Joining the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service as a Retained (part-time) Firefighter
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Application Form (opens in new window - word format)
Please open the above document, go to File and
save as to your system, then forward to the following email address - workingforjersey@gov.je
You can also print the document off and mail to -
Recruitment Co-ordinator
Cyril Le Marquand House
PO Box 353
The Parade
St Helier
Jersey
JE4 8UL
Role Profile (opens in new window - word format)
Rates of Pay (opens in new window - word format)
Retained Competencies (opens in window - word format)
Retained Organisational Chart (opens in new window - word format)
When are the Test Dates?
Why not do something great in your spare time?How does it work? What about my Employer? Could I be a Firefighter? What hours would I be needed? What would I get out of it? How do I get in? The Physical Test
Are there any entry requirements?Western Fire Station (St Brelades) Catchment area (open in new window)
Test dates:
Written Tests: 1800hrs - 2100hrs on either 19th or 20th February 2008
Physical Tests: Daytime on either 12th or 13th March 2008
Interviews: Week of 24th March 2008, date to be confirmed
Initial training Course: Thursday evenings and Saturdays (for 5 or 6 weeks) - starting date to be confirmed
Why not do something great with your spare time?
What do you do with your spare time? Watch TV? Look after the kids? Go for a drink with friends? Well a number of local residents spend their spare time serving and protecting their community as part-time firefighters.
Our part-time firefighters are men and women who do ordinary jobs, but are ready to go to a ‘shout’ the moment that a call comes in. We have gardeners, bankers, decorators, office workers and drivers, but when the call comes in, they become part of a dedicated, professional team ready to face any emergency. They may be part-time, but they are trained and capable people in the front line saving lives and making headlines.
The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service currently has a shortage of people who will turn out and help in an emergency and we are looking for men and women to join our part-time service. The Fire and Rescue Service forms an important part of your community, here to protect and help whenever we are needed. Wouldn’t you like to be able to help your friends and neighbours in an emergency and get paid for doing it too!
How does it work?
Part-time firefighters agree to be available to respond to emergencies from home or work, for a certain number of hours a week. During this time you carry a pager and, as long as you can get to the station quickly, you can carry on with your day-to-day activities - watching TV, washing the car, working or even sleeping.
When your pager goes off you need to be able to drop what you are doing and get to the station. You could then either respond to a call as a single crew, or work alongside your colleagues in the wholetime service at a major incident.
If you are responding from home you will need the support of others who may be affected by your hours on-call, your sudden disappearance when responding to a call, or your training sessions.
Our part-time firefighters are fully trained to respond to all sorts of emergencies, from fires to traffic collisions to floods and chemical spills. Part-time firefighters practise and develop their skills throughout their working life by attending weekly 2 hour training sessions.
What about my employer?
For those in work there is often concern about - "will my employer let me have time off if I'm called out during normal working hours?" We generally find that most employers are flexible when they find out that one of their team is interested in joining the Service and helping the community.
Most employers can see the benefits of having an employee who has been trained as a firefighter. A trained firefighter learns many skills, a lot of which can be useful in any workplace. Firefighters learn to work well in a team, to think quickly, to take responsibility and use their initiative, to communicate fast and accurately and to keep calm in a crisis. They also develop an ability to deal with all sorts of people in a wide range of circumstances. Their confidence and team working skills are enhanced along with their risk management skills.
Firefighters need to be fit which has many health benefits, including the reduction in sickness levels.
Firefighters learn first aid to a high standard. This will help to keep other employees safe, but also contributes to legal obligations for first aid cover, cutting the cost of training.
Risk assessments and fire hazards are all part of the training for our firefighters, so they can support health and safety officers to meet their obligations and improve the safety of all staff.
Our firefighters will all get the opportunity to drive our vehicles. We therefore provide sufficient training to pass the LGV licence.
Part-time firefighters must be able to deal with a whole range of situations, they never quite know what they might find when they respond to an emergency, so they are likely to be able to cope with the ups and downs of working life.
So although an employee may have to rush off at any moment, and could be away for some time, the benefits could make this worthwhile and the employer will have the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting something that could really make a difference.
If you would be responding from work you must have the permission of your employer before you make a commitment to the Service. The Service can provide information to help your employer when considering your request.
Could I be a firefighter?
First of all you need to be able to get to the fire station quickly to be able to respond to incidents.
Part-time firefighters working from our St. Helier Station must be able to get to the station within 15 minutes, between 7am-7am every fourth day.
Part-time firefighters working from our Western fire station have 6 minutes to respond every third day (during 6pm-7am Mon-Fri and 7am-7am at weekends.
You need to have a real wish to support your local community and have an enthusiasm and willingness to work in a team environment.
Then, if you are 18, fit and healthy, have good sight and colour perception in both eyes without glasses or contact lenses and have a good standard of education, we are looking for you.
What hours would I be needed?
St Helier Headquarters
You will need to be available to respond to the station, after you have been called, between 0700-0700 every fourth day. You must also attend the Station on either a Monday or Tuesday evening 1930-2130 for essential training sessions.
Western Station
You will need to be available to respond to the station every third day, after you have been called, between 1800-0900 Monday to Friday and 0900-0900 Saturday and Sunday. You must also attend the Station on Wednesday evenings 1930-2130 for essential training sessions.
What would I get out of it?
Apart from the excitement, the challenge and the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped someone in difficult circumstances, you’ll have fun whilst learning to be more self-reliant and confident. After all, if you can cope in a real emergency, you are ready for whatever else life might throw at you. You will meet a lot of people in your local community and earn their confidence and respect.
You will get extensive training in the use of our equipment, receive training to enable you to achieve a Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) licence and receive a first aid certificate. These will all be useful to you in your main job, whatever that may be.
Added to this you get paid!! You get paid a basic retaining fee, which is currently £3011 year, plus an hourly rate of £8.80 for call outs. You also get paid the hourly rate for training and other extra duties like equipment maintenance.
In addition to all this, there is a special kind of bond among firefighters, which comes from working together as a team in conditions which can be hazardous. You’ll get the self-esteem that comes from working with people you can trust and knowing they trust you.
How do I get in?
Application Form
Candidates will be asked to complete an application form which will be assessed against the entry criteria standards. This form must be returned by the closing date specified or it will not be read.
The Written Tests
Successful candidates will be invited to the next selection phase which will be the completion of psychometric tests which assess applicant's ability to process information, problem solve and work with numbers:
Understanding information - This test is used to assess an applicant's ability to read and understand written information of the type that a Firefighter is likely to experience. The test involves the applicant reading and understanding a variety of written information including fire safety details, memos, newsletters and extracts from a training course manual. Applicants will need to extract the relevant information from these to answer 25 questions covering six different scenarios.
Situational Awareness - This test is used to assess an applicant's ability to ensure the safety of themselves and others and thier ability to use information to solve problems. The test requires applicants to read descriptions of situations or scenarios that they are likely to face when working as a firefighter. There are 30 questions that each require the applicant to choose one of four available answers that most closely describe what they would do in that situation. No specific knowledge or training is required to be able to answer the questions but applicants will need to consider the safety of themselves and others and use the information provided to decide how best to respond.
Working with Numbers - This test is used to assess an applicant's ability to understand and work with numerical information of the type that a firefighter is likely to experience. There are 32 questions covering six different scenarios which require the applicant to perform combinations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as well as estimations of numerical data.
Practice Booklet (opens in new window pdf format)
This booklet has been developed to help you prepare for the National Firefighters Ability Tests (NFA Tests) which form part of our selection process for Firefighters.
Candidates suffering from disabilities such as dyslexia must make themselves known to the assessment team, so that arrangements can be made for you. You can bring in any colour overlays, etc, with you.
The Physical Tests
If you are successful in passing th psychometric tests, you will be invited at a later date to attend the physical tests. These tests are designed to test fitness and the ability to understand and apply information. They are related to the actual tasks a firefighter will have to do once appointed. A firefighter needs to be physically fit with good unaided vision with no colour blindness.
It is important that you wear appropriate clothing in order to carry out the fitness and workplace tests; these being, t-shirt, sweatshirt, jogging trousers and training shoes. Do not wear any jewellery or bring any valuables with you. Also please bring with you a packed lunch and bottle of water. We advise that you do not drink alcohol the night before or drink large amounts of caffeine within 24 hours of the selection day.
The day consists of:
Booking in and issue of personal protective equipment
Handing in of ‘fit to participate’ form signed your GP
Attempting the selection tests
Enclosed Space
In this test you will wear a breathing apparatus facemask and make your way through a crawl and walk way with clear vision. Halfway through the route your vision will be obscured and you must be able to retrace your steps to the start/finish point. This test is designed to test your ability to stay calm and focused whilst working in a confined space.
Equipment Carry
This test has been designed to replicate the workload at a rural fire. You will have to carry various items of equipment over a 25m course. This tests upper body strength, stamina and determination.
Ladder lift
This test replicates the effort required when returning a ladder to a fire engine. You must raise the 15kg bar of the ladder lift simulator, to a height of 190cm. This will test upper body strength.
Ladder climb
This test involves climbing a 13.5 metre ladder to two thirds of it’s height, taking a leg lock, removing your hands from the ladder, looking down and identifying a symbol before descending the ladder. This test is designed to assess confidence and co-ordination whilst working at heights. Candidates will be attached to a safety line.
Casualty Evacuation
This will involve a simulated rescue of a casualty and will require you to drag a 55kg dummy backwards around a 30m course. This test involves upper body strength and stamina.
Equipment Assembly
This aims to test the ability of a candidate to comprehend and follow instructions. Within a given time frame the candidate will be asked to assemble and dis-assemble a piece of equipment following a series of diagrams.
Criminal Record Check
Prior to attending the interview phase, candidates will need to obtain a basic disclosure certificate. This is obtained on-line from - www.disclosurescotland.co.uk (opens in new window) - and will provide your criminal record with all spent convictions removed. Alternativerly, a hard copy of the application form can be obtained from us during the written test phase. This process costs £20.00.
Interview
Successful candidates who have passed the written tests and physical teats will be invited back at a later date for an interview lasting approximately one (1) hour. The interview is designed around the personal qualities and attributes (competencies) required to become a firefighter. For more information see the Retained Firefighter role map (opens in new window)
Medical / Optical Assessments
Successful candidates who have passed the psychometric tests and the physical tests will be invited to undergo medical and optical assessments at the States Occupational Health Section, Service Doctor and Service Optometrist.
The Decision
Candidates will be advised whether they are likely to be offered a position within SJFRS.
Where all current positions are filled and you are successful, you may be put into a pool from where positions will be offered should any future position become available, prior to the next selection test.
Prior to receiving a formal offer and joining a Recruits Course, candidates’ references will be checked.
Unsuccessful candidates will only be permitted to apply a maximum of three times.
In order to give yourself the best chance of success please keep physically fit and follow the guidance provided on this information page and further information detailed on the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Website. Good Luck.
Fitness Help
Click the link for a document that will help you to improve your fitness (opens in new window) for the Firefighter Selection Tests.
Development and Training
Training
Successful applicants will be required to undertake an initial period of training, Saturday and Thursday evenings, of 10 sessions in total duration.
The training will take place at our Headquarters, Rouge Bouillon, St. Helier
After 'passing out' from the Training Course, candidates are considered to be ‘operational’ and will then be awarded a pager (bleeper), allocated to a crew and begin responding to incidents.
Are there any entry requirements?
Personal Qualities
Your personal qualities are important to us. We are looking for enthusiastic men and women from all walks of life, with the common sense, compassion, tack and demeanour to deal with physically and emotionally demanding situations. You will also need the ability to work as part of a team.
Availability
You must either live or work within 6 minutes of Western Station, St Brelade or 15 minutes of Rouge Bouillon Headquarters, St Helier, in order that you can attend quickly in the event of an emergency call-out.
Because you will be 'on call' you must be flexible and available at short notice. You must also be available to attend weekly training sessions.
Age
To become a retained firefighter you must be 18 on your first day of service
Residential Qualifications
We are seeking applicants from amongst locally qualified people first, but we would also be interested in hearing from others in the local community
Health
A good standard of health is needed and all applicants must pass a medical examination as part of the selection process.
Physical Fitness Standards
Applicants must be physically fit, and will need to pass the selection tests. The physical requirements of the selection process are fairly demanding.
Eyesight
You must have unaided vision of at least 6/9 in each eye (as measured by the ‘Snellen Test’) and have good colour perception
Education
Candidates must have a good standard of education, educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
Driving Licence
You must have a Full clean licence.
