Retained Firefighter

Galway County Council is responsible for the provision of Fire and Rescue and a Fire Prevention service to Galway City and County on a shared service basis. The employment is part-time and pensionable.

Galway Fire and Rescue 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. Emergency calls are not solely to fires, but to a wide variety of incidents such as road traffic accidents, machinery accidents, chemical spillages, toxic emissions and river rescues amongst others.

To deliver this service to the public the Fire and Rescue Service has to develop operational plans, including the provision of adequate water supplies for firefighting; ensure that effective arrangements exist to receive emergency ‘999’ calls and mobilise resources; implement effective operational communication systems throughout the Fire and Rescue Service; enforce, promote and encourage fire safety within the County by programs of inspection and publicity; conduct effective training to develop the skills and abilities of personnel; and provide, maintain and repair its premises, vehicles, plant and equipment.

Fully qualified fire-fighters are capable of using the most modern equipment, methods and techniques to undertake the full range of duties such as firefighting, rescue, attendance at road traffic accidents and other emergencies. The fire-fighter’s working life and training is geared to responding safely and effectively to emergency calls, regardless of weather conditions or the time of day or night. Every time fire-fighters are called to the scene of an emergency, they must be prepared to deploy each and every skill in which they have been trained. When they arrive at an incident as part of a team under the command of an Officer, they may individually have to absorb a great deal of information rapidly and apply the skills they have learned in conditions which will often be extremely dangerous and confusing. Despite all the training given in preparation for such incidents, however, fire-fighters will from time to time be faced with new situations where they may individually be required to provide the answers using previous experiences as a guide.

Fire-fighters in an emergency situation may be wearing breathing apparatus, feeling their way through a smoke-filled building with toxic hazards, in order to affect a rescue.

In order to function effectively in emergencies fire-fighters must demonstrate the following characteristics:

• Courage and physical strength;

• A capacity for rapid, intense and sustained effort;

• An unquestioning acceptance of orders in emergency situations;

• A capacity to use their own initiative when alone;

• Complete and automatic familiarity with the equipment and tools of the profession (which may range up to major items of plant such as fire-fighting appliance vehicles);

• A practical understanding of the basis of a wide range of subjects necessary to anticipate and overcome hazards;

• Empathy with victims of emergency situations;

• An ability to carry out their function in what may occasionally be emotionally difficult and harrowing circumstances.

A Good Job:

Working in the Fire Service is very appealing – it is action oriented, serving the community, with job satisfaction and high-level training. If you can meet the demands of a public service with a first-class reputation for dealing with all types of serious incidents, the Retained Fire Service can offer you a fulfilling and satisfying job.

A Satisfying and Progressive Career:

A career as a retained fire-fighter will be demanding both physically and mentally. You will be operationally 'on-call' once you have completed your recruit training and for the first year you will be on probation. You will be expected to absorb a wide range of information and to demonstrate your technical and practical skills through a series of assessments and examinations.

Always Improving:

Technological developments in every dimension of our lives and new hazards must be matched by improvements in fire-fighting techniques and equipment. A reasonable standard of education is desirable so that you can assimilate the technical work involved in today's service. The role of a modern fire-fighter is very challenging and rewarding and individuals are required to display determination, physical stamina and discipline in stressful situations.

Fire Service - Duties

Some of the Key Duties of a Retained Firefighter are:

• Attend at fires and other emergencies, drills, displays and other duties at such times and for such periods as required by the County Council. Failure to respond promptly to fire or other emergency calls will be addressed through the Council’s disciplinary procedure.

• When attending for Fire Brigade service, be prepared to accept the work entailed and to fulfil to the best of your ability your duty as a Firefighter in the saving of life, saving of property and the fighting of fires or other such emergencies.

• Comply with Galway County Council’s Crew Management Arrangements for Retained Firefighters. If you are on standby during fires or other incidents, you shall remain at the Station and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Station Officer from time to time during the callout.

• Ensure that the Fire Station is kept clean & tidy at all times. Firefighting equipment shall be kept clean, maintained properly and stowed away in a safe manner.

• Adhere to and co-operate with all National and Local Agreements pertaining to the Fire Services.

• Attend Training Courses as directed.

• Undertake driving duties as required.

• Comply with all organisational policies, procedures and legislation.

• Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications for the Post

Eligibility

Each Candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

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

Have attained a satisfactory level of education to enable them to perform satisfactorily as a Firefighter and to successfully undergo the appropriate training.

Shall possess a valid full current Category B Driving Licence at the time of applying for the post. All newly appointed Retained Firefighters will be offered the opportunity obtain a Category C Driving Licence.

Live and work within the required response travel time as outlined in the Residence criteria of this booklet.

Be available and attend alerts 24 weeks in the year on a rostered-on/flexible basis.

Character

A Firefighter must be of good character and shall not at any time bring the County Council into disrepute. Galway County Council may make whatever enquiries it considers necessary to satisfy this condition. Employment will be subject to the provision of satisfactory references and Garda Vetting.

Age

Candidates shall be over the age of 18 years at the date of application. Any candidate who reaches the age of 55 years prior to appointment will cease to be eligible for appointment on the result of the competition.

Retirement

The normal retirement age is 55. The retirement age for a fire-fighter may be extended up to 62 years at the discretion of Galway County Council as their employer and subject to the fire-fighter successfully completing a medical examination by the Council's Medical Adviser for each year of service after Age 55.

Health

Successful candidates who are offered employment will be required to pass a medical examination and other tests prior to being given a contract. These tests are conducted at his/her own expense (this may subsequently be recouped on appointment).

An Operational Firefighter shall:

Agree to participate in the Occupational Health Scheme for Retained Firefighters in operation by Galway County Council; and

At any time, if requested by the County Council, undergo such medical examination(s) by medical examiner(s) as nominated by the County Council; and

Attend medical examinations in accordance with the frequency set down in the Occupational Health Scheme for Retained Firefighters.

An operational Firefighter is required to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness.

Medical Examination

Before recruitment, a candidate must undergo such medical examination (which may include X-ray and/or other special tests) as the Council consider necessary and in line with national guidance and requirements for retained fire-fighters/Occupational Health System for Retained Fire-fighters. The medical examiners will be nominated by the Council. A candidate must comply, at their own expense, with such remedial requirements as the Council may consider necessary.

Fire-fighters employed by the Council will be required to undergo regular compulsory medical examinations as set out in the Occupational Health System for Retained Fire-fighters, up to age 55 and then annually up to age 62. A Fire-fighter who is unable to satisfy the Council as to their ability to perform their duties to the necessary standard will be required to retire.

Residence/Place of Work

All applicants for the position of Retained Fire-Fighter must have the ability to respond to their local fire station within sufficient time of a call being sent to their alerter/pager (which the fire-fighter carries). A Retained Firefighter must live and work within a maximum of 8 minutes travel time from their assigned Retained Fire Station, to allow them to respond for the duration of their employment as a Firefighter.

Whether a candidate meets the criterion for distance from the fire station in terms of required response will be ascertained based on the information provided by the candidate and verified using Google Maps, local station knowledge or other reasonable means as determined by the Chief Fire Officer.

If successful in the competition, documentary evidence of both home and work addresses will be required prior to appointment as a Retained Firefighter. A Retained Firefighter must notify the County Council in writing of any subsequent changes of residence or place of employment. A change of residence or place of employment that would place a Retained Firefighter outside the prescribed distance for required response will mean automatic termination of employment. The Council will check this both prior to appointment and at periodic intervals after appointment.

Other Employment

Written evidence must be provided from the firefighter’s employer as to availability 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 Firefighter's primary employer subsequently changes their 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.

Education and Experience

A candidate must have attained a suitable level of education to enable them to undergo successfully the appropriate training, and to perform satisfactorily as a Fire-fighter. Each candidate must be able to demonstrate a proficient level of literacy and numeracy skills to allow them to fulfil the duties of the role. Candidates will be required to undertake a Literacy and Numeracy Competency Test as part of the recruitment process.

Driving Licence

A candidate, at the date of application, must be the holder of a full unendorsed Class 'B' Driving Licence. All newly appointed Retained Firefighters will be offered the opportunity to obtain a Category C Driving Licence. If during your employment, your licence is revoked, even temporarily, or if you receive endorsements on your licence which may affect your duties, you are obliged to notify the Council immediately.

Citizenship

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway; or

A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa; or

A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015, or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa; or

A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa.

*Non-Irish Qualifications must be accompanied by a determination from Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to establish their comparability against the Irish National Framework of Qualifications; overseas qualifications must also be accompanied by a translation document.

Employment Equality

The post of fire-fighter is open to everyone who can meet the qualifying criteria. Galway County Council is committed to a policy of equal opportunity.

Salary

The employment is part-time. A firefighter starting in the service will receive a fixed payment of €21,478 per year. This includes the annual retainer fee as outlined below and additional nationally agreed allowances. This fixed payment increases with the length of service.