New challenge

[teegirl]

Hello all, I've been reading a few posts on fitness lately and wondered if anyone on here is in the fire service?

I've just embarked on the recruitment process, ( Decided it was a good way to get a full health check,) I have my firefighter ability test on Monday, 3 hrs multiple choice test, so shouldn't be too bad. If I pass this, then I have a fitness test. Apart from it being age assessed (phew) I'm not really sure how fit I need to be. Anybody done it recently?

If all goes well, this is to be a retained ff in my village. We are lucky to have a fire station and was quiet shocked to find it was not available at all times, due to lack of crew.
The initial recruitment guide was to be over 17, walking and breathing ( I think they are fairly desperate} so I thought I would give it a go.
Also I had just clocked up 23000 miles in a year, and I only work pt, although maybe the 20000 was golf related.

 

[jammydodger]

Hi Jan

I'm a full time firefighter in Lowestoft so know a thing or two about your question.

The first thing like you say is that youre going for a retained post so the test shouldnt be as rigorously marked (should be but isnt). Multiple choice questions will be on basic maths , physics , maybe some chemistry and practical skills you might need.

The fitness thing will probs involve rolling out and making up hose , lifting a heavy pump across the yard (probs need 4 of you for that one), extending a big ladder using the line attached to pull down on a pulley system , carrying a weight on your back around the drill yard and might even involve you going into a confined space and crawling around to see if you suffer from claustrophobia. Each Brigade has a different slant on these types of tests but theyre pretty much similar.

We usually have a laugh about them tbh as theyve been toned down somewhat from what they used to be due to the equality act coming in a few years ago. Things like the height limit and strength tests were precluding 60/70 % of females due the very nature of them ie not many ladies over 5'7" etc

Not many people fail them tbh unless you're very very unfit and a real overweight lazy bugger with no drive.

Good luck with them and let us know how you get on

ps I do know a couple of the officers in Lincolnshire as they used to be in Suffolk

 

[teegirl]

Thanks for the insider info
Don't think I suffer from claustrophobia, but then I don't crawl into confined smoke filled spaces to often, lol.

Looking forward to the training if I get accepted, and as a girl who is slightly vertically challenged, its just as well they have gone soft.

Karl Foxall (watch manager) he's done the initial recruitment day.

Obvious question, do the fire service have any golf societies?

 

[bobmac]

Golf golf golf, is that all you think about?
Good morning btw

 

[rickg]

Good luck Jan.
With regard to the Golf Society question, they have a very healthy calendar. They play a lot at the de Vere courses. Dean organises a lot of the competitions.
Do you remember him? He played at the Luto Hoo Help for Heroes day.

I'll let him know you're interested.

 

[Smiffy]

Not many people fail them tbh unless you're very very unfit and a real overweight lazy bugger with no drive.

Are you replacing Bob half way through the course Jan?

 

[bobmac]

Not many people fail them tbh unless you're very very unfit and a real overweight lazy bugger with no drive.

Are you replacing Bob half way through the course Jan?

NAME!!!

 

[Smiffy]

NAME!!!

Knobert Smith

 

[richart]

You will be on full time alert when Bob's doing the cooking !

Sounds like a great cause. Do you get to slide down the pole ?