighting team.

Anyone who is interested in becoming a retained firefighter at the station should call Leading Firefighter Julian Whiting on 01208 72312 to find out more about the physical fitness and practical tests that all potential recruits must undertake. These include the bleep test and hose-running, as to be a retained firefighter you need to be physically fit. You should also be at least 18 years old and live / work close to the fire station.

“We hope men and women from any background will be inspired to come and experience a job that is vital to their community. Retained firefighters are paid volunteers who do the same job as full-time firefighters. The difference is that they are not based on a fire station waiting for an alarm, they are on standby waiting to be called out” said Public Relations Officer Davinia Grist

She cont: “They may be at home, working for themselves or for a company that is committed to helping the community. On average they may be called out two or three times a week for a couple of hours. Employers will benefit from having employees who are professionally trained to deal with emergencies and provide first aid”
Retained firefighters, like their full-time colleagues, are trained to deal with a wide range of situations and incidents. These include fires, road traffic accidents, dealing with hazardous materials and floods, and protecting the community through fire safety work.

Other training includes Large Goods Vehicle Driving (LGV), Emergency Fire Appliance Driving (EFADS), First Aid and Co-responder training.

Retained firefighters are paid a basic annual payment (a retainer) and fees for emergency response, fees for training sessions and for duties like equipment maintenance.