Fancy a Career as a Senior Fire Officer Without the Faff of Starting at the Bottom?

[Messy]

Fancy a career in the fire service, but can't be bothered about starting at the bottom and learning your trade working on a fire station? No way would you want to wear breathing apparatus in a burning building or work for 6 hours in a burning field of standing corn? More suited to a spreadsheet but you like the uniform?

Don't worry, there's no need to get your hands dirty any more, as you can enter directly as a senior officer

I am no luddite. I think this is workable in the principle management roles who deal at a high level with budgets, planning and HR strategy but rarely go to incidents. But this 'direct entry scheme' involves parachuting members of the public in as 'Station managers' who will have to make significant and risk critical operational decisions at incidents on a weekly basis (daily at the moment in the heatwave).

These bright new things will have to be code huggers. They will have to either ask experienced subordinates for help and advice or apply 'procedure' to the letter every time rather than common sense.

Some say there is a huge H&S risk from putting a 'new recruit' in charge of 30 firefighters at an incident. I agree, that is possible, but I predict an extremely cautious approach will be adopted by this brave team. So out go firefighters with breathing apparatus entering a roof space to put out a fire from inside, and in comes a safer strategy of wetting the roof from the outside (ignoring that roofs are designed to repel water!) as that is safer when you havent got a clue.

By the way, London's fire bridge tried this a while ago and it was a disaster. But 10 fire and rescue services are resurrecting the idea

If you are thinking about this career, adverts go out next month so good luck. But if you are white, male and straight, you won't get a look in. The publicised main aim of this policy is to increase diversity in top management.

I am sorry if this post makes me sound like a cynical dinosaur - maybe I am? - but if they left it well alone, firefighters from minority groups would trickle up through the ranks.

I recall attending my first incident 45 years go as a recruit firefighter. I felt so out of place and was so pleased to be surrounded and supported by experienced hands 360 degrees around me. The idea of my first 'job' was being in change of 50 firefighters at a major fire scares me to death

https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/N ... ry-scheme-

[hammer1]

Hi Messy

I agree, sod all that, I assume there be a operational role for someone senior to cover that element and the station manager just focus on strategic stuff?

Plenty roles now where recruitment approach is Graduate/University leavers rather than promoting within, so you get someone with a Degree in Sociology managing peeps in Advertising / Banking

PS - How is retirement mate, is this you hanging up your boots forever or you gonna dip your toe back in ??

[Messy]

Hi Hammer

I hope you are and your family are well.

I assume there will a mentoring process for a limited time before the training wheels are removed and they are on their own. Again, it's likely that they will have to strictly apply procedures to cover their lack of operation command experience

The issue is that it is recognised that there cannot be a procedure for all eventualities or incidents. This is when it's required to use a hybrid approach, using part of procedure A and stitching it to the latter part of procedure B and so on. That needs a mixture of confidence and competence that is perhaps a big ask for a new recruit

I am fine thanks and have enjoyed a few months off - or employed by Mrs Messy on numerous delayed projects. I have recently secured a fascinating zero hour contract which allows me to dip my toe in a few days a month, but still enjoy lots of relaxing time - especially with my 1 year old grandson. He gives me lots of opportunity to grow old disgracefully