Corsasport-Jamie
Member
Registered: 10th Apr 10
Location: Jedburgh, Scotland
User status: Offline
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Just wondered if anyone on here does this aswell as working full time in another job? Im thinking about signing up for it the next time a place becomes available at my local station but just wanted to know what its like to live with realistically on a daily basis and how much of an impact it has on your life? Id like to eventually go full time but want to start off part time. Any help would be appreciated thanks 
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Cole
Member
Registered: 11th Nov 02
Location: eastbourne Drives:zafira sold now a qashqai
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My old boss did it pretty much ruined his marriage tbh becaus he was on call 70hrs a week inc all weekends couldn't do anything with his kids etc couldn't drink in the evenings after work. Then head to go to an rtc where two young lads had been run off the rd in their car hit a tree my boss had to sit with this guy whilst they cut him out as the dash was crushed against him when they lifted the dash off him the kid just took a final breath and died as the dash was keeping him alive that really messed my boss up he never went back after that. So moral is if you have kids don't do it and want a social life don't do it, try to go whole time straight away
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VrsTurbo
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Jun 10
User status: Offline
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Seen the title and was expecting Nathy to have created the thread. But good on you for wanting to do it
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Gary
Premium Member
Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
User status: Offline
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Just wait and go full time. Managing two jobs will be hard work. Especially if your out all night at a fire then have to go back to normal work in the morning
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nathy_87
Member
Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: Škoda Fabia VRS 5J
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by VrsTurbo
Seen the title and was expecting Nathy to have created the thread. But good on you for wanting to do it
funny cunt you are!
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LeeM
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Registered: 26th Sep 05
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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It's only really a way to help you get in full time. How far do you work and live from the local station as well btw, needs to be within a certain distance
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Ricky352
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Registered: 6th Apr 07
Location: Lisburn, N.I.
User status: Offline
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My uncle does it part time, hes on call for a certain amount of days during the week. He has been called out of a few occassions like his kids birthdays and family events etc, but sometimes its only a short call and he can return in an hour or two, other times he'd be away for longer. Hes also a self employed farmer and probably finds it easy to balance the two because he can choose to be flexible with the farm work, to a certain degree.
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Jas
Member
Registered: 13th Oct 04
Location: Mid Wales
User status: Offline
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my mate does it, 120 odd hours a week he has to be signed on, I couldn't do it with my job, takes up too much of his life
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jonnysri
Member
Registered: 16th Jun 05
Location: Leeds (Ilkley)
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Corsasport-Jamie
Just wondered if anyone on here does this aswell as working full time in another job? Im thinking about signing up for it the next time a place becomes available at my local station but just wanted to know what its like to live with realistically on a daily basis and how much of an impact it has on your life? Id like to eventually go full time but want to start off part time. Any help would be appreciated thanks
ive been retained for 6 years. i also work with my dad whos a builder, so im on sites local and sometimes further a field. i cover 90 hours a week on call. im guessing you live close to your local station? whats your second job?
ill be honest, it impacts alot on your life but you learn to live with it as i have. ive got a great crew i work with and it makes the inconvieneice alot less. which brigade are you applying for?
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Corsasport-Jamie
Member
Registered: 10th Apr 10
Location: Jedburgh, Scotland
User status: Offline
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Thanks for the replys guys, yes the reason i want to apply for part time is because iv just turned 20 so thought if i do a few years retained i would have a greater chance in getting into it full time. I live and work within 2mins of my local station too so that wouldn't be a problem. I work as a mechanic for those who asked so clearing it with the boss would be the only obsticle. It would be the lothian and borders fire brigade i would be applying for
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nathy_87
Member
Registered: 14th Aug 08
Location: West Mids. Drives: Škoda Fabia VRS 5J
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by VrsTurbo
Seen the title and was expecting Nathy to have created the thread. But good on you for wanting to do it
Tbh it's one job I wouldn't be able to do. So fair play to the OP for wanting to go for it.
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BYRON
Member
Registered: 1st Jun 04
User status: Offline
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My dad has been a retained firefighter for 29 years. Not sure what minimum hours he has to be available, but he works away Monday-Friday? his work are flexible when needed especially for those unsociable hour call outs and 'stand by' in a firestation for hours on end.
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jonnysri
Member
Registered: 16th Jun 05
Location: Leeds (Ilkley)
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Corsasport-Jamie
Thanks for the replys guys, yes the reason i want to apply for part time is because iv just turned 20 so thought if i do a few years retained i would have a greater chance in getting into it full time. I live and work within 2mins of my local station too so that wouldn't be a problem. I work as a mechanic for those who asked so clearing it with the boss would be the only obsticle. It would be the lothian and borders fire brigade i would be applying for
jamie dont take the part time route as a stepping stone into full time. it doesnt work that way. because of the state of the country no brigade or atleast very few can recruit full time firefighters. there just isnt the money for it. doing all your training and NVQ level 3 to get into the retained would be invaluable to the brigade because it will cost them alot less.
this was my plan to step into full time but 6 years down the line im still retained and ive been banging on the door for a long time. if you live so close i dont think it would be a problem, youd still be able to give good availability (assuming your boss doesnt let you go). vice versa, if he does then happy days.
best of luck with it. any more questions just holla!
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jonnysri
Member
Registered: 16th Jun 05
Location: Leeds (Ilkley)
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by BYRON
My dad has been a retained firefighter for 29 years. Not sure what minimum hours he has to be available, but he works away Monday-Friday? his work are flexible when needed especially for those unsociable hour call outs and 'stand by' in a firestation for hours on end.
your dad will probably cover most of the weekend? not factoring in weeknights? minimum hours is 80. it certainly is in West yorkshire. i cant see it being much different anywhere else. ive got 2 guys who have both been in over 30 years too. what rank is your dad byron?
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Corsasport-Jamie
Member
Registered: 10th Apr 10
Location: Jedburgh, Scotland
User status: Offline
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thanks johnny thats made me aware of a few things i didnt know, the station in the town i live in is only a retained station its not open full time (fergot to say before) so say i get into my local station and do retained for a few years if say a full time place became available in edinburgh or whatever would i be made aware of that? i just thought surely retained fire fighters would get first chance of full time places when they become available?
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Tom J
Organiser: South Wales
Premium Member
Registered: 8th Sep 03
Location: Bridgend
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Corsasport-Jamie
thanks johnny thats made me aware of a few things i didnt know, the station in the town i live in is only a retained station its not open full time (fergot to say before) so say i get into my local station and do retained for a few years if say a full time place became available in edinburgh or whatever would i be made aware of that? i just thought surely retained fire fighters would get first chance of full time places when they become available?
doesn't work like that tbh mate, i've spoken to a few retained and they've struggled to get in as wholetime as you still have to go through the whole selection process like Joe Bloggs off the street and theres so much competition for the jobs
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BYRON
Member
Registered: 1st Jun 04
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by jonnysri
quote:
Originally posted by BYRON
My dad has been a retained firefighter for 29 years. Not sure what minimum hours he has to be available, but he works away Monday-Friday? his work are flexible when needed especially for those unsociable hour call outs and 'stand by' in a firestation for hours on end.
your dad will probably cover most of the weekend? not factoring in weeknights? minimum hours is 80. it certainly is in West yorkshire. i cant see it being much different anywhere else. ive got 2 guys who have both been in over 30 years too. what rank is your dad byron?
LFF 
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jr
Member
Registered: 20th May 02
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Tom J
quote:
Originally posted by Corsasport-Jamie
thanks johnny thats made me aware of a few things i didnt know, the station in the town i live in is only a retained station its not open full time (fergot to say before) so say i get into my local station and do retained for a few years if say a full time place became available in edinburgh or whatever would i be made aware of that? i just thought surely retained fire fighters would get first chance of full time places when they become available?
doesn't work like that tbh mate, i've spoken to a few retained and they've struggled to get in as wholetime as you still have to go through the whole selection process like Joe Bloggs off the street and theres so much competition for the jobs
not every single authority works like that though, sometimes (with us) its easier to go On-Call to Whole Time than just a new recruit, what works for one FRS isnt allways the same for the other
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