North East fire services launch ‘taster sessions’ to support new round of firefighter recruitment

Today sees three North East fire and rescue services, County Durham and Darlington (CDDFRS), Northumberland (NFRS) and Tyne and Wear (TWFRS), announce a series of taster sessions for would-be firefighters. The sessions will provide an opportunity for anyone interested in a career as a firefighter to discover what being a firefighter is really like.

The taster sessions will support a new recruitment drive that all three services will be launching next month. They consist of a presentation that covers all aspects of the job, not just the operational elements such as responding to incidents, but also the prevention and community work which occupies far more of a firefighter’s time. They will also have the opportunity to undertake some role-related tests which will help them to understand the physical aspects of the role and firefighters will be on hand to answer their questions.

Paul Hedley, Chief Fire Officer at NFRS said:

“I would encourage as many people as possible to book onto these taster session days and take the opportunity to understand what it’s like to be a firefighter. It’s about much more than fires – we attend schools, youth groups and love getting out into our communities carrying out work to keep people safe.

By coming along you can meet our crews and ask questions about their experiences which will give you a real feel for the job. It really is the best job in the world.”

Firefighters deliver a variety of roles, from attending emergency incidents to working in their local communities, often with partner agencies, to support a number of safety messages and initiatives – covering road and water safety, as well as fire safety and delivering Home Safety Checks.

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, Stuart Errington said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of the fire and rescue service, the modern firefighter not only saves lives but they provide a vital role within the community to educate people on how to stay as safe as possible.

Educational initiatives in schools, colleges and community groups are also an important part of the work that our firefighters carry out. I would encourage applications from anyone, regardless of your age, gender or your ethnicity, who genuinely wants to make a difference to people of the northeast – take it from me, it is at times a huge challenge but overall an extremely rewarding career.”

The taster sessions are being held at fire stations across the Services and provide an ideal opportunity for those who may not have previously considered becoming a firefighter, or for those who want to try out some of the physical tests prior to applying.

Chris Lowther, Chief Fire Officer, TWFRS commented:

“After recruiting firefighters last year, we are currently running another recruits course from the pool who also successfully applied in July 2018. However, we continue to recruit for the future, and while many aspects of the role of a firefighter have not changed, our wider community work now attracts people to our Service who may not have previously considered being a firefighter.

We are keen to encourage anyone who wants to work for their community, who likes being physically fit and enjoys the camaraderie of working in a team, to apply. Additionally, our family-friendly policies and approach mean that being a firefighter is a great career choice for everyone.”

For more information on the taster sessions and to book your place, please go to: www.twfire.gov.uk/firefighter