Episode 7: On the Alert, the role of an on-call firefighter

As we'll soon be opening up recruitment for on-call firefighters, in this episode we will be discussing the topic of the role of on-call firefighters with On-call support officer Adam Wagstaff and on-call firefighter Leanne Walker.

On-call firefighters are members of our community living and working in Lancashire who often have another job but also respond to emergencies from home or work when needed. They must live or work close to an on-call fire station and be able to respond quickly to crew the fire engine; generally being able to get to the station within 5-8 minutes. 

The service employs people from all walks of life in the role, ranging from self-employed tradespeople, stay-at-home parents to employees of small businesses and large, well-known organisations. They are paid for their time and are professionally trained firefighters who work alongside full-time colleagues to respond to a wide range of incidents from road, rail or air crashes, to floods, fires, chemical spills or rescuing people trapped in confined spaces.

Our applications open on Monday, June 17, and close on Sunday, July 7, with training courses beginning in November. If you’re interested in finding out more about on-call firefighting at LFRS and would like to register your interest, please head to our website www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/oncall.  

And remember if you liked our episode, please like and subscribe and let’s make Lancashire safer together.

Transcript

[00:00:01.640] - Host (Lucinda)
Welcome to Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's podcast series, Out of the Ashes: Stories from Lancashire.

 
[00:00:07.040] - Host (Lucinda)
As we'll soon be opening up recruitment for on-call firefighters, in today's episode, we'll be discussing the role of an on-call firefighter. On-call firefighters are members of our community living and working in Lancashire, who often have another job, but also respond to emergencies from home or work when needed. There are 39 fire stations across Lancashire and 58 fire engines. 32 of those fire engines are crewed by on-call Firefighters.

[00:00:33.410] - Host (Lucinda)
The service employs people from all walks of life in the role, ranging from self-employed trades people, stay-at-home parents, to employees of small businesses and large well-known organisations. They are professionally trained firefighters who work alongside full-time colleagues to respond to a wide range of incidents, from road, rail, or air crashes, to floods, fires, and chemical spills, or rescuing people trapped in confined spaces. On-call firefighters must live or work close to an on-call fire station and be able to respond quickly to crew the fire engine, generally being able to get to the station within 5 to 8 minutes. They are often the first to attend emergencies in their towns and villages and provide a vital resource for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

[00:01:17.120] - Host (Lucinda)
Today, we'll be finding out what life as an on-call firefighter is like, understand what is required from the fitness test, and how to apply. Today, I'm speaking to On-call Support Officer Adam and firefighter Leanne. How are you both today?

[00:01:31.300] - Adam
Very well, thank you.

[00:01:31.970] - Leanne
Very good, thank you.

 
[00:01:33.790] - Host (Lucinda)
Do you want to just introduce yourself and explain your role?

[00:01:36.070] - Adam
Yeah, sure. I'm Adam Wagstaffe. I'm the Watch Manager Team Leader for the On-Call Support Officers. I pretty much am based all over the county, just supporting my crew managers, supporting the On-Call units.

[00:01:50.660] - Host (Lucinda)
And yourself, Leanne?

[00:01:51.970] - Leanne
I'm Leanne Walker. I'm a firefighter who is currently in development at Earby Station. I joined back in November 2022.

[00:02:01.810] - Host (Lucinda)
Shall we both start with what made you want to be an on-call firefighter for both of you?

[00:02:08.730] - Leanne
My uncle was in the fire service, and from a young age, he'd always encouraged me to join, but I was a single parent, so I had to wait until my daughter had grown up. I used to be in the army, and it was a great alternative once I'd left the forces. And I love everything about being on call.

[00:02:28.570] - Host (Lucinda)
And does your daughter recommend Now that you're an on-call firefighter?

[00:02:31.620] - Leanne
Yeah, my daughter, she's not so little now. She's due to turn 18 in a couple of months. She thinks it's the best thing I've ever done, and I love it.

[00:02:39.750] - Host (Lucinda)
And what about yourself, Adam?

 
[00:02:40.960] - Adam
So I actually started my fire service career on the on call 18 years ago at Rawtenstall. Shout out Rawtenstall crew. So, I started 18 years ago at Rawtenstall, and I did the on call for approximately six months before thinking, Yeah, this is I want to do this full-time. I'm putting an application in, albeit with a different brigade. I don't want to get shouted out for that. So I did that and I did on call and whole-time for a period of about five, six years before eventually, due to personal commitments, having to, unfortunately, drop the on-call. But, yeah, it was a brilliant experience, a great insight as to what the firefighter role is.

[00:03:24.930] - Host (Lucinda)
In your role as an on-call support officer, do you enjoy helping people?

[00:03:29.280] - Adam
Oh, absolutely. So I've literally, Sunday just gone, was involved in the physical assessment day for some recruits that are currently going through that process. And it just brought back so many memories in watching what they're going through and being there for moral support through fitness tests as well. And really pushing the people through it who maybe a minute before the test, then you can see that they're flagging a little bit. And it's just pushing them across that finish line. It's actually quite rewarding.

[00:03:58.660] - Host (Lucinda)
I can only imagine what it's like being there, trying to help people get through it. So, what's your favourite part about being an on-call firefighter?

 
[00:04:08.110] - Leanne
It's being involved in community. It's a really varied job. No two jobs are the same. And then the fire family, the fire crews, it's like a second family. It's such a close knit and it's nothing like anything else I've ever experienced. Each day is just totally new. And it's a really adrenaline rush, I find. When that alert goes off and you're coming into station and you're finding out what the job is, and then you're going out and you're seeing the people that you're helping, and then you get the feedback from the people you have helped. It's such a rewarding job. It's like nothing else.

[00:04:48.370] - Adam
It gives you a massive buzz, isn't it? Because I remember, I was 19 when I started the on call. And the area that Rawtenstall was at, there was a lot of pubs and bars and stuff. So I'd be out on-call, obviously not drinking. But I'd be with my mates and all of a sudden my pager would go off. And it was like, Oh, what's he going doing? And then you come back and it's like, Oh, I've just rescued somebody out of a car or done this and that. It was such a massive proud feeling. That's what you were doing for your... Like you mentioned about your community.

[00:05:26.970] - Leanne
I do feel really proud to be able to help the people that you're living amongst.

[00:05:32.450] - Adam
I'd say probably my favourite part, and it still is now, is turning out on jobs, definitely. It's going helping people and rescuing people, saving lives, properties, animals, etc.

[00:05:42.710] - Host (Lucinda)
And no two jobs are ever the same, are they? You We can't go to the same thing all the time.

[00:05:46.910] - Adam
No, some of the jobs that we do go to, they're so... Some of them are unreal. I've been to rescue a pigeon out of a tree before, and you think, well, that pigeon is supposed to be in trees. And then rescuing 15 cows out of a slurry pit. It's just so dynamic because obviously, once upon a time, we used to be called the Fire Brigade, but now we're the fire and rescue service because we go to so many different things. Ultimately, rescue service and humanitarian service, really.

[00:06:22.110] - Leanne
It's an ever-changing role. It's not just about, Oh, we're there to put out a fire, or we're there to cut somebody out of a car. We're wanting to prevent accidents in cars and prevent the fires.

[00:06:32.960] - Host (Lucinda)
So before you both joined, did you have any concerns about how being an on-call firefighter would fit into your daily lives?

[00:06:40.850] - Leanne
I actually came down to the station for quite a number of months before I put my application in. Did a lot of background research into finding out what the role actually entails. Because although my uncle was in the service, I didn't actually know a lot about it. So after doing the research and finding out how many hours you need to commit, where you need to be, what the turnout time and things are, it put all my doubts and any concerns I had at ease. That I could easily fit it in around my life and that they're good at helping you fit in your life around the on-call.

[00:07:21.730] - Host (Lucinda)
So would you suggest that to future applicants coming down to the station?

[00:07:25.880] - Leanne
Absolutely if you're interested in joining the on-call service, reach out to your All the stations are happy to talk to anybody that's keen to join. They're happy to show you what is involved, talk you through the fitness process. Anything you want to know about the process, they're quite happy to talk to you and get you involved and help you in any way they can.

[00:07:45.600] - Host (Lucinda)
And how about you?

[00:07:46.930] - Adam
Like now, compared to when I joined and applied, nowadays, there's so many avenues to get in touch. This social media is a massive one. Lancs fire service have Facebook page that you can get on to is information on There's currently adverts out at the minute on social media. So it's just go down to the station, talk to the crews there. They'll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

[00:08:11.900] - Adam
And that's ultimately what I did. I I mean, I must admit, I didn't have really any concerns because I was a 19-year-old single lad. I was like, I want to be a firefighter. That's what I want to do. So I went down, and it happened to be that Rawtenstall was my local station. erm I did know somebody that was on the on-call at the time, so I went straight to him and spoke to all the firefighters. And yeah, it was just, this is what I want to do.

[00:08:40.360] - Host (Lucinda)
So the advice is go down to your local station or register your interest online.

[00:08:44.770] - Adam
Yeah.

[00:08:45.310] - Host (Lucinda)
And speaks to the crews.

[00:08:46.330] - Leanne
They are. They're amazing. Speaking from my experience with the Earby Fire Station, mine was literally... I bumped into the previous watch manager of the station in the middle of the street, and I was just like, Oh, you're a firefighter at Earby? And he's like, Yes. How can I help you? And he put me in touch with the crew manager here. And that was just it. That was the start of my journey.

[00:09:07.330] - Leanne
So I bumped into him in the street in February. By June, I was accepted onto the course ready for the following November. And it's been a roller coaster all the way since I bumped into him in the street. And it's been fantastic. I've loved every minute of it. And I'd encourage anybody to join.

[00:09:29.270] - Host (Lucinda)
One of the other I want to talk about is a common myth about the job that maybe you want to squash. I know quite a lot of people think it can be quite restrictive.

[00:09:38.360] - Adam
In terms of the hours of commitment, it can be times where you do think it's coming up to the summer, your friends are having barbecues, et cetera, outside of your catchment area. But there is a lot of flexibility within the role as well. So it's not just about you providing cover for that fire. It's a team approach in providing cover for the fire appliance. So I can probably count on one hand the amount of times in the six, seven years I did on-call where I may have had to miss something. But if it was anything important, there's always ways around getting time off and just by speaking to your managers. So there's a lot of people that say, well, you've got to stay within a five minute area, that's true, but only on your hours when you're actually on-call. But again, within that, there is flexibility within your hours of cover, et cetera.

[00:10:40.340] - Leanne
Yeah, absolutely. You are committing a number of hours to the on-call, But it is very much you're fitting it in around your life. So there is flexibility with it. In the 18 months that I've been in, I've never missed anything in that time. My station has been really supportive. I actually had a job change during that time. And even when I had the job change and it was a complete change of hours, they were really supportive with it. And there was no issue when I put in for change of hours. It went straight through and it's been absolutely flexible

[00:11:14.940] - Adam
It's a common myth I do need to squash, though.

[00:11:17.410] - Host (Lucinda)
Go on.

[00:11:17.770] - Adam
Cats in trees. We don't rescue cats up trees a lot of the time. It's very rare. Okay. So the first thing that people say to me, Oh, have you rescued any cats up trees? I think I've probably say rescue in the loosest term, two in 18 years. Yeah, we can quash that one.

[00:11:32.440] - Leanne
I've never been out to a cat rescue yet.

[00:11:34.190] - Host (Lucinda)
And maybe the other myth is that it's not always fires.

[00:11:38.320] - Leanne
No its not.

 
[00:11:39.030] - Host (Lucinda)
Because obviously everyone assumes it's just burning buildings. And that is a big part of the role. But like you said, there's a lot of community engagement. There's other types of rescues that we do.

[00:11:48.020] - Adam
So the station I was at, previous to my on-call role as a support officer within Lancs Fire, I was at a station where we are specifically animal rescue, water rescue, Swift Water Rescue, technicians, boat, bariatric rescue. There's everything that we go to now. There's aerial ladder platform stations. It's just such a diverse range of incidents that we go to and skills that we can possess.

[00:12:19.130] - Leanne
Like you said before, it's never two days are the same.

[00:12:21.480] - Host (Lucinda)
No, it's not. No, the two incidents are the same.

[00:12:22.610] - Leanne
Absolutely I mean, Earby is not got a specific... We're not a specialised station. Like you were saying, yours had special rescue and things. But we've had such a wide range. We've had a couple of bariatric jobs.

[00:12:33.880] - Adam
You get involved in your support. Even if you're at a station where you don't have those, it doesn't mean to say you won't be going on those jobs because your support mechanism.

[00:12:42.540] - Leanne
A couple of jobs recently, they were bariatric jobs. And that's not our specialty. But we adapted our skillset. We adapted our training. We came together as a crew and we got the job done. And the casualty that we rescued got off to hospital. We've We had a really crazy one just off the back of my breathing apparatus course. And we'd had a gentleman who was blow torching his cheese on toast.

[00:13:11.830] - Host (Lucinda)
Oh, that's the new one. I've never heard that one.

[00:13:14.410] - Leanne
We were like, Oh, maybe use a toaster or your grill. And he'd set all his beard on fire. So it looked a bit like Father Christmas with it all charred.

[00:13:25.500] - Host (Lucinda)
I have no words.

[00:13:27.330] - Leanne
He was fine. We were treated him and he was absolutely fine, thankfully. But that was not something we were typically expecting to turn up to.

[00:13:37.610] - Adam
Also, as well, just listening to what you're saying now is thinking about all the different common myths is the being scared of heights thing. So that's something that I've heard quite a lot is people saying to me, well, I'm scared of heights. How would that pose in the fire service? And I'll admit, I'm probably not the bravest when it comes to heights, but the activities that we're expected to carry out, all the training that you get, et cetera, that absolutely squashed any issues I had with heights. I'll go up a 13.5 metre ladder now, which is the equivalent of a third-storey house and not think twice about it. But prior to that, I did have reservations. But again, through the training, through demonstrations, et cetera that you have, you're as safe as safe can be.

[00:14:29.840] - Host (Lucinda)
Yeah. You have a supportive network around you. Like you said earlier, it's like a family, isn't it?

[00:14:34.150] - Leanne
It is absolutely. I mean, I'm not one of the tallest people. I'm only 5'1. And a lot of people have said, Do you not find it difficult being so small? But it definitely has the advantages. So Some things you need the really taller firefighters for. And then other things like trying to treat casualty care at a road traffic accident. Someone my size can easily crawl into the back of a car and support a casualty compared to the other firefighter is a complete extreme to me here. He's 6'7. So him trying to climb into the back of a car is not easy to have. That's something I can do. But then things like helping a casualty back down a ladder, that's not something It would be my strong point because I haven't got the reach capability. So you need a diverse team to be able to carry out the different tasks. A lot of people do think you need to be a certain height for the fire service, which previously you did going back a number of years, but now it doesn't matter at all.

[00:15:34.620] - Host (Lucinda)
So if we look at applying for the role, are there any tips that you would like to give to an individual out there who's considering it?

[00:15:42.790] - Leanne
Find out what's required for your fitness. Work on those. Go into the stations. The stations are happy to help you build up your fitness levels. Look on social media. You can go on to YouTube, see what's required, and watch the videos of how the assessment is carried out. So you get yourself fully prepared. And just looking at everything that is... There's so much to offer research-wise within the fire service, be it from social media, YouTube, Lancs Fire and Rescue website, or actually just going in and speaking to the crews. You can get as much information and get yourself prepared.

[00:16:21.110] - Adam
Yeah. Just to echo on what Leanne is saying there is some people can have reservations about the fitness levels. So for For those that are interested, we run, at the minute, definitely two recognised fitness tests for entry, which is the BLEEP test, which is quite a commonly known one throughout, whether you're in the fire service or not. To get a pass, you need to achieve 8.6 on the BLEEP test. And then we have a Chester Treadmill test, which that's been specifically designed for the fire service. By all means, drop station, ask them about it. But if you do want to practise, you've got the access to the equipment, it's an 8.6 a pass. We do have currently running at the minute a pilot called Fit for Fire, and it's just a chance for you to come down have a practise at some of these things and see where you're at with your fitness. And then there's our PT instructors available there to give you that guidance, where you need to be and what you need to improve on.

[00:17:29.470] - Host (Lucinda)
So There is a lot of resources out there. I know for a fact on our TikTok and Instagram, we have started to put out fitness tips videos. We have got one on the Chester treadmill on how to replicate it in a gym. We've got the Bleep test. Like you say, get your research done, look online, and just practise.

[00:17:51.170] - Leanne
The Earby station, when I came down, they actually gave me a printout of what the levels would be, how to do the incline and set your speed at your local gym so that I could practise it myself. And that's how I did mine, so that I could practise the two and find out which was best for myself before turning up on the day of a practical assessment.

[00:18:11.490] - Adam
Also on that as well, tips for people who are interested in applying for the on-call. Again, once upon a time, when I joined it was you had to have GCSEs in Maths, English, Science of C and above. And again, that's changed again in the fire service. That's been adapted for those that maybe didn't complete GCSEs. We now have functional tests. We got the SHL link, which is another way of assessing abilities in maths and English. So, yeah, don't think if you may not have been a high achiever at school, that doesn't mean to say you can't apply for the fire service. There's other avenues for application.

[00:18:55.290] - Host (Lucinda)
Do you have any tips for the actual application form? Because I know on the website, sometimes people can be put off with forms.

[00:19:05.020] - Host (Lucinda)
Just draw on as much experience that you've got. Don't be afraid that you're putting trivial things in. Just look at everything you've done across your background and draw on the different experiences from it being things that you've done to help with family or work experiences or things that you've done at school, ways of helping your friends. And just put it all in. The fire service are looking at an all-around round approach and seeing what you like as a person and as a complete, not just what you were like in that job or what you were like at home. So just put everything in. Don't be afraid to miss anything.

[00:19:43.860] - Adam
Yeah. It's basically like, and everything. Something even if you can think of, even if it's just one very short life experience that you've had that makes you stand out from anybody else. It could have been a holiday to somewhere really randomly remote or Just something that can... Or if you've taken part in one activity on a stag or hen do that gave you an experience where you thought that could be a transferable skill into the fire service. Because I must admit, when I applied, it was again a while ago, I would have imagined that my application being a 19-year-old, just left college, I may not have had as many life experiences But I probably just put anything and everything there. I'll talk for England, as you know. So I just put anything about myself, any sporting achievements that I had, things like that. Something that when anyone looking at that application thinks, I want to talk to them about that. And when you get to interview, you can talk confidently about those experiences that you've had.

[00:20:56.840] - Leanne
Yeah. Don't look at it as you fill in a form and just look at it as you just Just writing about yourself to somebody who has never met you before.

[00:21:03.760] - Host (Lucinda)
Yeah.

[00:21:04.160] - Adam
Yeah selling yourself arent you?

[00:21:05.530] - Leanne
Instead of thinking, oh, because a lot of people are intimidated by form. Instead of a form approach, just look at it as you're telling a story and just fill in each box that way.

[00:21:15.710] - Host (Lucinda)
That's a really good way of putting it in a different perspective. Because like you say, you need to draw on almost everything, don't you? Because some people don't think certain life experiences count as a skill. But if you can start thinking in a different way and tell story, you can sell yourself in a really good way.

[00:21:32.620] - Leanne
Yeah, exactly.

[00:21:34.710] - Host (Lucinda)
So if someone is interested in applying, what can they do as of now?

[00:21:40.630] - Adam
So right now, we have the recruitment vehicle van, so it's a nice bright sky blue van.

[00:21:47.230] - Host (Lucinda)
You can't miss it.

[00:21:47.970] - Adam
You cannot miss it at all. On the side of that, there is a QR code. So if you want to scan that, you can get a bit more information. Again, it'll point you to the direction of the website to apply. Applications for our Our next recruitment process, open on the 17th of June, close on the seventh of July. Look out for that and get applying, really.

[00:22:11.540] - Host (Lucinda)
You can register your interest online, can't you, as well?

[00:22:14.020] - Adam
So you don't miss out. So We have already currently on the back of the adverts that have been going around on social media. In, I think, the last two or three days, we've had 70 expressions of interest up to now, and they are coming straight to the on-call support team. So we are receiving them. So don't for one second think that I'm just sending this expression of interest out, that we're not picking up. We definitely are picking them up. So we're getting a great response.

[00:22:43.490] - Host (Lucinda)
If anybody has any queries, Are they able to ring the on-call support officers?

[00:22:47.710] - Adam
Yes. So if they speak to... If they do drop into the station or go on to the website, there will be contact details. They're available for their relevant areas.

[00:22:58.430] - Host (Lucinda)
Leanne, What would you suggest someone do? Do they need to speak to their employer, speak to their family before they apply?

[00:23:05.970] - Leanne
I would definitely discuss it with your family, especially if you're married or you've got children. Discuss with them, make sure that everybody's on board and you're all understanding. Discuss with your employer in case you're wanting to turn out from work or if it affects your hours. Maybe if you get called out to a job before you go in to work, that can affect things. Then Once you've discussed with your family and your employers, like I said, go online, register your interest, get yourself into station, draw the information from them, and then start your applications.

[00:23:42.370] - Adam
We've also got literature for employers as well. So if they want more information about what impact it's going to have on them, letting their employers respond to emergencies, we've got packs for them to have a look at. And the On-Call support officers is more than happy to go and visit employers as well. If they'd rather speak to somebody face to face. I'm more than happy to go out and speak to any employee because me personally, I was very, very lucky when I joined the On-Call that I had an employer that allowed me to respond from work.

[00:24:17.610] - Host (Lucinda)
From work?

[00:24:17.620] - Adam
Yeah. And I literally worked across the road from the fire station. So there was no hiding when I got back from jobs or anything like that. But yeah, so there is information out there, not just for applicants, but it's for the applicants and employers as well, if they want to know what it means to them.

[00:24:35.590] - Host (Lucinda)
Fantastic. They just need to go on the website if it's an employer and they can find the relevant on-call support officer to make that initial contact if they have any queries.

[00:24:42.200] - Adam
Or the applicants can pick up we can give them the packs if they want to take it to their employees as well.

[00:24:48.530] - Host (Lucinda)
This has been a really great discussion. I think we've covered a lot of points and explained what being an on-call firefighter is like, how to apply, and you've definitely given great tips for any people that are considering the role. I'm going to ask you a question. What's your biggest takeaway you want the listeners to take from this episode?

[00:25:06.720] - Adam
I'd say for me, the biggest thing is if you are thinking about it, do it, go for it. We do have 'Have a go' days as well across the stations, across the county. So that invites you to come along, have a go at some of the physical activities that is required by a firefighter, and it might just turn that bug into a bit of a push. I I would just say, yeah, go for it. We have key dates available. So if you are interested in applying on the next recruitment drive, we've got the dates available.

[00:25:39.480] - Leanne
If it's something you've always had an interest in, if you've been curious when you've seen firefighters out on jobs and you thought, I wonder what it would be like, get yourself down to a station, go and find out about it. And it's definitely worthwhile. For myself, since joining 18 months ago, it sounds dramatic, but it has absolutely changed my life, massively. And I would recommend it to anybody.

[00:26:04.970] - Adam
My biggest take is how proud I am. I'll go home and my oldest child, my son, Bo, he's like, Dad, what have you done today? Tell me. I want to know every detail. And honestly, he's definitely my biggest fan. So again, shout out to Bo. He actually wants to be a fighter now as well.

[00:26:24.760] - Host (Lucinda)
So you've inspired him.

[00:26:26.040] - Adam
He's in training now from five years old, so he's got his little kit and everything.

[00:26:30.790] - Leanne
My daughter is 18 in August, and she's thinking about signing up. She's interested in it. She's been down to station and spoke to some of the lads here, and she's keen to join. But I would say as well, if you're not overly confident in yourself and you think, I don't know how I'd cope with the challenges of joining the fire service. I was one of the people growing up that I would act confident, but behind that facade, I was really shy and reserved, and I acted more confident than I were, so people I can't see it. Since joining the fire service, I've become very confident in myself. I believe in my abilities, and I would encourage people to join the fire service because it does bring that out of you. And that tight knit family that you have from being in the on-call fire service, it's like nothing else. I would definitely recommend it.

[00:27:20.520] - Adam
I 100 % agree with that, especially how... I just feel like how the fire service just seems to naturally guide you as a person. So in contrast to Leanne, I just was just the loudest and mouthiest person going at 19. But then I joined the fire service and I still had all that energy, still had all that wild drive. But then over the years, the fire service, again, through people, I met people, the jobs that I've been on, it's sculpted that and I think 100 % developed me as a person. And made me... I don't know, I don't want to use the word mature because anyone that does listen to this and knows me, you'll definitely know. That's not the case. But no, I think it has really steered all this energy that I have into the right- It gives you direction. Yeah, definitely. Because there's people out there that, like yourself, we've got that ability, but it's like, where do I place it? Where do I want to actually go with this? And the fire service finds the path for you.

[00:28:31.440] - Leanne
Once you're in the fire service, you're not just a firefighter. Once you've got through that two-year development programme, well, it's between two and four years for the development programme. But once you've got through that, there's then so many different roles that you can go down.

[00:28:45.560] - Host (Lucinda)
A lot of development.

[00:28:46.450] - Leanne
A lot of development and for myself, I would ultimately like to end up training at Training Centre. That's where I would like to go. From the minute I was doing the course at Training Centre, I just thought, this is where I want to end up. I want to be teaching people like myself and developing their skills and bringing them through the fire service.

[00:29:07.560] - Adam
Yeah. So again, echoing Leanne. I joined at 19 with average GCSE results, poor A-level results. But now I've got LGV driver, I've Blue Light driver, Incident Command level one. I've been a trauma trainer, so I have trauma qualifications. I've got ILM qualifications, like incident management. There's just so much. Tacwa, which is teaching and quality assurance, an actual teaching qualification as well. And this was all in the fire service. So the fire service can offer you so much as long as you're giving yourself to the fire service as well. So, yeah, it's really good.

[00:29:56.510] - Host (Lucinda)
It sounds like you've both had amazing experiences. And obviously, we want people to join us. We want people to get involved. So it is, register your interest online, go down to station, and hit that apply button.

[00:30:10.880] - Leanne
Absolutely. You definitely won't regret it.

[00:30:12.910] - Host (Lucinda)
Thank you very much to both of you for sharing your stories today.

[00:30:16.340] - Adam
Thank you for having us.

[00:30:17.570] - Host (Lucinda)
If you're interested in finding out more about on-call firefighting at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and would like to register your interest, please head over to our website on www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/oncall. The link will be in the episode notes below.

[00:30:33.970] - Host (Lucinda)
And remember, if you liked our episode, please like and subscribe and let's make Lancashire safer together.