The Job Description of a wholetime firefighter can be found here. In order to function effectively in emergencies every firefighter's pre-eminent characteristics must be those of courage, physical strength, the capacity for rapid, intense and sustained effort, an unquestioning acceptance of orders at emergencies combined with the capacity to use initiative when alone, the skilled technicians complete an automatic familiarity with the equipment and tools of the profession which may range up to major items of plant such as turntable ladders, a practical understanding of the basis of a wide range of subjects necessary to anticipate and overcome hazards, sympathy towards the victims of emergencies and the ability to carry on in what may occasionally be emotionally harrowing circumstances. Despite all the training given in preparation for such incidents, firefighters will, from time to time, be faced with new situations where they may individually be required to provide the answers using previous experiences as a guide.Ī firefighter wearing breathing apparatus, feeling a way through a smoke filled building with toxic hazards in order to perform a rescue, cannot ask for instructions. When they arrive at an incident, as part of a team under the command of a watch commander or crew commander, firefighters may individually have to absorb a great deal of information rapidly and apply the skills they have learnt in conditions which will often be extremely dangerous and confusing. Every time firefighters are called to the scene of an emergency they must be prepared to deploy each and every skill in which they have been trained.įully competent firefighters are skilled technicians capable of using the most modern equipment, methods and techniques to undertake the full range of firefighting, rescue, road collisions and other emergencies which the fire and rescue service is called upon to deal with. In addition, firefighters' work life and training also has to be geared to responding at top speed to emergency calls, regardless of weather conditions or the time of day. Protecting society against all of these dangers requires a forward-looking approach and new kinds of skills and knowledge. In many instances, this will involve fitting smoke alarms on behalf of those people to ensure their safety.įirefighters face all kinds of different challenges - there are unpredictable environmental factors like floods and storms, there are road traffic collisions and unforeseen events like oil spills and the growing threat of terrorism. Greater emphasis is placed on our role within the community, with firefighters spending more time out in the community raising awareness, conducting home fire safety checks and communicating fire prevention and other safety messages. This requires the ability to communicate with all groups within the community, especially the elderly, young adults and school children. It involves carrying out presentations and talks, visiting people's homes and talking to residents about how they can plan to avoid and survive a fire if it occurs. In a modern fire and rescue service, fighting fires is only part of the role. The role of the fire and rescue service has changed considerably and the work undertaken by firefighters in the community changed to reflect the new demands made on the service. It is true of course that some of the work involves attendance at fires, but the role of the Service is much wider. The common image of the fire and rescue service is firefighters turning out in fire engines and fighting fires. Being a wholetime firefighter is a satisfying, exciting and varied career.
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