Part time Firefighter - Release form

Heathen

Hello all,

I am just wondering what are your experiences as emergency service workers on the subject of part time work and getting the subsequent release forms signed from your employers to agree that when you are on call, you got to go when the beeper goes off? (if in full time employment)

I want to apply for a part time position as a firefighter when one becomes available in the next few months, but i am also in full time employment 39 hours a week, so i just want to know how to approach my HR dept about the possibility of them signing a release form to agree that for the week on call i can go when the beeper goes.. that is of course if i am good enough to get onto the panel for the job..

I would be interested to hear your views/ stories

Thanks for reading
H

civdef

It often depends how busy your station of choice is. If they get 50 calls a year that's probably not a major intrusion on your fullltime job, you'd probably be out during work hours less than than once a fortnight. If they do 500, it might be more of a problem, but at that rate your retained earnings might make the other job less critical to you.

Generally things to highlight to HR would be the benefits to the company, as in they'll get an employee trained to high levels in fire safety, first aid and general health and safety for free. The PR benefits of being seen to assist the local community by releasing staff are also worth a mention.

Retained crews generally offer to work up time they miss during calls, or to take that time as unpaid leave.

A lot can depend on the company, e.g. some American multinationals are very good about releasing staff, being used to having volunteer firefighters at home.

The fact your employer is big enough to have a HR department may be a help, often smaller companies are less able to spare a member of staff.

Heathen

Thats a great reply, thanks civdef :-) you have definitely highlighted some important points to help my case, and make it look like a win win proposal.

There is no guarantee that i will get on the panel for the job, but having the release sorted from day one would eliminate the disappointment if accepted to find out my job wont release me.

Thanks again, great help :-)

meathstevie

Play the PR point and as someone mentioned here earlier if you happen to work for an American company they quite often wear it as a badge of honour that they have staff in the likes of the local fire department, National Guard etc etc at home so I wouldn't be surprised that attitude travels.

Heathen

Thanks so much, you have been a great help, i do work for a company thats head office is US based so i have used that.. I have drafted up an email and will review it over the next day or so and send it tomorrow..

Thanks for all your help!!

ch252

Don't send an email, it's too easy to fob you off, call up with the content of the email typed up and concisely tell the hr manager verbally of its benefits and then let them read them in their own time then.

That's what I'd do anyway but my hr manager is very approachable about these sorts of things.

wreckless

ohhhhh,

part-time eh? try, the only job that is undefined. We are on call 24/7/365. Is that part time? or fulltime? or just on call all the time? mmmmm


Retained is the correct term your looking for , as if successful, you will be paid a retainer and get paid for responding to calls, training, special services etc.


(sorry, im not being cynical, we do get holidays and you can take time off when you need to, but the pager is always on if your in town, so your always on.) I hope you understand this? Go to your local station and talk to the lads.

Heathen

wreckless wrote: »

ohhhhh,

part-time eh? try, the only job that is undefined. We are on call 24/7/365. Is that part time? or fulltime? or just on call all the time? mmmmm


Retained is the correct term your looking for , as if successful, you will be paid a retainer and get paid for responding to calls, training, special services etc.


(sorry, im not being cynical, we do get holidays and you can take time off when you need to, but the pager is always on if your in town, so your always on.) I hope you understand this? Go to your local station and talk to the lads.

Correction accepted Wreckless, infact i was just corrected about 20 minutes ago by one of my friends who is a driver/Mechanic on a Retained crew, i went for lunch with him to pick his brains and get as much info as i can at this stage.. so i completely understand and accept the correction, cheers. I am going to go down and talk with the lads on his crew (most of who i know from nights out with the crew that i have been invited along to in the past) and i will try get as much info from them to help at interview stage, and any other helpful information that i will need for other stages, to hopefully make it!!

Thanks for all the help in this thread lads, you have been deadly!

wreckless

best of luck to ya buddy

great job, love it.

Heathen

wreckless wrote: »

best of luck to ya buddy

great job, love it.

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to give a quick update.. Today i got word from my job that they (HR dept and VP) support me in my application, i just need to get final approval from my dept boss as to agreeing to the flexibility aspect of working back hours.

i will keep you posted

Thanks for all your help so far

CaseyRyback

Well done. Thanks for the update :pac:

volrex

Good luck with your application. I hope nepotism doesn't prevail and a son/daughter of a politician or something like that gets the job.

Heathen

volrex wrote: »

Good luck with your application. I hope nepotism doesn't prevail and a son/daughter of a politician or something like that gets the job.

Lets hope not!! but if it does its not going to stop me applying again next time :-)

Sorry for digging up an old thread but i just wanted to stop by and give a quick update.. :-)

Since my last post in this thread i have learnt so much from the guys at my local station, still no word as to when the retained position will become available yet, but i am taking full advantage of every minute they delay it :-)

One thing i will say is that my eyes have be severely opened wide by the amount of knowledge you guys have!! and how willing you are to share it with a humble recruit wannabe like me :-) the more and more i learn the more it makes me hungry for the job! Its at the stage now where i want to get onto my recruit course and start eating up the knowledge! The lads in the local station have been unbelievably helpful, you can tell by speaking with them that they live for the job, so i am sure i am speaking to the rights guys to prep me for interviews.. Any night i go down there is never a shortage of lads willing to spill the beans about their interviews and how that i will absolutely love the job!

Anyway thanks for all the help so far guys, and if any of you would like to share your interview stories/ things they caught you off guard with please PM me so i can have an idea of what can possibly come up :-)

Thanks

Chat soon