FAQs

The Service is committed to the prevention of fires, which includes educating the community about fire safety, carrying out home safety checks, and visiting schools and community events.

Firefighters also deal with many other types of emergencies such as road and rail crashes, floods, chemical spills, and rescuing people trapped in lifts.

Firefighters come in all genders, shapes, and sizes. There is no height restriction, and you don't have to be exceptionally strong, but you do need to be fit, as being a firefighter is physically demanding.

The equipment can be heavy but remember you'll be working in a team and will be taught techniques for handling equipment safely.

Incidents can include water rescues and you will receive training in water rescue techniques. We, therefore, require applicants to be confident in the water.

You will undertake written tests as part of the process, these include a Maths and English multiple choice question paper, a dictation test and a memory recall test.

Trainees must complete four modules and will be continually supported and assessed over a 12-month period before progressing to further development leading to competency.

All trainee On-Call firefighters must successfully complete Module 1 (Basic Skills), trainees will then be deemed ‘Safe to Ride’ (STR). The trainee will then be attached to their On-Call station and offer availability to respond (in a limited capacity) to emergency incidents.

Module 1 - Basic Skills (must be completed first by all trainees)

The other modules must be completed within 12-months from the start of employment. The modules can be completed back-to-back, or they can be picked up in any order on other courses planned within the 12-month period. Trainees will receive training on the following elements as part of modules 2, 3 and 4

• Breathing Apparatus (BA)
• Extrication
• Pumping

On-Call firefighters are trained to the same level as Whole-time firefighters, except for Safe Working at Height, where only firefighters at Ashfield and Retford are trained up to Level 2.

There are three rates of pay for firefighters - trainee, development, and competent.

On-Call firefighters will receive the trainee rate until all modules are completed. Development and competent firefighters will receive an annual retaining fee, disturbance allowance for attending stations for emergency calls, and an hourly rate thereafter.

• £1,814 per annum retaining fee whilst a trainee Firefighter plus £11.05 per hour for training
• £1,890 per annum retaining fee as a Firefighter in Development plus £11.51 per hour in attendance of calls and £4.24 disturbance fee
• £2,418 per annum retaining fee as a competent Firefighter plus £14.72 per hour in attendance of calls and £4.24 disturbance fee

You must be able to offer around 84 hours of fire cover each week. If you don't feel like you can offer this cover, but, for example, you are available during weekdays (our time of greatest need) then get in touch with your local fire station or contact our HR team.

You must live or work within a five-minute drive (at normal road speed) of your local fire station. If you have any queries about this, get in touch with your local fire station and they will be able to work out if you live close enough.

You must be at least 18 years of age at the start of the training course.

There is no maximum age.

You can be of any nationality to apply if you have the permanent right to remain without restriction in the UK.

EU citizens are automatically eligible to apply. You will be required to supply evidence of your right to work in the UK during the recruitment process.

You need to have a good level of upper body strength and cardiovascular fitness to pass our selection tests and, subsequently, the training course.

The required levels of strength and fitness can be found on our Firefighter recruitment guide

There is also a training programme that you can take should you feel you are not yet at the required levels.

It is important that you maintain your levels of fitness during your firefighting career, and all our stations have personal training instructors and fully equipped gyms to help you with this.

If you are a serving member of the armed forces, you must be available to undertake the selection tests which will be held on separate dates throughout the recruitment process.

This may present a problem if posted overseas.

If offered a contract of employment, you must be able to start your training by the start of the first course in April.

If you are an ex-member of the armed forces, to be able to apply, you must have left the forces within the previous three years.

If you were discharged due to a general discharge because of unacceptable behaviour or conduct, or dishonourably discharged the armed forces exemption will not apply i.e., you will not be eligible to apply under the armed forces criteria.

All armed forces applicants will be required to provide evidence relating to their discharge.

During the assessment period most aspects have multiple dates offered, we cannot offer further dates than those already published.

Yes, you must apply via the recruitment portal on Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service careers.

If you call into your local On-Call station where you are looking to transfer to, they should be able to discuss the process with you.

Yes, if you have consent from the Service you are employed by to undertake secondary employment, live within five minutes of one of our On-Call Stations, and can offer the level of availability required.

There is usually a large response to any recruitment campaign; therefore, it can take 6 months to complete the whole selection process from application to offer.

The recruitment process consists of the following elements:

• Application form check
• Written tests
• Fitness test (shuttle run)
• Job-related tests
• Interview
• Medical and fitness test
• Checks to include references eligibility to work in the UK, disclosure and barring check, baseline personnel security standard check (BPSS)

To apply you will need to:

• live or work within five minutes of the fire station
• hold a level 2 qualification in Maths and English (GCSE A*-C or 4-9 or equivalent) - you will be required to provide evidence of this if your application is successful
• If responding from work you must have permission from your employer

You are required to be fit to undertake the training and the role of a firefighter.

You will therefore be expected to achieve a level 8, shuttle 7 on the shuttle run. If you fail to achieve this level, you will be withdrawn from the selection process

You will only be able to apply once your conviction is spent according to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

However minor driving convictions e.g., speeding offences will not be taken into account.

There are certain spent periods for different convictions.

For further information please refer to our Disclosure and Barring Policy and Employment of ex-offenders Policy these documents will form part of the recruitment pack. Visit the Governments website for information about criminal records checks and disclosures (Opens in a new window).

This will depend upon the nature of your disability as the role requires standards of physical fitness, endurance and sight and hearing requirements.

If you consider that you have a disability, then you should contact us to discuss this.

You will be asked if you have a disability or impairment as part of the recruitment process and to provide details of any reasonable adjustments that you may require, to allow you to take part in the process and fulfil the role of a firefighter.

Each case will be considered on an individual basis, and we will consider whether reasonable adjustments can be made which would allow your application to proceed.

As an equal opportunity’s employer and being a member of Stonewall and the Disability Confident Scheme, NFRS welcomes applicants regardless of gender, race, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or age.

You will be required to apply through the NFRS recruitment portal (Opens in a new window). Details will be provided in the advert. Outside of recruitment you can complete an Expression of Interest which will register your interest to apply when recruitment starts again.

You will be notified on completion as to whether you have been successful or not. If you are successful at this stage, you will be invited to undertake a fitness test (shuttle run) and if successful through this assessment you will then be invited to the job-related and written tests.

If successful through these tests you will be invited to interview, then onto medical screening and fitness test.

If you are unsuccessful at any stage of the process, you will be withdrawn from the selection process and where possible, feedback will be provided.

If you have achieved competence before the application process, there may be opportunity to apply for migration into wholetime. If you are still in development then you will be required to undertake the full selection process open to members of the public.

Follow the link for more information about the medical assessment.

The wearing of exposed jewellery, due to health and safety reasons, is not permitted.

NFRS respects everyone’s religious beliefs but there are health and safety reasons why facial hair can be problematic.

The beard will have to be trimmed or completely removed to ensure your safety when wearing breathing apparatus.

To ensure that the facemask forms a seal around the face, it is necessary to keep the face shaven to prevent any dangerous airborne chemicals from entering the facemask.

Yes. Part of the recruitment process will include a medical and this will include an eye test. Our Occupational Health and Fitness Manager will provide the service with a report as to whether your vision meets the standards to become a firefighter.

All applicants are strongly advised to read the Firefighter Recruitment Fitness Guidance and Medical Guidance for details on the fitness and medical standards (eyesight and hearing) required to enter the Service.

Where tattoos are visible, they should be in keeping with the professional image of the Service and not contrary to the values of the Service.

Employees may be requested to cover tattoos in a public setting where there is a likelihood that they may cause offense (image or words).

Yes, but due to the nature of the job, there may be times when this is just not possible.

However, every effort is made to provide appropriate facilities for all employees.

Yes, gender plays no part in the roles that are available. Pay scales are set nationally and are based on whether you are a firefighter in development or are competent in the role.

Promotions are assessed on ability regardless of gender and all firefighters are trained to the same level.

Yes

Prolonged incidents do of course occur, but crews are rotated so it is not usual for a crew to be out all night long. However, it is recognised that extended periods of exertion can lead to accidents through tiredness and lack of concentration.

There are phones on the appliance and crew members are encouraged to give their employers an estimated time of return – if however, they are out on a false alarm, they could be back within as little as 20 minutes.

All firefighters are trained to a high standard and so injuries on incidents are rare. However, should this happen we have policies in place for compensating the employee for any loss of earnings after Statutory Sick Pay.

As their primary employer you always get priority. We are on hand to offer employers advice and support where we can and recognise the importance of the support you lend your local crews and communities.

There are no direct costs to supporting an employee to be an on-call firefighter. However, there may be some indirect costs to your business. It’s up to you how you deal with the on-call firefighter absence, some employers do not pay the employee when they are absent, others expect them to make their hours up later. For example, if you have to fill in while your employee responds to an emergency call out or attends training. Overall, we hope that the benefits will outweigh the inconvenience.

Most training takes place on weekday evenings and at weekends. However, initial training may be a consolidated period encompassing weekday daytimes. Any training that must be completed during business hours is planned well in advance to allow employees to make arrangements with their employers.

Each on-call station has a management team, and there is an On-Call Support Team who will be your point of contact and help support you through the early days of appointing your employee, as well as providing ongoing support and assistance as and when required. If you have questions at any time, please contact OCST@notts-fire.gov.uk .