Retained (on call) Firefighter Application Pack
Section one
Thank you for the interest you have shown in becoming a retained (on call) firefighter. Please note that we are not always recruiting for every retained station at all times.
All applications are processed as quickly as possible but vacancies at stations are limited and we have found that on occasion applicants who have been in the recruitment system longer than yourself may be successful in filling the vacancies before you. However, in this situation we will hold your details on file and re-activate your application as and when another vacancy arises. Depending on the length of time that your details are held on file there may be a need to re-take the tests or medical as they are only valid for a certain period of time but we would discuss this with you in full if we hold your application.
Please note that Goathland and Lofthouse are volunteer fire stations and attract a different salary package. Volunteer firefighters are still required to apply and undertake all the tests detailed in this pack. Please contact the recruitment team or attend the relevant training night session at station if you would like to know more about these stations.
If you are successful following the recruitment process you will be expected to attend four training nights at the retained/volunteer station that you are appointed to and one pre-course learning day at our Training Centre in Easingwold prior to attending a two week Retained Firefighter Course.
We recommend that you contact the station you are applying for before you send in your application.This will then allow you the opportunity to ask any questions you have about the role. The best time to contact the station would be on the specified training night, details of these can be found on the next page.
If your primary employment is driving you need to be aware that the Driving Time Regulations restrict the amount of time that a “mobile worker” can work by stating that you must have 11 hours rest in every 24 and a clear 48 hours weekly. Mobile workers are defined as those who drive goods vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes or passenger vehicles (buses etc.) for more than 9 persons including the driver. Example occupations could be multi-drop delivery drivers or anyone using a large panel van for work, this term also includes any person who travels in the same vehicle such as a drivers mate who drives the vehicle for a short period or part of his/her duties are to be available for driving if necessary. These regulations also apply to the "Self Employed".
You need to be aware that any work you agree to undertake in your retained (on call) firefighter capacity during your rest periods means thatyou have to start a new period of daily or weeklyrest which would impinge upon yourability to carry out your primaryemployment.
Returning your application pack
This application pack is made up of a number of forms:
1. Availability form
2. Application form
3. Pre-physical questionnaire
4. Equality monitoring form
To return your pack please place the Pre-Physical Test Questionnaire in a sealed envelope marked ‘Strictly Private and confidential – Occupational Health Section, HQ’. Then place that envelope together with your completed availability form, application form, copies of qualifications if applicable and the equality monitoring form (if completed) in an envelope and return to CAO-HR, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Thurston Road, Northallerton, DL6 2ND.
Please ensure that you use the correct postage to return your application. We are not responsible for applications that do not reach us because of underpaid postage. Alternatively you may wish to send your application by Recorded Delivery or hand deliver it to our headquarters.
Please do not send your application to the retained firestation that you are interested in.
Station Training Nights
Below are the details of the training nights.
Station / Training Night / Start timeAcomb / Wednesday / 1900
Bedale / Tuesday / 1900
Bentham / Monday / 1900
Boroughbridge / Monday / 1900
Colburn / Wednesday / 1900
Danby / Tuesday / 1930
Easingwold / Wednesday / 1900
Filey / Wednesday / 1830
Goathland (v) / Tuesday / 1900
Grassington / Tuesday / 1900
Hawes / Monday / 1900
Helmsley / Tuesday / 1900
Huntington / Monday / 1800
Kirkbymoorside / Monday / 1900
Knaresborough / Monday / 1900
Leyburn / Tuesday / 1900
Lofthouse (v) / Wednesday / 1930
Lythe / Thursday / 1900
Malton / Tuesday / 1830
Masham / Wednesday / 1900
Northallerton / Thursday / 1900
Pickering / Wednesday / 1830
Reeth / Thursday / 1900
Ripon / Wednesday / 1900
Robin Hood’s Bay / Thursday / 1900
Selby / Tuesday / 1900
Settle / Monday / 1900
Sherburn / Wednesday / 1830
Skipton / Tuesday / 1900
Stokesley / Wednesday / 1900
Summerbridge / Wednesday / 1900
Tadcaster / Monday / 1900
Thirsk / Monday / 1900
1
New Retained FF Applicant Availability Form Only
Form 1 Retained Firefighter Availability Form
Name: ……………………………………………………………… Fire station applying for:………………………………
Home address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Work address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Home telephone: …………………………….. Work telephone:………………………………… Mobile:……………………………………………………......
Please provide your indicative availability by ticking the appropriate boxes below.
I can provide cover:
Monday-Friday day time (e.g. between 8am-6pm)
Monday-Friday evenings/nights (e.g. between 6pm-8am)
Weekend day time (e.g. between 8am -6pm)
Weekend evenings/nights (e.g. between 6pm-8am)
How long will it take you to travel to your local fire station during the times you are available to respond? ………………………………………………….
If you wish to provide further information about your availability please do so here(e.g. if you can provide cover during the day from Monday to Thursday but not on a Friday):Applicant Signature: / Date:
This page is intentionally blank
1
New Retained FF Applicant Form Only
Form 2 Application Form
Personal Details
Mr. Mrs. Miss. Ms. Other(Tick as appropriate)
Surname: ……………………………………………………………………………………………..
First name(s): ………………………………………………………………………………………..
Address: ….……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
Postcode: …………………… Firestation applying for:….…………………………..
Home telephone number: …………………………………………………………………………..
Mobile telephone number: ………………………………………………………………………….
Work telephone number: ……………………………………………………………………………
Email: …………………………………………………………………………
Date of birth: ………../…………./……………
We collect date of birth information to verify that you satisfy the minimum age criteria of being 18 or over at commencement of training and to create a unique candidate number.
Do you hold a current valid Driving Licence: Yes No (tick as appropriate)
Qualifications
You do not have to have any formal qualifications to apply to be a retained (on call) firefighter, however, if you are able to provide evidence that you have obtained any of the qualifications listed below and your initial application is deemed successful you will be exempt from the written tests.
Please tick below which qualificationyou are declaring and attach copies (not originals) with your application form. If you have any of the below qualifications but are unable to provide copies with your application form or if you do not have any of the above qualifications please tick ‘No qualification’ below.
No qualification
Maths and English GCSE (or equivalent) Grade A to C
Degree
Alternative standard qualification gained abroad
Eligibility to work
Are you eligible to work in the UK? Yes No
If you are a Commonwealth citizen or a foreign national, is your stay in the UK free of restrictions?
Yes No
If you are unsure if this relates to you please contact the recruitment team on 01609 780150.
Medical Information
If you have any specific requirements / disabilities (e.g. Dyslexia), please tick this box so that we can contact you to make sure we have made appropriate arrangements for you during the selection process.
Fire and Rescue Authorities are required to assess each applicant on an individual basis with regard to their suitability to perform the role of a Firefighter, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. This means that Fire and Rescue Authorities will consider what reasonable adjustments could be made to enable you to proceed with your application provided any such adjustments do not contravene Health and Safety legislation. Health & Safety legislation places the obligation on Fire and Rescue Authorities to ensure that individuals are safe at work for their own protection and that of others. (In the context of the Fire and Rescue Service "others" includes colleagues and members of the public). Applicants will be required to provide/obtain any evidence necessary to enable the Fire and Rescue Authority to make informed decisions as to what reasonable adjustments could be made.
Fire Service Employment
Are you currently a serving firefighter or have you ever served as a firefighter in a UK Fire and Rescue Service?
Yes, currently Yes, in the pastNo
If yes:Retained Duty System / Wholetime (delete as appropriate)
If yes, please state which fire and rescue service: ……………………………………….
Dates of Employment: From ………………………To……………......
Please tell us in the box below why you want to be a retained (on call) firefighter(please continue on a separate sheet if necessary and return that sheet as part of your application)
Declaration of Offences
You are required to declare any convictions for offences that are not spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Include offences dealt with by a court of law, HM Services disciplinary procedures and any driving offences.
Are you currently subject to any criminal conviction, which is not yet spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974? Yes No
If you answered yes above please fill in the details below
Offence:Date of Conviction:
Judgement and sentence
Give details of any charges pending
Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 you are obliged to declare any unspent convictions or criminal proceedings pending as these may bar you from working as a Firefighter. This will be checked before an offer of employment is made.Following submission of this application form, should you subsequently receive a conviction, this must be declared at the earliest opportunity.
Referees
Please provide the name and contact details of two referees. Your nominated referees could be teachers, community workers or employers, but if you are in work or have been employed, one of your nominated referees should be your current or most recent employer. You may not use relatives as referees.
If you are unable to provide referees please contact the recruitment team on 01609 780150. Please ensure that you include the full address, postcode and email address (if applicable) for both references.
Referee OneName:
Telephone Number:
Address:
Postcode:
Email:
Relationship to you:
Referee Two
Name:
Telephone Number:
Address:
Postcode:
Email:
Relationship to you:
Please note, that unless you tick the box below it will be assumed that you have no objection to these referees being contacted prior to the assessments.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT AND DECLARATION:
In compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act (DPA), we are required to inform you that in addition to the information that you supply us on this form we shall also collect, hold and appraise information on individual candidates' performance at each stage of the recruitment process, includinginformation we gain from your selected referees. This is for the sole purpose of conducting the selection and recruitment process. This includes the processing of sensitive data for the purposes of monitoring the Service’s commitment to the promotion of equality of opportunity and meeting its employment law obligations. This information will be kept for the duration of the process and for no longer than is necessary. It will be destroyed in line with our retention schedule timescales. Should you be employed this information will be kept for the duration of your employment, on your personal record file (PRF) and for a period of time, according to the retention schedule. We promise to treat your personal data with care and adopt organisational and technical measures to ensure that access will be restricted solely to those in the organisation with a need to see it for the purpose of the selection process and where applicable employment purposes, in accordance with the data protection principles in the DPA. You also have the right to request sight of the information that we are holding on you at any time. For more information on how the Service manages personal data view its Privacy Notice at information about Data Protection please email:
Declaration
I confirm that I have read and understood the Data Protection Statement and Declaration and to the best of my knowledge the information I have provided on the application form is true, accurate and correct.
Signed:…………………………………………………… Date:…………………………………
Please note: Approaching any elected councillor or employee of a Fire and Rescue Authority directly or indirectly to promote this application or providing false/misleading information in this form shall disqualify you from appointment or if appointed may render you liable to disciplinary action, which could lead to your dismissal.
Advertising
Please complete the section below to assist with our advertising campaigns:-
Where did you see details of this vacancy / Please tick relevant choiceNorth Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Source
Banner outside of a fire station
Newspaper advert -please state which newspaper
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service website
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Facebook page
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Twitter feed
Poster in fire station window
Recruitment leaflet at an event gala, open day etc- please state which
Signage on fire service vehicle
Word of mouth from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service employee
Other source
Newspaperarticle -please state which newspaper
Poster in a shop/library -please state where
Social Media (not NYFRS related)
Word of mouth from other people
Other (please state)
NewRetained FF Applicant Form Only
Form 3 Pre-Physical Test Questionnaire
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to the health and safety of its entire staff. As part of these commitments, this Pre-Physical Test Questionnaire is required to be completed by all staff prior to taking up employment with the Service.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service like every employer is bound by the Management of Health and Safety at Work regulations 1992, which are supplemented by an Approved Code of Practice. We are required to make assessments of risks to which employees may be exposed at work, and a proper risk assessment involves considering not only the nature of the job, but also the fitness of the employee to carry out that work. In addition the Equality Act 2010 imposes a further obligation on the prospective employer to make, where appropriate, reasonable adjustments to enable a suitably qualified candidate to take up proposed employment. This Pre-Physical Test Questionnaire, supplemented where necessary by a further medical assessment, is part of our fulfillment of our legal responsibilities in respect of the above two pieces of legislation.
Confidentiality
Applicants for operational roles within the Service will be required to attend for an individual examination; a drug screening test will also be carried out.In some instances action may be required by Occupational Health to reduce potential risks or to improve the ability of a new member of staff to perform the full duties of the job. Where this requires the disclosure of material facts, e.g. to Human Resources or to the Line Management, such a disclosure will only be made with the informed consent of the prospective employee.
In general, therefore, the information given in this form will not be seen by any staff other than the staff within Occupational Health.
Completed pre physical questionnaires are assessed by the Occupational Health Nurse and retained for a year. If you are successful in your physical testing and you attend for Health screening these results are reviewed by the service medical advisor and are kept for a year, in both successful and unsuccessful candidates. Records are maintained within the occupational health department and remain private and confidential.
Personal details
Position applied for:Surname: / First names:
Address:
Postcode:
Telephone number: / Mobile number:
Email address:
Name and address of GP:
Medical History
These questions arebeing asked to ascertain if you have any conditions that will impact on your ability to carry out a physical assessment.
What is your height? / What is your weight?Are you currently taking prescribed medication? / Yes / No
Are you currently under the care of your GP or a Specialist? / Yes / No
Are you currently suffering, or have suffered from any of the illnesses listed below?
Breathing problems: / Yes/NoMuscular Skeletal problems: (neck/back/joint) / Yes/No
Hearing/sight problems / Yes/No
Faint/fits or blackouts: / Yes/No
Do you have any disability that may require reasonable adjustments to be made to accommodate you in the workplace? / Yes/No
Do you have any disability that may require reasonable adjustments to be made as an operational fire fighter, now or in the future? / Yes/No
Fitness level
A firefighter’s role is considered to be both physically and mentally demanding, on the basis of this, is there any reason why you may not be considered fit to undertake this role or this physical assessment? Yes No
If you have answered “Yes” to any questions please give details and approximate dates where relevant below. Please continue on a separate sheet if necessary.
Declaration
I hereby declare that the information given is full and true to the best of my knowledge.
Signed: ………………………………………………… Print Name: …………………………………
Date:…………………………………
New Retained FF Applicant Form Only
Form 4- Equal Opportunities Monitoring Information Form
Completion of this section of the application form is voluntary, but the information will help us to ensure equality of opportunity. This information forms no part of the recruitment process. It will be detached from your application on receipt.
The Fire and Rescue Service is an equal opportunities employer and is determined to ensure that: