Retained Firefighter

The role of the retained firefighter is primarily to: • Save life and preserve endangered life • Protect property from damage by fire • Inform and educate awareness of safety Retained firefighters are on call to respond to emergencies. As well as responding to emergency calls, firefighters may also be involved in community fire safety initiatives. Although retained firefighters are part-time, they are fully trained and capable of saving life and property to provide a comprehensive service to the community. When a call is received firefighters are required to respond immediately. Retained firefighters must be ready to drop whatever they are doing, to become part of a team ready to respond safely and effectively to the emergency, regardless of the time of day/night or the weather conditions. The Fire Service responds to emergency calls from the public, primarily to prevent injury and protect life, but also to prevent and restrict damage to property. Many emergency calls are not to fires but to road-traffic accidents where casualties may be trapped in vehicles. The Fire Service may also be called to deal with chemical spillages and toxic emissions, etc. Firefighters need to be able to use problem solving skills and initiative to resolve issues quickly and calmly. Firefighters also need to be able to deal sensitively and appropriately with members of the public when they are distressed, confused or obstructive. Firefighters are required to carry out routine checks, as well as cleaning and maintaining, all equipment and fire appliance to ensure they work properly when required during an emergency. Firefighters are required to participate and take part in the duties as required as part of the organizational response to Climate Action to promote and ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action. All new recruits undergo extensive initial training, which includes a three -week Recruit Induction course, a two-week Breathing Apparatus Wearers Course and one-week Compartment Fire Behaviour course. Thereafter all firefighters are required to undergo a continuous development programme by attending lectures, exercises, practical courses and other forms of training to maintain competency levels. Firefighters are expected to take responsibility for developing their own skills and for ensuring that their fitness levels are maintained as the work of a firefighter can be demanding, both physically and psychologically DUTIES OF THE POSITION: • A Firefighter shall be required to attend at fires and other emergencies, drills, displays and other duties at such times and for such periods as required by the County Council. Failure to respond promptly to fire or other emergency calls will be addressed through the Local Authority’s disciplinary procedure. • Each Firefighter who attends for Fire Brigade service must be prepared to accept the work entailed and to fulfil to the best of their ability their duty as a Firefighter in the saving of life, saving of property and the fighting of fires or other such emergencies. • Every Firefighter must comply with XYZ County Council’s Crew Management Arrangements for Retained Firefighters. Firefighters who are on standby during fires or other incidents shall remain at the Station and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Station Officer from time to time during the callout. • Firefighters shall ensure that the Fire Station is kept clean & tidy at all times. Firefighting equipment shall be kept clean, maintained properly and stowed away in a safe manner. • Firefighters are required to adhere to and co-operate with all National and Local Agreements pertaining to the Fire Services. • Firefighters will be required to attend Training Courses as directed. • Firefighters must undertake driving duties as required. • Comply with all organisational policies, procedures and legislation. • Participate & take part in the duties as required as part of the Organisational response to Climate Action to promote & ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action. • Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

THE CANDIDATE: Candidates must be: • Able to work in hazardous conditions for long periods of time, including heights and confined spaces • Mechanically adept with good dexterity and coordination • Able to follow instruction • Able to work well under pressure • Self-reliant and self-assured with a keen sense of discipline • Able to contribute to and work with a team • Able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing • Able to understand and memorise technical information QUALIFICATIONS Applicants for the post of Retained Firefighter must be 18 years old on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms. A birth certificate must be submitted to the County Council as proof of age before a person is engaged as a recruit. 1. Character Applicants must be of good character and must not at any time bring the County Council & Fire Brigade into disrepute. The Council may make whatever enquiries it considers necessary to satisfy this condition. Employment will be subject to the provision of satisfactory references and Garda Vetting 2. Health A Firefighter shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. 3. Medical Examination, etc.: Before recruitment, in order to ascertain the health of a candidate, successful applicants shall undergo such medical examinations (which may include x-ray and/or other special tests) as the County Council considers necessary. The County Council will nominate the medical examiners. The candidate must comply, at their own expense, with such remedial requirements as the County Council consider necessary.

An Operational Firefighter shall: - • Agree to participate in the Occupational Health Scheme for Retained Firefighters in operation by Longford County Council; and • At any time, if requested by the County Council, undergo such medical examination(s) by medical examiner (s) as nominated by the County Council; and • Attend medical examinations in accordance with the frequency set down in the Occupational Health Scheme for Retained Firefighters as issued by the (LGMA) to Local Authorities • Any defects discovered pertaining to a medical examination will not be remedied at the County Council's expense. • Retention as an operational Firefighter will depend upon receipt of satisfactory reports by medical examiner(s) and to the general condition above as to health. • An operational Firefighter is required to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness 4. Citizenship Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be: (a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or (b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or (c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or (d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and has a stamp 4 visa: or (e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa or (f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4 visa 5. Education On the latest date for receipt of completed application forms candidates must: • have a good standard of education and be able to successfully undergo the training required for the post of retained firefighter. • hold an unendorsed Class B Driving Licence. On appointment and after an interval decided by the Chief Fire Officer, firefighters will be required to obtain a Class C Licence PARTICULARS OF EMPLOYMENT 1. The Post Employment in the post of Retained Firefighter is part-time & pensionable. 2. Location Persons appointed must live and work within a maximum of 8 minutes response time from time alert from the regional control centre. A maximum travel time of up to 7 minutes may be permitted (based on GPS navigation planner e.g. Google maps or similar as determined by Longford County Council) to allow them to respond for the duration of their employment as a Firefighter. The Council retains the right to request further evidence, if required on the information supplied, for the purpose of verification of place of residence and location of employment. A Firefighter shall notify the County Council in writing of any subsequent changes of residence or place of employment. A change of residence or place of employment that would place the Firefighter outside these limits will mean automatic termination of employment. The Council will check this prior to appointment and at periodic intervals after appointment.

The fire stations are: • Granard • Lanesboro • Longford • Edgeworthstown • Ballymahon

The location of the residence and place of work must be acceptable to the Chief Fire Officer. A Firefighter must carry the appropriate fire service alerter at all times when on duty. A Retained Firefighter will be required to report for duty to the Fire Station in its present location or in the event of a change of location, to such new location as may be decided by the Fire Authority. Changes in the location of a Fire Station will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation.

3. Letter of Release Each Retained Firefighter including the self-employed, and the unemployed if they take up employment must submit a Letter of Release from their employer stating that their employer will release them to attend fire brigade incidents and training. When a firefighter changes employment a new letter of release must be submitted to the Chief Fire Officer in advance of the change in circumstances. 4. Compliance with National or Local Agreements Each employee must comply with all National or Local agreements as may be in force from time to time. 5. Use of New Technology Each employee must use and co-operate with the use of any new technology that may be introduced by the Fire Authority or by the Chief Fire Officer. 6. Driver’s Licence A recruit Firefighter shall possess a valid full current Category B Driving Licence at the time of applying for the post and ideally a Category C Driving Licence for HGV with up to eight passengers. All newly appointed Retained Firefighters will be required to obtain a Category C Driving Licence. Firefighters will co-operate with further Driver Training and will be required to drive fire service vehicles, if operationally needed. If a Firefighter has their licence suspended or removed for any reason, they must immediately inform the County Council, and it shall be dealt with through the Council’s disciplinary procedure and may result in termination of service at the absolute discretion of the County Council. All Retained Fire Personnel must hold a full Drivers Licence and any loss or suspension of same and/or the accumulation of six penalty points or more must be notified in writing to the Fire Authority within two weeks of the occurrence. Any Retained Firefighter found guilty of a criminal offence must inform the Chief Fire Officer in writing of the offence and within two weeks of conviction. The Chief Fire Officer will carry out an investigation into this matter under the Fire Service Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure. Firefighters must drive Fire Service vehicles if instructed to do so. 7. Probationary Period of Employment Before appointment as a Firefighter, a recruit shall attend and successfully complete the three-week Firefighter Skills Training Course. Recruit Firefighters will be required to undergo and successfully complete the following recruit training programmes during their probationary period: - • A three-week Recruit Firefighting Skills Course (including manual handling); • A two-week Breathing Apparatus Initial Wearers' Course; • A one-week Breathing Apparatus Compartment Fire Behaviour Course; and • Any other course that the County Council may consider necessary. Training Fees will be paid at the current hourly rate for Firefighters during training. This hourly rate is currently €23.75. Failure to successfully complete all of the above courses will result in the termination of the Firefighter’s employment. Some or all of the above courses will be held at a training facility, which may or may not be situated locally. From the date of commencement as a recruit Firefighter, there shall be a period of 12 months during which the recruit Firefighter shall be on probation. During this time the recruit Firefighter shall be continually assessed to determine his/her suitability for continued employment. Such period of 12 months may be extended at the absolute discretion of the County Council. The recruit shall not become a permanent Firefighter at the end of the period of probation unless the County Council is satisfied that the Firefighter has been satisfactory in all respects. If service is deemed unsatisfactory within the probationary period the appointee will cease to hold the position as tenure of employment is subject to satisfactory service on an ongoing basis. 8. Remuneration Remuneration will consist of an inclusive annual allowance together with hourly rates for attendance at fires and drills. The Retainer and other fixed allowances will be paid from the date he/she takes up duty as a Retained Firefighter. A Firefighter shall be paid at the appropriate approved national rates of Fire and Drill Fees and Retainer Fees and in accordance with any national agreements for retained Firefighters. Payment of fees is currently made quarterly but will be moving to fortnightly payment during 2025 Remuneration is paid by PayPath directly to the employee’s nominated bank account. The current wage pay cycle may be revised during the period of employment Remuneration is subject to all statutory deductions, e.g. PAYE and PRSI. Increments are paid annually subject to satisfactory attendance, conduct and performance and national agreements. Increments may be withheld if performance, attendance and/or conduct are not satisfactory The current Retained Firefighter allowance, and Drill / Incident Fees shall be paid in accordance with Government Circular EL 03/2024, as outlined. On appointment the candidate will be placed on the appropriate point of the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Circular. RETAINER ALLOWANCE: €13,523.00 - €16,854.00