Firefighter
A career in the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service gives you a unique opportunity to join a team of dedicated, enthusiastic and passionate colleagues who are proud to serve and protect the island's community.
There are opportunities to join the team as a Wholetime Firefighter based at Douglas Fire Station or an On-call Firefighter based at one of the Isle of Man’s 7 fire stations.
Wholetime vs On-call
Firefighters have two types of contracts which allow the service to operate around the clock, 24/7. Depending on the type of role you apply for there will be different expectations required of you.
Wholetime Firefighters
As a Wholetime Firefighter you will work for the Fire and Rescue Service on a full time basis. You will be based at Douglas Fire Station and will join one of our ‘watches’ where you will work shifts together with your team. There is a requirement for Wholetime Firefighters to live within 2 miles of the Fire Station you are based at or 2 miles within the town boundary.
On-call Firefighters
In this role, you will work for the Fire and Rescue Service on a retained contract. You would carry an alerter and respond to your station when a call is received. You could be self-employed or work for an employer who is willing to let you leave work immediately to attend an incident. There is a requirement for On-call Firefighters to live within 2 miles of the Fire Station you are based at or 2 miles within the town boundary.
Day-to-day Tasks
Working as part of an effective team a trained Firefighter will use the latest equipment, methods and techniques to perform a wide range of duties.
These include responding to incidents such as:
- Property fires
- Rural fires
- Road traffic collisions
- Hazardous material incidents
- Animal rescues
- Floods
Alongside the response element of the Fire and Rescue Service there are prevention and protection duties such as:
- Community engagement
- Home fire safety checks
- Youth education
- Prevention campaigns
- Fire safety inspections
Skills and Knowledge
You'll need:
- knowledge of public safety and security
- customer service skills
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- sensitivity and understanding
- knowledge of training and how to present information
- the ability to work well with others
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Industry Requirements
To be considered for the role of a firefighter, you must exhibit your ability to meet the physical demands through a physical assessment. Additionally, you need to demonstrate the essential people skills expected of firefighters by undergoing aptitude assessments and participating in an interview. It is a requirement to be at least 18 years old, and a satisfactory police check must be completed before commencing the role. Depending on the specific position, compliance with location requirements is also necessary.