Waterford Fire service

sligolad1 · 06-01-2015 5:52pm #1

Does anyone know if the Waterford fire service a full time fire service?

timmywex · 06-01-2015 6:29pm

sligolad1 wrote: »

Does anyone know if the Waterford fire service a full time fire service?

Waterford city is mostly I believe, outside the city would be retained.

I think the city may also have some retained? Not sure why i think that though!

flyingsnail · 06-01-2015 7:19pm

timmywex wrote: »

Waterford city is mostly I believe, outside the city would be retained.

I think the city may also have some retained? Not sure why i think that though!

Not sure either but for some reason I have it in my head that the station is manned during the day and is retained at night, could be completely wrong though.

pauld81 · 06-01-2015 7:43pm

Taken from application form - https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=qiqsVNqyFaKa7gajkYHgDg&url=http://www.waterfordcity.ie/documents/jobs/Waterford%2520Retained%2520Information%2520FINALNov12.doc&ved=0CB4QFjAB&usg=AFQjCNH5W4Ng1PhTr8Krs0-NTrlCnbww8Q&sig2=OmgUx1PagoELmgTL-YqKNg

2.0 Staffing
Operating under the Chief Fire Officer and Senior Officers of Waterford City Fire Service, operational staffing includes:

Fulltime Operational Personnel 32
Retained Operational Personnel 14

Retained personnel operate in a 7 person crew reporting immediately to a retained Sub-Officer. Initially recruits will be assigned to one of the retained crews, this may be changed at intervals depending on the Service’s needs.

Each crew is rostered on a week on, week off basis, shift changeover is at 09:00 hours each Wednesday. However depending on the needs of the service a firefighter may be requested to work or to be available for call out on their off week.

Fulltime personnel operate on a 4 shift system consisting of 4 eight person crews including a fulltime Station Officer, to whom the Retained Sub-Officer reports.

sligolad1 · 07-01-2015 8:21am

One other question about the fire service, are chief or assistant chief fire officers on a shift system or do they work different hours?

karbonkoncepts · 07-01-2015 4:40pm

We are full-time in waterford city consisting of 4 crews operating a 4 shift system 24/7 manned by 32 firefighters with 8 on each crew, similar to the other full-time brigades in the country, we are complimented by a retained crew based out of the same station when needed, and also 8 other retained stations within the county, which since last july are all one brigade since the councils amalgamation,now called Waterford Fire Service. and no, senior officers do not work a shift system they are 9-5.. there should be 3 full time positions advertised in the next few weeks.

timeclock · 09-01-2015 11:44pm

Joined boards cos i came across karbon concepts post about the jobs in Waterford fire station.

I heard all the jobs were going to the lads that work part time in the station is this true??? some dose if it is, I've been waiting since the last time to get in think it was around 2011...

Ive 2 mates that work part time down there and they said the jobs are going to the part time lads. I suppose as much as ill be disappointed it prob only fair. The lads run the place.

Is this Waterfords way of doing things for good do you think???? wish someone could answer would help make a decision for my future plans, instead of waitin years for this to happen again. Not saying the lads don't deserve the jobs, they do. I think my mate was saying they go to more calls than the full time guys!!!

karbonkoncepts · 10-01-2015 8:46pm

timeclock wrote: »

Joined boards cos i came across karbon concepts post about the jobs in Waterford fire station.

I heard all the jobs were going to the lads that work part time in the station is this true??? some dose if it is, I've been waiting since the last time to get in think it was around 2011...

Ive 2 mates that work part time down there and they said the jobs are going to the part time lads. I suppose as much as ill be disappointed it prob only fair. The lads run the place.

Is this Waterfords way of doing things for good do you think???? wish someone could answer would help make a decision for my future plans, instead of waitin years for this to happen again. Not saying the lads don't deserve the jobs, they do. I think my mate was saying they go to more calls than the full time guys!!!

Timeclock, not all of the positions will be internally advertised, more than likely just the one (somebody is winding you up with your information I'm afraid) last year the retained service were Alerted nearly 400 times (not all resulted in Turnouts) compared to 800 actual Turnouts for the full-time service, there are 2 full-time vacancies at the moment with a retirement due in march this will rise to 3, the advertisement for post of full-time firefighter should be within the next few weeks, the whole process from application to interview takes approx 3 months, and includes physical, medical and aptitude exams, all before a candidate reaches an interview stage.. the advertisement will more than likely be posted on PublicJobs.ie and a link through the waterford city and county council website, and I'm sure it will be mentioned on the unofficial Facebook page which is run by the firefighters and not the council or brigade.

timeclock · 10-01-2015 10:25pm

karbonkoncepts wrote: »

Timeclock, not all of the positions will be internally advertised, more than likely just the one (somebody is winding you up with your information I'm afraid) last year the retained service were Alerted nearly 400 times (not all resulted in Turnouts) compared to 800 actual Turnouts for the full-time service, there are 2 full-time vacancies at the moment with a retirement due in march this will rise to 3, the advertisement for post of full-time firefighter should be within the next few weeks, the whole process from application to interview takes approx 3 months, and includes physical, medical and aptitude exams, all before a candidate reaches an interview stage.. the advertisement will more than likely be posted on PublicJobs.ie and a link through the waterford city and county council website, and I'm sure it will be mentioned on the unofficial Facebook page which is run by the firefighters and not the council or brigade.

Thanks Karbonkoncepts

Tbh it's prob not my bud windin me up I prob got the info wrong!. Maybe I've it wrong but 800 call outs for 4 crews is 200 a crew and retained went to 400 is that not 2 times as many? Anyway don't matter, it's same firestation I suppose!

I act remember him saying somethin about the part time lads get the jobs or somethin about one of the part time lads in line for the next job, is that somethin to do with the last list they made?? Anyway I know he def said these jobs are gone to all retained lads..Gettin a job in this service wrecks my head!!

All above board · 10-01-2015 10:42pm

Hi all. I applied a few years back for Waterford City, and it seemed that the lads in retained had it all sowed up.. There was one bank of jobs went to 5 of the retained, and even the jobs that were advertised lastly went to retained, even Galway are doing the same. Maybe yo have to do your time retained before getting in full time. It seemes like even the retained jobs are hard to get, probably becaus ur nearly sure of getting the full time position. I have a friend that works in one of the county stations, and he had told me that they do some kind of job sharing with the retained coming into the city.. Thankfully I still have time on my side to try get into the system.

karbonkoncepts · 11-01-2015 12:55am

timeclock wrote: »

Thanks Karbonkoncepts

Tbh it's prob not my bud windin me up I prob got the info wrong!. Maybe I've it wrong but 800 call outs for 4 crews is 200 a crew and retained went to 400 is that not 2 times as many? Anyway don't matter, it's same firestation I suppose!

I act remember him saying somethin about the part time lads get the jobs or somethin about one of the part time lads in line for the next job, is that somethin to do with the last list they made?? Anyway I know he def said these jobs are gone to all retained lads..Gettin a job in this service wrecks my head!!

your math skills are very good, lol, but there are 2 retained crews which work week on and week off, and the majority of their calls are made up of what they call standby's, where they do not turn out but stay in the station while the full-time crew are out at an incident, the retained service in waterford supplies a second pump to specific incidents and most incidents they attend already have a full-time crew in attendance, it is seldom they get a retained specific call (22 last year if memory serves me correctly) they are an integral part of the service that is supplied to the city, meaby you should look at a retained position and try to climb the service ladder and gain some experience in the service.
the majority who get full-time positions would have retained service that is very true, its rare for a raw civilian to get a full time position when there are little number of jobs on offer, bigger brigades will be definitely be different alright, its the experience that counts, it can be quiet a fire service related technical interview, we have a lot of lads in the full-time ranks that have been in retained brigades from around the country and got the jobs through open competition,(actually there are only 3 full-time out of 32 at the moment who did not have retained service before) so meaby the best way is to get into the retained ranks first, there were positions advertised only a few weeks ago for 2 jobs here in the city, the upcoming positions will be in-house application and open competition, best of luck to those of you who do apply when the time comes. its a long road.

mojopin10 · 11-01-2015 1:14am

karbonkoncepts wrote: »

your math skills are very good, lol, but there are 2 retained crews which work week on and week off, and the majority of their calls are made up of what they call standby's, where they do not turn out but stay in the station while the full-time crew are out at an incident, the retained service in waterford supplies a second pump to specific incidents and most incidents they attend already have a full-time crew in attendance, it is seldom they get a retained specific call (22 last year if memory serves me correctly) they are an integral part of the service that is supplied to the city, meaby you should look at a retained position and try to climb the service ladder and gain some experience in the service.
the majority who get full-time positions would have retained service that is very true, its rare for a raw civilian to get a full time position when there are little number of jobs on offer, bigger brigades will be definitely be different alright, its the experience that counts, it can be quiet a fire service related technical interview, we have a lot of lads in the full-time ranks that have been in retained brigades from around the country and got the jobs through open competition,(actually there are only 3 full-time out of 32 at the moment who did not have retained service before) so meaby the best way is to get into the retained ranks first, there were positions advertised only a few weeks ago for 2 jobs here in the city, the upcoming positions will be in-house application and open competition, best of luck to those of you who do apply when the time comes. its a long road.

How's things has anyone any idea when the full time positions will be advertised?

timeclock · 12-01-2015 1:11pm

mojopin10 wrote: »

How's things has anyone any idea when the full time positions will be advertised?

Hi Mojopin

Tbh my take on it is that they won't be..I've a mate working in the service and I also know a paramedic who is good friends with an officer is the fire service. They both said jobs going to some of there part time guys and guys of the old list they made a few years ago

Karbonkoncepts said different but I think he's wrong. (No offence) I don't think we'll see anythin in the paper bud.

All above board · 12-01-2015 10:15pm

Hi again all.. I'm more of a prowler then a participant in these threads usually, but I have to side with time clock, (I think that's his name tag, I can't see anyone's names now that I'm typing on my ancient phone) apparently the guy who's next on the list that is there since I applied in 2011 has already refused the job. Any enquiring I have been doing with fairly reliable sources, (lads who wouldn't be talking **** for the sake of it) have all come to the same out come. What iv heard is that the money it cost Waterford to recruit with the aforementioned time I went and got the booth after the maths quiz in the sports hall, 2011, that's the list that's still there, and they are going to use, as it's all to do with cost effectiveness, so I think that 'Cartoon concepts' must be talking to the chief fire officer in his own head. Maybe im wrong, and a bit of a cynic, but it will be interesting to see what actually happens here. I'm not getting my hopes up for any open recruitment in Waterford though. Any other thoughts would be great from anyone. Thanks guys.

searescue · 19-01-2015 4:51am

Currently advertising for Lismore and Dunmore East:

http://www.waterfordcouncil.ie/en/Council/Recruitment/

Semurray88 · 19-01-2015 7:36pm

These positions were also advertised back last October along with a panel for potential positions in Tramore and kilmactomas. I would imagine they have re advertised these positions as they haven't found suitable cantitades?
I'm currently on the panel for tramore havnt heard anything as of yet...

sligolad1 · 26-01-2015 9:47pm

Have a question regarding the position of sub officer and station officer. Do they work shift hours or 9-5. Is the pay much different to operational firefighter? Thanks.

Tintin8 · 28-01-2015 11:33pm

In fulltime service the sub officer and station off are on shifts too. It's only from 2nd officer up to chief who are 9-5

timeclock · 28-04-2015 8:27pm

Looks like we were fed info from a wanna be fire officer. I hate the way lads come on posting what they call solid info getting everyones hopes and then BOOM! At least if u don't know 4 sure don't try make ur self out to be the best thing. Just tell others its only what u heard!!!!

Karbonconcepts u said way back there would be public jobs going. I told u my bud said they would be going to part time retained lads. All da jobs went to retained lads in house. Seems like ur a bit of a mushroom if u do work in da fire station......(kept in da dark etc....)

Cheers Chief Concepts!!

Victor · 24-06-2017 10:08pm

Is the Catherine Street station closed, now that Kilberry Road is open?

Waterford Fire service

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