Find out how suited you might be to a career in the fire service
by answering the following questions.
If you can answer yes to all of them, and have
good examples to back up your answers, then a career as a
firefighter might well be for you.
You can also get an insight into life on station by reading the
firefighters profiles in the 'is it for me?' area
- Are you genuinely interested in people? Can you get on with
people from different backgrounds and cultures?
- Have you worked as part of a close-knit team? Can you work
under pressure without letting the rest of your team down?
- Can you think on your feet and solve problems when you know a
lot depends on the suggestions you come up with?
- Do you have the sensitivity to deal with members of the public
when they are distressed, confused or being obstructive?
- Can you take responsibility for representing the fire service
when you are at work, and when you are not?
- Are you prepared for the demands of working in a disciplined
uniformed service in which you will have to take orders from other
people?
- Can you accept the need to keep to rules that tell you what you
can and cannot wear, including how you should wear your hair?
- Are you committed to maintaining your physical fitness? Is
regular exercise a part of your everyday life?
- Are you prepared to work day and night shifts, including
evenings, weekends and public holidays?
- Are you a practical person who likes to work with their hands
and with equipment? Do you enjoy making things, or finding out how
things work?
- Are you someone who can always be relied on to be somewhere on
time? Are you someone that others see as dependable?
- Are you prepared to commit at least 12 weeks of your life to
your initial training with no time off for holidays?
- Are you prepared to work outside for several hours in all types
of weather, not knowing when a job might finish?
- Are you someone who can cope with routine, knowing that you may
have to do the same things at the same time on most
days?