If you’re thinking of careers in the Fire Service and picturing a giant of a man with a child slung over each shoulder emerging from a towering inferno then think again! Careers in the Fire Service are not all about Fire Fighting, nor are they limited to the male half of the population.

Why should anyone, male or female, consider a career as a Fire Fighter?

Anyone who is looking for a career that is challenging, exciting and rewarding should definitely consider a career as a Fire Fighter. It may sound very cliché, but if you were to ask any Fire Fighter about the role, they would probably tell you that no two days or incidents they attend are the same.

What is the current ratio of men to women working in the Fire Service?

At present only a small percentage of the fire fighting workforce is female, (approximately 1 - 3%), but we are starting to see a consistent increase in the amount of women who are looking to become Fire Fighters. On our current recruits course (Jan 09) 15% of our new recruits are female.

Why do you think there are fewer women than men in the Fire Service and are things changing?

Traditionally Fire Fighting has never been a role which has been promoted to women as a viable career option. I have also found that a lot of the women I speak to, who are not familiar with the service, still think that we have height restrictions. The job is physically demanding and you do have to have good upper body strength and stamina, but many women seem to think that Fire Fighting is a job they ‘can’t do’ which may stem from the stereotype that we have of Fire Fighters which is usually 6 feet tall and macho.

Is it important that the Fire Service reflects the public it serves by recruiting more females and ethnic minorities?

The reality of the situation is that we are looking for people with a wide variety of skills and experience. We haven’t had height restrictions or used the chest expansion test for a number of years. And other old fashioned ways of testing have now been replaced with much more modern methods. It is now about your ability to be able to do the job, not just about your physical make up. The Fire Service is a public service and we are here to serve the public. It is important that we reflect the communities we service, as this gives us a better understanding of the issues that these communities face. It also demonstrates that we are inclusive; people often feel they can trust an organisation when they see people they can identify with.

What are the different roles available in the Fire Service?

The role of Fire Fighter is no longer about just attending fires or a road traffic collision and then going back to the station. We now focus on prevention and work with people to reduce the risk of fire. The Fire Service isn’t just about Fire Fighters and we have a wide variety of jobs and roles within the Service. These can range from uniformed control staff, catering staff and admin staff to IT and Finance; we even have our own mechanics and electricians.

What is currently being done to actively recruit more women into the profession? How can women find out more?

We are currently looking to attract more women into the service; we are doing this a number of ways:

• By running Fire Fighter Taster Days, these allow people to get an insight into the role and recruitment process

• We are advertising in Women’s magazines and have posters specifically aimed at women

• We run a Fire Fighter Fitness programme for women

• We are actively working with local women’s group to encourage and attract candidates to the service

What is the earning potential for a Fire Fighter and what are the hours like?

If Fire Fighting sounds like a career for you then you’ll be pleased to know that the earning potential ranges from £20,896 (the starting salary for a new recruit, this increases to £21,896 after completion of the 15 week training course) to £27,851 once a Fire Fighter is competent (usually within 3 years). Regarding career progression in the Service, here are the roles you can aspire to and what you can potentially earn:

• Crew Manager - earns circa £30K

• Watch Manager - earns circa £31–34K

• Station Manager - earns circa £36-47K

• Group Managers - earn circa £49–55K

• Area Managers - earn circa £58–64K

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has a 5 Watch system, which means our work patterns differ from that of other Fire and Rescue Services. We currently work a shift system of two days (9am to 6pm), two nights (6pm to 9am) (also known as a tour) and four days off. This pattern continues for a seven week cycle followed by 18 days off.

What personal and physical qualities do you need to be a Fire Fighter? What can women uniquely bring to the industry?

We need people with a variety of skills, stamina and strength is important but we are also looking for people with good communication skills who have the ability to breakdown barriers and are able to understand and empathise with the communities with which we engage with: these are some of the qualities that women can bring to the role.

Acknowledgment

The above article relates to the Greater Manchester Fire Service.