Issued on: Tuesday 9 July 2019
Have A Go Days Announced Ahead of Firefighter Recruitment
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are excited to announce they are recruiting for wholetime firefighters across the Service this autumn.
Ahead of this next round of wholetime firefighter recruitment, several ‘Have A Go’ days will take place over the next few weeks. The ‘Have A Go’ days give you an insight into the role of a firefighter, the required strength, fitness and aptitude levels needed. They also give you the opportunity to speak with current firefighters about the role, and to ask any questions you may have.
Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, Rick Taylor, said: “We are pleased to be recruiting for wholetime firefighters again this year. We would however, like our workforce to reflect the gender, multicultural and diverse communities we serve. In order to do this, we are running some focused events, encouraging applications from underrepresented groups, including women, black and minority ethnic and our LGBT+ communities.
“To help, we will be holding a number of Have A Go days to encourage members of our communities to come forward and have a go at being a firefighter. We hope, by attending these sessions it will encourage them to apply for the role in the future.”
If you are interested in becoming a wholetime firefighter, ‘Have A Go’ days are taking place at Central Fire and Rescue Station on the following dates:
- Sunday 4 August, 09:30 – 16:00 hours – women only (Positive Action)
- Sunday 11 August, 09:30 – 16:00 hours – LGBT+ only (Positive Action)
- Sunday 18 August, 09:30 – 16:00 hours – open to all
- Sunday 8 September, 09:30 – 16:00 hours – open to all
Additional ‘Have a go’ days for BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) will be held in the community by our outreach team on the following dates:
- Sunday 11 August, 11:00 – 16:00 hours at Aylestone Playing Fields, Braunstone Lane East, Leicester, LE3 2FD
- Saturday 17 August, 11:00 – 16:00 hours at Highfields Centre, Melbourne Road, Leicester LE2 0DS
Rick Taylor, added: “By encouraging underrepresented groups to apply, it should not prevent applications from people who are not in these target groups, but want a career in the fire service. Every applicant that successfully completes the application process will be judged on their merit – there will be no bias in favour of any particular group or individual.
“Whether you have aspirations of being a firefighter, or you’re looking to change career, this is the ideal opportunity for you to make a real difference to our objective of Safer People, Safer Places.”
To sign up for the ‘Have A Go’ days, please visit leics-fire.gov.uk/wholetime. Please note places are limited and are given out on a first come first served basis.
END
Notes to Editors:
Interviews can be arranged through prior arrangement with Corporate Communications on the details below.
About the Service
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service provides emergency response, prevention and protection services from 20 stations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Its headquarters is based in Birstall, Leicester.
During 2018/19, the Service attended 762 road traffic collisions, of which 125 were extrications from vehicles, in addition to 2,569 fires. We carried out 6,746 home safety checks and fitted 4,790 smoke alarms. 279 schools were visited as part of the Service’s schools programme, delivering fire and road safety education to pupils. Staff organised or took part in 1,068 community safety events, promoting fire and road safety and arson prevention, and 134 Virtual Fatal Four (VF4) events as part of the Service’s young drivers’ road safety project.
The Service’s prevention, education, enforcement and inspection programmes have resulted in significant reductions in the number of incidents. In the last ten years, fire-related incidents have reduced by over 30 percent.
Contact:
Corporate Communications
Direct: 0116 210 5592
corporate.communications@lfrs.org
Download a PDF version here.
