The Job Role

The emphasis for us is on prevention, which means firefighters helping to educate the community about the importance of fire safety. Therefore, working with local communities and local businesses is a large part of a firefighter's work now. Firefighters also deal with many other types of emergencies: road/rail/air crashes, floods, chemical spills or rescuing people and animals trapped in other circumstances. They also spend a lot of time training and doing routine activities, such as checking equipment. In fact, most firefighters probably only spend about 5% of their time dealing with fires.

The salary of a firefighter starts at £27,178.08 per annum for a trainee. A competent firefighter will earn a salary of £36,226.08 per annum, and all new recruits will have a period of two years in which to achieve the necessary level of competence.

The uniform is provided free of charge, including any personal protective equipment (PPE).

You could be posted to any station within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (our service area).

Unfortunately not. We will do our best to place all new employees at a station that doesn't cause significant inconvenience in terms of travel, etc., but we must consider where we need to fill vacancies.

Our trainee wholetime firefighters attend an initial training course lasting anything between eight to 12 weeks. It is an intensive course involving both practical and classroom-based sessions. Firefighters learn about community safety issues, the use of breathing apparatus, ladder safety and much more. They do regular study and pass formal assessments on each element of the course. Being a firefighter means being able to respond to all sorts of challenges, and you will be fully trained to meet these needs. The training helps firefighters stay safe while they are helping people often in desperate need. The training is designed to give confidence when doing the job and to develop skills.

The exact location of the training will be confirmed with every entry group. It will most likely occur outside Leicestershire for between eight and ten weeks, Monday to Friday, from 8am to 5pm. Accommodation will be provided, however there is no requirement for individuals to stay, if they would prefer to travel home.

It is our preference that all trainee firefighters complete the Initial Training Course on a residential basis. During the course, a number of guest speakers will attend, and extra-curricular team-building activities will take place during the evenings, which all contribute to the learning and development of the cohort. While it is preferable that all trainee firefighters undertake these additional activities, we are aware that people may have, for example, caring responsibilities that mean they cannot reside full-time on campus, and we will consider each situation individually. It is important to note, however, that there is an expectation that all trainee firefighters will be fit for service, capable of undertaking any training as required in the working day, and ensure that they can devote the time required to ensure all assessments are achieved and the course completed. In addition, there will be periods of self-study and e-learning that will be expected to be completed outside the normal working day. During the Initial Training Course, the working day may start at around 8am. It is important to factor any additional travelling time incurred as a result of returning home each day into the normal working hours for the duration of the course and ensure that this does not impact individual health and welfare.

After initial training, firefighters are posted to a fire station where they are guided through a programme of on-the-job training until they achieve competence in the role of firefighter. Training and development are important to Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. Throughout their careers, firefighters will be offered further opportunities for training. It might be learning how to use a new piece of equipment, how to drive one of our vehicles, how to carry out a specialist task, or it might be training for promotion. Everyone gains qualifications which are nationally recognised and can lead to graduate and post-graduate qualifications.

Yes, there are opportunities for development and promotion. This could be moving into a specialist area such as fire protection (enforcing legislation in non-domestic premises) or becoming a manager (Crew Manager, Watch Manager, Station Manager, Group Manager, Area Manager).

Firefighters working in Leicestershire respond to specific medical emergencies in partnership with the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust. For example, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service resources may be sent to help a person who is in cardiac arrest, where they are nearer than the ambulance service. This is a role for which they are equipped and trained. Firefighters will carry out basic life support using resuscitators, defibrillators and other equipment with the aim of delivering immediate life-saving aid to the person. Upon the arrival of ambulance service personnel, firefighters will then work with the ambulance service to continue treatment of the individual.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service operates three different shift patterns for operational staff. These are:

• 2-2-4 (2 day shifts followed by 2 night shifts, then 4 days off)
• Day Crewing
• Day Crewing Plus
• 12/12 Duty System (Self Roster)

Day crewing relates to stations that will have wholetime firefighters operating during the day while the On-Call firefighters will respond to emergency calls after 7pm.

Day Crewing Plus is a shift pattern that allows flexible rostering. Each employee works their contractual number of shifts over the course of each calendar year (1 January to 31 December) within established, defined principles. Firefighters can stay on the station for up to five days, and each fire and station will determine locally (by agreement) when the shifts are worked.

Days – 07:00 – 19:00
Nights 19:00 – 07:00
(150/153 shifts to work annually)
Currently, the only station that operates a 12/12 duty system is Coalville; however, as DCP phases out, more stations will adopt this duty system.

There are sleep facilities on night shifts. However, a firefighter is expected to be operationally ready throughout a night shift.