Firefighter
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Firefighter
Hi, I am a current firefighter with a vision to becoming a fire saftey/health and saftey consultant on my days off, I currently have IFE qualifications and as I undserstand it I will need to aquire Nebosh certificate. I have researched how to become a self employed consultant/advisor however I'm struggling to see how and what qualifications I need and once I have qualifications how to apply them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Alexis
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Re: Firefighter
Hi Random and welcome to HSfB.Random511 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:25 pm Hi, I am a current firefighter with a vision to becoming a fire saftey/health and saftey consultant on my days off, I currently have IFE qualifications and as I undserstand it I will need to aquire Nebosh certificate. I have researched how to become a self employed consultant/advisor however I'm struggling to see how and what qualifications I need and once I have qualifications how to apply them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I know our amazing fire professional members, some from the same background as your own, will come in when they are free to offer their own experiences.
Good to have you aboard.
"A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle."
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Messy
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Now sort of retired from the fire safety game, but doing the odd job here and there to keep my grey matter working and as I hate sudoku and havent got the back for an allotment - Location: Sunny London where the streets are paved with gold ;)
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Re: Firefighter
Hi Random
Firstly, you need to tread very carefully as many Fire & Rescue Authorities are reluctant to give permission to their staff to carry out fire safety work on their rest days. You can see their point as there is a potential conflict of interest in having an employee of a fire safety enforcement authority engaged in this work, especially if they use their role as a firefighter to promote and market themselves.
I will let others that are more experienced in qualifications guide you towards the best path, but be careful. Having a qualification does not make you competent on its own. The NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety is now achievable in a week and is lovely to use in marketing or to promote yourself. But its only designed for low and medium risk - however you would define that.
A large house separated into 6 flats (a HMO). Some may see the size of that as moderate risk. This is where a lot of work is right now, but be really careful as this is where there are traps that can catch you out and of course, this is the type of property that is more likely to have a fatal fire (and all the scrutiny of YOUR work that follows), so be careful.
Doing fire safety part time as a sole trader is also tricky when it comes to Public Indemnity insurance. It is very expensive now after Grenfell (it went up after 9/11 too), so bites into your profits if you only work 1 or 2 days a week. To work without it is plain daft - financial suicide.
My way in was through my local Hospital. I got a job there training nursing staff and then did a few 'reviews' of FRAs for the guy who was their FS Manager. I dipped my toe in the water by doing a handful of FRAs elsewhere for myself, but soon realised I was out of my depth. Simple stuff such as working out occupancy numbers or when a door must open in he direction of travel. So I went into my employers Fire Safety Enforcement team. It was the best move I ever made. I volunteered for ever course, shadowed some very experienced IOs and did a LOT of reading - and used sites like this a lot too!!
Firstly, you need to tread very carefully as many Fire & Rescue Authorities are reluctant to give permission to their staff to carry out fire safety work on their rest days. You can see their point as there is a potential conflict of interest in having an employee of a fire safety enforcement authority engaged in this work, especially if they use their role as a firefighter to promote and market themselves.
I will let others that are more experienced in qualifications guide you towards the best path, but be careful. Having a qualification does not make you competent on its own. The NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety is now achievable in a week and is lovely to use in marketing or to promote yourself. But its only designed for low and medium risk - however you would define that.
A large house separated into 6 flats (a HMO). Some may see the size of that as moderate risk. This is where a lot of work is right now, but be really careful as this is where there are traps that can catch you out and of course, this is the type of property that is more likely to have a fatal fire (and all the scrutiny of YOUR work that follows), so be careful.
Doing fire safety part time as a sole trader is also tricky when it comes to Public Indemnity insurance. It is very expensive now after Grenfell (it went up after 9/11 too), so bites into your profits if you only work 1 or 2 days a week. To work without it is plain daft - financial suicide.
My way in was through my local Hospital. I got a job there training nursing staff and then did a few 'reviews' of FRAs for the guy who was their FS Manager. I dipped my toe in the water by doing a handful of FRAs elsewhere for myself, but soon realised I was out of my depth. Simple stuff such as working out occupancy numbers or when a door must open in he direction of travel. So I went into my employers Fire Safety Enforcement team. It was the best move I ever made. I volunteered for ever course, shadowed some very experienced IOs and did a LOT of reading - and used sites like this a lot too!!
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Officalfamous_01
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Re: Firefighter
Hi,
I believe you l need the proper training, skills, techniques to be a fire consultant or career in fire fighting.
First get a certification , degree relating to fire, prevention and how to manage and control fire, then get experiences on situations regarding fire.
Having all this will make u stand out, you can't give what you don't have , love and light your way .
I believe you l need the proper training, skills, techniques to be a fire consultant or career in fire fighting.
First get a certification , degree relating to fire, prevention and how to manage and control fire, then get experiences on situations regarding fire.
Having all this will make u stand out, you can't give what you don't have , love and light your way .
