If you have ever wanted to be a firefighter, then now is the time to give it a go.
Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service is currently looking for new wholetime firefighters, with the deadline to apply closing at 10am on Monday October 13.
So what happens once you click that apply button? We want to make it clear, so you all know what to expect.
Once the deadline closes, our HR teams will come up with a shortlist of people who best meet the criteria we are looking for.
They will then be invited to attend a Recruitment Day in the middle of November. This is where you will take part in a one-hour group exercise, a 45-minute written assessment and will be tested on your fitness skills.
Our assessors will judge your leadership capabilities, but also how you work within a team – both of which are vital skills you will use every day as a firefighter.
Those who successfully pass the recruitment day will then have a go at our Job-Related Tests. These are designed to test your basic skills in some of the day-to-day activities firefighters carry out, such as running a hose, climbing a ladder and dragging a dummy casualty to safety. You can prepare and find out more by clicking here.
Remaining candidates will then undergo a short assessment to test your confidence in and around water. Firefighters may have to rescue people from the water if they have gone open water swimming.
Flooding is also a growing risk across the county – so it’s important for recruits to feel confident and safe around the water. Support will be on hand in advance of this task, and the assessment will be carried out in a controlled and supervised environment.
The final candidates will then be invited into Fire HQ at the end of January, where they will be interviewed and give a presentation on areas such as effective communication, working with others and showcasing a commitment to diversity and integrity.
They will also undertake a ‘safe and well’ exercise, which will test their ability to showcase good communication, empathy, active listening and a passion to help people.
Our assessors will then make the final decision on who to make conditional offers to. Prior to any offer of employment, the Fire Service will carry out DBS and employment checks.
Once you have passed a final fitness test and medical, you will be formally offered your role, fitted for your uniform, and can start to look forward to the beginning of your firefighter journey in May 2026.
Area Manager Mick Berry said: “We know this is a challenging recruitment process to go through, but we recruit people from many different backgrounds who have never been exposed to the demands of a firefighter role before.
“A shared passion in those who want to join us is a desire to serve and protect their local communities, so we hope to be able to choose from a diverse pool of talent from across the county so that are truly representative of the communities that we serve.”
So, let us know if you fancy the challenge.
You can apply to join Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service as a wholetime firefighter by clicking here.
