Retained Fire Fighter

Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons to fill the role of Retained (Part-time) Fire-Fighters.

Monaghan Fire provide a range of services for the citizens of Monaghan to ensure public safety. These services include the delivery of a Fire Service response to protect and assist our community when required.

The common image of the Fire Service is naturally one of fire-fighters turning out in fire appliances and fighting fires. While some of the work involves attendance at fires, the role of the Fire Service is much wider and the needs of the community much more varied. Monaghan Fire Service responds to all emergency calls from the public for assistance, primarily to protect life and save injury to individuals, but also to prevent and restrict damage to property.

Monaghan is served by five retained fire stations at Clones, Monaghan, Ballybay, Castleblayney and Carrickmacross, providing an operational fire and emergency response service at all times.

Monaghan County Council provides a 24-hour 365-day emergency response to the people of Monaghan and certain areas of adjoining counties via five fire brigades and a complement of fifty-one personnel. A retained Firefighter working within the organisation is an essential part of a disciplined and well-structured team which provides an emergency response to the community in which he/she works and resides in (must work and reside within a reasonable distance of the relevant Fire Station to allow him/her to respond within the travel time of 6 minutes).

ESSENTIAL QUALIFYING CRITERIA FOR THE POST

• Persons appointed shall reside and work within a reasonable distance of the relevant fire station to allow him/her to respond within the travel time of 6min or as agreed with the Chief Fire Officer.

• Applicants shall possess adequate literacy and numeric skills to allow them to carry out their duties in a competent and safe manner. Applicants will have to undertake a literacy and numeric skills test as part of the selection process.

• Applicants shall undertake physical tests, including tests for acrophobia, claustrophobia, and dexterity as part of the selection process.

• Applicants will be required to provide a medical fitness note from their General Practitioner in advance of their pre-interview assessment.

• Applicants who are successful will be required to undertake and successfully pass a medical examination and a Recruit Training Course (3 weeks duration) without delay in advance of any appointment being made.

• Applicants who are successful shall be prepared to undertake any Fire Service training courses deemed necessary to refresh and/or enhance their capability to carry out their role in a competent and safe manner.

• Obtaining a Class C Driving licence will be mandatory during the probation period.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

The ideal candidate will be a highly motived person, with a strong sense of community commitment and shall demonstrate a clear knowledge and understanding of: -

• Local Government services and structure

• The structure of the Retained Fire Service

• The operational abilities of Monaghan Fire and Rescue Service

• The demands placed on members of the Retained Fire Service

• Teamwork and group dynamics

• Dealing with high risk, stressful and dynamic environments

• Knowledge of health and safety within the workplace.

The ideal candidate shall also have a proven ability in: -

• Dealing effectively with conflicting demands

• Acting on own initiate

• Problem solving and decision making

• Effective communication with work colleagues

• Effective communication with the public

• Service to the community, voluntary organisations or other

• Active engagement with Health, Safety and Welfare within the workplace

• Working under pressure within a structured environment

• Adaptability to evolving situations.

ADDITIONAL RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

• An applicant who is found to be ineligible at any stage of the competition will not be further considered. Provision of inaccurate, untrue or misleading information will lead to disqualification from the competition, withdrawal of employment offer or dismissal

• Information provided by a candidate in their application form will be used for the purpose of the Retained Fire Service Competition. By applying for this post, the applicant is consenting to their information being used for this purpose

• The onus is on each applicant to ensure that she/he is in receipt of all communication from Monaghan County Council. Monaghan County Council does not accept responsibility for communications not accessed or received by an applicant.

• All applications will be acknowledged by email after the closing date has passed. Applicants who do not receive an acknowledgement within seven days of the closing date should contact the Human Resource Management Section.

Terms of Engagement of Retained Fire-fighters

POSITION:

The position is on a retained basis and membership of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme is compulsory. The Single Pension Scheme is not service based but rather based on pensionable earnings in each year served in accordance with the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government guidelines.

CHARACTER:

A firefighter must be of good character. The County Council may make whatever enquiries it considers necessary to satisfy this condition.

AGE:

A fire-fighter must submit a birth certificate to the County Council as proof of age before they are engaged as a recruit.

RETIREMENT:

On reaching 55 years of age or sooner if found to be medically unfit, a firefighter shall cease to be a firefighter. The maximum age limit of 55 years may be lowered by the County Council should the normal age for retirement in employment generally be lowered and, in such case, the age lower than 55 years shall apply.

Firefighters who would be physically capable of working beyond age 55 have the option to continue working for a defined limited period subject to compulsory medical assessment, on an annual basis. The extended optional period would be to age 58. No Retained Fire-fighter shall be employed beyond age 58, in accordance with the Report of the Expert Group on retirement age for Retained Firefighters (April 2003).

ROSTERING:

Firefighters shall participate in any rostering arrangements as agreed.

HEALTH:

A firefighter shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Medical Examination etc.

Under the terms of the agreed Occupational Health Scheme for members of the retained fire service, you will be required to undergo a regular medical examination by a medical practitioner nominated by the Council.

Retention as a firefighter will depend upon receipt of satisfactory reports by medical examiner(s) and to the general condition above as to health. An operational Firefighter must maintain a good level of physical fitness through regular strenuous exercise.

ANNUAL LEAVE:

Your annual leave entitlement will be calculated in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Organisation of Working Time Act (Regulations) 2001. The present annual leave entitlement is 28 days per annum.

You will be required to participate in the rostering of holidays at the commencement of each quarter to ensure that the appropriate number of personnel approved by the Station Officer will be available for duty.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD:

A recruit firefighter shall be on probation for a period of two years from the date of commencement as a retained firefighter. Such period of two years may be extended at the absolute discretion of the County Council. The recruit shall not become an operational firefighter at the end of the period of probation unless the County Council is satisfied that the firefighter has been satisfactory in all respects.

Recruit firefighters will be required to undergo and successfully complete the following recruit training programme during their probationary period:

Training fees will be paid at the current hourly rate for firefighters during training.

Failure to successfully complete such courses will result in the termination of the fire-fighter’s employment.

Some or all of the above courses will be held at a recognised training centre which may or may not be situated locally.

DRILLS AND FURTHER TRAINING:

ATTENDANCE AT DRILLS AND INCIDENTS:

A firefighter shall attend and participate in drills and shall undergo from time to time, courses and further training as required or deemed appropriate by the County Council. The County Council shall decide the location(s) of the training. Adequate advance notice shall be given to firefighters.

Drills shall be held at such frequency as decided by the Chief Fire Officer. The level of training to be successfully undertaken by a firefighter shall be such as to enable them to carry out competently and effectively the various operations required in the fire service. These include the operation of communications systems, driving appliances and vehicles, and the operation of pumps, lifts, escapes, rescue and emergency equipment, hydrant testing etc., and such other matters and requirements as may arise from time to time. A firefighter shall be expected to acquire a level of training and knowledge as to enable them to interchange with and act as substitute for all personnel at operational level in the fire service of the County Council.

You will be requested to obtain a Class C driving licence so as to be capable of driving emergency vehicles if required within 2 years of your appointment and successfully complete an appropriate Emergency Services Driving Standard (ESDS) level assessment. The Assessment will consist of a theoretical and practical examination. The assessment will be carried out by a registered ESDS assessors.

A fire-fighter shall submit a driving licence to the County Council before being allowed to drive any Council vehicle.

There is an obligation on firefighters to attend at alert/fire calls and at drills. This is the basis on which a retainer is paid. The onus on arranging to receive an alert/fire call shall rest with the firefighter.

Notwithstanding any other disciplinary action that the County Council may apply, failure to attend or participate in 85% of drills or at a pre-determined % of calls in any quarter of a year, without good reason, shall result in withholding the retainer in accordance with the terms of the Retained firefighters Agreement of 1999.

In the case of an alert/fire call, the fire fighter shall attend within 6 minutes or as required by the Chief Fire Officer to the Fire Station and in accordance with the terms of the “Retained Firefighters Agreement of 1999” firefighters shall be paid accordingly for alerts/fire calls.

Where the Chief Fire Officer considers that a fire fighter is not fulfilling the above attendance standards which he considers reasonable in all the circumstances, the Chief Fire Officer will have the right to withhold payment of the retainer.

Subsequent continuing failure to meet the above attendance standards, without good reason, shall be dealt with through the disciplinary procedure and may result in termination of service at the absolute discretion of the County Council.

A Firefighter reporting for drill 8 minutes late shall not be entitled to credit for attendance at the drill.

Stand-by Firefighters answering an alert within eight (8) minutes shall be paid one-hour flat time and will be at the Station unless required at an incident.

RESIDENCE:

Persons appointed shall reside and work close to their fire station. On receipt of an alert a firefighter must be able to attend at the fire station within a period of six minutes or as required by the Chief Fire Officer. A firefighter shall notify the fire authority in writing of any subsequent changes of residence or place of employment.

Persons appointed must reside and work within a maximum of 6 minutes travel time (based on GPS navigation planner e.g. Google maps or similar as determined by Monaghan County Council) to allow them to respond for the duration of their employment as a Firefighter. Monaghan County Council retains the right to request further evidence, if required on the information supplied, for the purpose of verification of place of residence and location of employment.

A change of residence or place of employment that would place the firefighter outside these limits will mean automatic termination of employment.

A firefighter shall be required to report for duty to the fire station in its present location, or in the event of change of location to such new location as may be decided by the Fire Authority. Changes in the location of the fire station will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation.

AVAILABILITY:

Written evidence must be provided from the employer as to your availability to turn up to all callouts of the Fire Brigade and to attend any courses arranged by the Fire Service prior to appointment, and the County Council in its sole discretion, shall decide as to whether the availability as so provided is acceptable. If the fire-fighter's employer subsequently changes his/her conditions of employment and does not allow the firefighter to attend fire calls/drills during working hours, employment will be terminated. Self-employed must also provide written evidence as to availability prior to appointment. Such written evidence must cover a candidate's availability for initial training and for fire and other calls, drills, training and such other duties which the firefighter may be required by the County Council to perform.

A firefighter on duty may only be relieved of his/her obligation to respond to and answer fire and other calls etc., provided that:

He/she signs the ‘Leave of absence’ book in the station and notifies and gets consent from the Station Officer or in his /her absence the Sub-Officer in advance.

Where a roster is in place, a firefighter rostered on duty may only be relieved of his/her obligation to respond to and answer fire and other calls etc., provided that:

He / she has made arrangements with a firefighter rostered off duty to act as substitute in his / her place; notifies the Station Officer or in his / her absence the Sub-Officer in advance; and the Station Officer or Sub Officer has consented to the substitution.

If the County Council deems a fire-fighter's attendance to be unsatisfactory, it may terminate the fire-fighter's service.

DUTIES:

A firefighter, as and when required, shall perform such duties as are assigned to him / her from time to time by the Chief Fire Officer and/or other designated person by the Council and without prejudice to the generality of this requirement, driving duties and general firemanship duties such as the wearing of breathing apparatus, the operation of pumps, lifts, hoists, rescue and cutting equipment, hydrant testing etc. All activities shall be conducted in accordance with Monaghan County Council’s Safety Management System and comply with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

You will report to the Chief Fire Officer, or the person designated by the Chief Fire Office to be your supervisor.

A firefighter rostered on duty must remain within convenient proximity of the fire station. Failure to respond promptly to fire or other calls shall, at the discretion of the County Council, result in termination of service.

A firefighter shall report for duty in a sober manner in accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

CLOTHING etc.

Each firefighter shall be issued with -

• 1 Fire-fighter's Helmet

• 1 Fire-fighter's Tunic

• 1 Fire-fighter's Overtrousers

• 1 Pair of firefighter gloves

• 1 Flash Hood

• 1 Pair Rubber Boots

The above equipment shall be maintained in a clean and serviceable manner at all times.

REMUNERATION:

Training & Courses etc. (Other than Fire Drills).

During recruit training consisting of two weeks and courses lasting one day and upwards, the County Council shall pay drill fees.

FIREFIGHTERS

A firefighter shall be paid at the appropriate approved national rates of Fire and Drill Fees and Retainer Fees in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Retained Fire Fighter

On recruitment €17,021

2-4 Years €18,043

5-7 Years €19,303

8+ €20,454

Fire Fighter Basic pay is based on Annual Retainer, drill attendance and Community Fire Safety activity

0 – 1 year €22,141

2 – 4 years €23,163

5 – 7 Years €24,423

8 years + €25,574

In addition to the above rates per annum fire-fighters receive an hourly rate(s) for attendance at drills, training and attendance at fire-calls.

Drills Fires

Day Night/Weekend

Rate per

hr 1st Hour Subsequent hr 1st Hour Subsequent Hr.

€26.30 €52.60 €26.30 €105.20 €52.60

These rates are subject to review on an ongoing basis.

INCREMENTS:

The increments will be paid after 1-, 4-, 7- and 8-yearsyears’ service on completion of an increment form and recommendation of Chief Fire Officer.

SICK LEAVE:

Any absence on sick leave must be reported to the Station Officer or Sub Station Officer on the first morning of illness.

Where a fire-fighter is absent due to sickness, a certificate from a qualified Medical Practitioner must be submitted on the third day of a continuous absence and on a weekly basis thereafter.

Return to Work Form must be completed by any staff member absent on uncertified and certified sick leave. The form must be countersigned by the station Officer and forwarded to a Senior Fire Officer prior to submission to Human Resources. The medical certificate should state the general nature of the illness. This information will be treated in confidence. The local authority reserves the right to refer you for an independent medical examination. A certificate of fitness will be required before resuming work.

Where a firefighter becomes incapacitated for an extended period as a result of serious illness or injury, payment of the quarterly retainer will be subject to (a) the Station Officer having received notification as soon as possible concerning the circumstances of the absence and (b) a medical certificate being submitted within three days of the absence. Payment of the quarterly retainer may be extended to six months depending on the merits of each case and the applicant’s attendance records. Extended sick leave would normally only be granted to a firefighter on one occasion only. A medical certificate of fitness must be submitted prior to resuming duties.