The online process includes an eligibility questionnaire followed by a range of psychometric assessments which measure your ability to be an effective firefighter.
The assessments include:
This questionnaire explores your typical behaviours at work and the preferences you emphasise. You will be presented with a series of statements about your working style and you will be asked to indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement.
This test measures your judgement and decision making skill in relation to typical situations a firefighter could face. You will be asked to rate the effectiveness of different actions that could be taken in response to a given situation.
This test measures your ability to evaluate, reason and conceptualise with words and sentences. You will be presented with passages of information and four statements about each passage. You will be asked to determine whether the statements are ‘true’, ‘false’, or ‘cannot say’, based on the information in the passage.
This test measures your ability to understand, interpret and logically evaluate numerical information. You will be presented with numerical data in the form of either a graph, table or infographic and three statements which relate to the data. You will be asked to determine whether the statements are ‘true’, ‘false’, or ‘cannot say’, based on the information provided.
This test is designed to measure your ability to apply cognitive reasoning to mechanical, physical and practical concepts in order to solve related problems. You will be shown mechanical situations and will be required to select the best answer from the options available.
We will send you an application and ask you about your understanding of having a diverse work force, we will also ask you for an example of your personal commitment to diversity and integrity around a particular circumstance that you must answer in a written format with a restricted word count.
This part of the process will explore your understanding of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Leadership Framework, you will be required to complete a briefing exercise around the Safe and Well Principles and will then move on to the formal interview part where you will be asked a series of behavioural questions that will require you to draw on your personal experience in those areas.
You can access the NFCC Leadership Framework here, and our Firefighter Recruitment Steps to Answer Behavioural Interview Questions guide here, so that you can prepare.
These are job related test that follow the national framework to ensure that you have sufficient practical ability to handle fire service equipment, you will be assessed to ensure that you can work at heights, have good manual dexterity and the ability to combine upper and lower body strength and coordination.
Full instruction is given on and prior to the day and you will be provided with fire service protective clothing to wear.
Using the correct lifting technique you will lift a 30kg weight, you will then hold in position for 40 seconds, before lowering the weight to the ground.
You will drag a 55kg dummy by the straps around a 30-metre course walking confidently and backwards guided by an instructor. This test will simulate the techniques and key skills needed to get a casualty to safety.
You will be given a demonstration and a briefing before then assembling and disassembling the equipment yourself.
In a breathing apparatus harness, with cylinder attached and a breathing apparatus face mask blacked out, you will negotiate a confined space.
In a working at height harness you will ascend the 13.5m ladder with correct technique and perform a ‘leg lock’ with both legs.
Using four different pieces of equipment you will complete a series of shuttle runs.
Immigration
In line with section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 all employers in the UK have to make basic checks on everyone they employ. Therefore, we will be asking you to bring relevant documents along e.g. Passport, birth certificate.
References
References will be sent following successful completion of the full process
Kit Measurement
A date will be arranged for you to be measured for your uniform.
Medicals
You will be invited to attend our Occupational Health Centre for a medical and fitness assessment.
You will be asked questions about your health and any disabilities/medical needs you may have. You will then be seen by an Occupational Health Consultant (Dr) who will review the test results and may need to examine you.
In line with the Data Protection Act, we do not divulge any medical information to anyone outside of occupational health without your written consent.
A fitness assessment will be carried out by the Fitness Adviser as part of your medical. Here you will be asked to take a Gas Analysis Assessment; this is a proven cardio pulmonary assessment for measuring aerobic capacity.
On successful completion of all the stages you will be issued a contract of employment and a start date for your initial training.
