14 November 2007
Do you have what it takes to be a part-time firefighter in Brill? Now’s your chance to find out, as Brill Fire Station is holding an informal recruitment session next week so that local people can learn more about becoming one of the village’s Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighters.
The event is part of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's countywide recruitment campaign for Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighters, which was launched in March. It takes at the Fire Station in Temple Street from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday 20 November.
So far this year around 300 people have expressed an interest in finding out more about becoming an RDS firefighter in Buckinghamshire, and 21 have joined or are about to join fire stations – including five at Waddesdon and three at Haddenham.
But Brill, which needs 12 firefighters to be at full strength, still has four vacancies. Last year Brill’s crew attended 45 emergency incidents. Their busiest month was December, when they were called out nine times.
RDS firefighters are paid staff who do the same job as full-time firefighters. Many of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's 212 RDS firefighters combine this work with their day job.
Like their full-time colleagues, they are trained and equipped to deal with a wide range of incidents and situations. These include fires, road traffic collisions and protecting the community through fire safety work.
The difference is that RDS staff are not based in a fire station - instead, they are on standby waiting to be called out. They may be at home, working for themselves or working for a company that allows them to leave work to attend an emergency call.
Group Manager Keith Holland said: "Previous events of this kind have generated a lot of interest, and we have been delighted with the response.
“We are hoping that people who haven't previously considered applying will stop and ask themselves whether they can, in fact, provide cover at critical times of the day or night.
"For example, someone who can be on call for the six hours between the morning and afternoon school runs, coupled with some evening and weekend hours, can make the difference between Brill being available or 'off the run'."
An RDS firefighter's on-call time can be a combination of daytime, evening and weekend hours. They are paid for being on call and called out, and are entitled to paid holidays, sick pay and membership of a pension scheme.
There are benefits for employers who release staff to be RDS firefighters too. The employee will be professionally trained to deal with emergencies, and an RDS firefighter on the staff could help save lives and property in the event of an emergency. Staff can also be trained for further qualifications such as health and safety and first aid, which could help the business as well.
To be a retained firefighter you need to be at least 18 years old, physically fit and live and/or work close to the fire station. Just as important are qualities like common sense, commitment, enthusiasm and the ability to work as a member of a team.
If you would like to find out more about working as an RDS firefighter in Brill, or if you are an employer interested in allowing your employees to participate, ring the information pack hotline on 01296 744670 or email rdsrecruitment@bucksfire.gov.uk