About the job
Salary: Firefighter Competent £37,675
Working Pattern: Average of 42 hours per week.
Contract Length: Permanent
Location: based in Worthing with requirement to travel across West Sussex
Practical Assessments and interview: week commencing 2 December 2024
You will play a vital role in helping make West Sussex a safer place to live, work and visit. You will support the delivery of a specialist response service by attending a range of operational incidents including working at height, water and animal rescues, open area searches and body recovery (under the direction of the Police).
You must be able and confident working from height, with animals and be a competent swimmer. You will also need great interpersonal skills, a confident and resourceful attitude to deal with highly challenging and occasionally emotionally or environmentally intense situations.
This role is conditioned to the Technical Rescue Unit Duty System.
WSFRS looks to recruit the very best applicants into vacancies and those who pass the process but are not immediately offered a role will be placed into a pool for 12 months for future vacancies that arise.
Applications are welcome from competent Firefighters who have demonstrated competence against the requirements of the NJC Firefighter role map (applicants in higher graded roles can apply). Applicants must be currently employed by a Local Authority Fire & Rescue Service.
The process
The process will consist of:
Stage 1
1. Application (see How To Apply below for further details)
Stage 2
2. Practical assessments, including:
3. Firefighters Swim test
4. Working at Height - applicants will be assessed to ascertain their suitability for working at height and rope rescue operations. Candidates will be supplied with suitable TRU rope harnesses and PPE.
5. Interview
Stage 3
6. Candidates notified of outcome
Any offers will be subject to:
7. Satisfactory Enhanced DBS and reference requests.
8. Internal applicants will need an in-date fitness test and medical.
9. External applicants will need to undertake and pass a West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service fitness test and medical.
Successful candidates will initially receive in service training and will be required to attend and pass the following external courses:
10. Rescue form height
11. Water rescue
12. Animal rescue
Skills, qualifications and experience
Key Skills:
13. Developed communication and interpersonal skills to understand and confidently communicate both verbally and in writing to provide clear advice and specialist guidance to a range of stakeholders.
14. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and the community.
15. Demonstrate an openness to change and take a proactive approach to driving improvement.
16. Committed to ongoing professional development. You will be required to successfully complete training and development programmes to meet and maintain the National Occupational Standards for Firefighters.
17. An understanding of the role of the Fire and Rescue Service within the community.
Qualifications:
Essential at time of application
18. Substantive competent Firefighter who has demonstrated competence against the requirements of the NJC Firefighter role map.
19. Hold a valid full UK driving licence
20. Hold a valid LGV driving licence
Desirable (or if qualification not currently held, it must be completed within 18 months of appointment)
21. Swift Water Technician
22. Rope Rescue Technician
23. Animal Rescue AR2
Experience:
24. Demonstrate an understanding and commitment to the core values and the national fire and rescue service leadership framework.
25. Evidence of continued professional development.
Reward and benefits
As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.
As an employee of West Sussex County you will also have access to a range of benefits, please see our you page for further information.