 Retained
fire-fighters are a vital part of today’s Fire & Rescue Service. They
provide an efficient, cost-effective and reliable service that provides
emergency cover to more than 60% of the UK.
Not all UK Brigades use the retained system
Equipped with the
same kit, vehicles and equipment as a wholetime crew, retained crews
will be called upon to attend the same range of incidents as their
wholetime counterparts at any time of the day or night. In return they
are paid a retaining fee along with an additional payment for every
incident attended. They are also required to attend a training evening
for between 2 and 3 hours per week.
The 18,196
fire-fighters that make up the retained fire service in England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are generally located in rural
communities, although some units are located in more busy urban areas to
provide fire cover alongside their wholetime colleagues. Many retained
stations provide crewing for 1 appliance, however some crew 2 or more,
including special appliances i.e. hydraulic platforms, water carriers
and turntable ladders. Many wholetime stations are supported by a
complement of retained firefighters to provide extra cover and to crew
additional appliances.
Around 60% of
appliances in the UK Fire & Rescue service are crewed by Retained
firefighters. Unfortunately, the majority of the general public are not
aware that Retained firefighters exist, let alone that their local fire
station is a Retained one! This page aims to inform and educate people
wishing to learn more about the role of retained firefighters in the
community and to provide some information about recruitment for those
interested in a career as a retained firefighter.
What is a retained fire-fighter ?
The retained
fire service is a group of men and women who are 'on call' to respond to
a range of emergencies when the bleeper goes. These may be fires,
floods, road traffic collisions or chemical spills. Many retained
firefighters have other full or part-time jobs, but when the call comes
they are ready to drop whatever they are doing and become part of a
team. They work alongside full-time firefighters. Although they are
'part-time' they are trained and capable people saving lives and making
headlines.
How does it work ?
Retained fire-fighters will generally be in full-time employment with an
agreement from their employers to allow them to leave work in the event
of an emergency call.
Many people who
are unemployed are also attracted to this worthwhile commitment.
Each retained
fire-fighter is issued with a pocket alerter, which will alert the user
in the event of an emergency. Depending on the type of cover given, the
retained firefighter will respond to their local fire station from home
or work, day or night.
Commitment.
On average you
can expect to be called out only two or three times a week for a couple
of hours. And, because the idea is to have more firefighters available
than are needed to crew each appliance, you won't have to attend every
call. In addition when you really can't spare the time for some reason -
a night out or a deadline at work for example - you can "sign off" duty
providing there are enough staff available to crew the appliance for
that period.
Incidents.
Retained
firefighters, like their wholetime colleagues will respond to a broad
range of incidents including:
Fire’s
Road
traffic collisions
Chemical Incidents
Animal rescues
Water rescues
Lift
rescues
Flooding and storm weather incidents
For many retained stations, particularly those in rural areas, the
nearest Ambulance can be miles away. Early intervention by fire-fighters
can save vital minutes in the event of a patient suffering a heart
attack and can be the difference between life and
death. our station
now has an Automatic External Defibrillators and supplies of medical
grade oxygen for this purpose. |
