Fire Control Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to live within a catchment area to apply?
There is no specified catchment area for working in the Service Control Centre, but it is recommended consideration is given to any distance you may have to drive after a busy shift.
What hours do control staff work?
Fire control is crewed 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year, achieved by four watches on a rotating shift pattern averaging 42 hours per week.
Applicants must be able to work days, nights, weekends and bank holidays.
Night shifts are long – do I get to sleep at any point?
Night shifts are 14 hours in total. During this time, you will be given a meal break and, where possible, a rest break, however this is dependent on how operationally busy the Control Room is.
For the duration of all breaks all control staff must be able to be recalled to the Control Room. This is done via an alerter.
Will I work with the same people all the time?
Once the Acquisition Course has been completed, you will be assigned to a Watch – red, white, blue or green. You will then work with others assigned to that Watch. Throughout your career there may be times you are required to move to another Watch to suit the needs of the service. There are also opportunities to work with other Watches through overtime.
What is the salary?
Salary information can be found here.
Is there a pension scheme I can join?
Control staff are able to enrol into the Local Government Pension Scheme, which includes retirement options. Members of the scheme will benefit from a generous employer contribution.
What is the leave entitlement?
The basic entitlement for those on the shift system is 23 days plus eight bank holiday days. After five years’ service, the basic leave entitlement increases by three days.
Do Firefighter (Control) staff wear a uniform?
Full uniform is provided for Fire Control staff.
Do I need to have any qualifications to become a Firefighter (Control)?
- To work as a Firefighter (Control) the requirement is 4 GCSE passes – grade A*-C/9-4, including English and Mathematics.
- Equivalent Level 2 qualifications or higher-level relevant qualification.
- Or have at least six months relevant experience of working in an emergency service/military environment.
What is the training like?
Initially your training will be overseen by the Control Training Team on day duties over a five-week period. You will use our training system to learn the basics of call handling and mobilising and complete assessments as you progress. At the end of this phase, you will join your Watch where you will combine what you have already learnt with ongoing training which includes periodic assessments throughout. The timeframe to complete the Trainee stage is 3 – 4 months, and to complete the Development Programme is a minimum of a year but more commonly 18 months from starting in the Firefighter (Control) role. Following assessment by the Control Training Team, you will then qualify to be a Firefighter (Control) and move into the maintenance of skills phase.
Where will I do my training?
Your training will be completed at our Resilience Control Room at Potterne as well as the Service Control Centre itself. Where possible you may also be required to attend other sites such as our headquarters in Salisbury, or a fire station, in order to facilitate your learning.
What opportunities are there for promotion?
Once you have completed your training and are no longer a Firefighter (Control) in development, it will be possible for you to apply for promotion, with agreement from your line manager.
We have a promotion process that staff can access if they want to apply for a role at a higher level. Promotion to roles at Crew Manager (Control) and Watch Manager (Control) are completed through a number of elements, testing your skills and knowledge, and providing you with training to ensure you have the right skills once promoted.
Do Firefighter’s (Control) only take emergency calls?
As well as emergency call handling and the mobilising of resources, Fire Control monitor and use the radio scheme to aid the management and running of incidents, ensuring their conclusion by maintaining relevant incident logs as well as liaising with relevant partner agencies.
Some other examples of Fire Control responsibilities are:
- testing and maintaining mobilisation and communication equipment.
- dealing with enquiries from members of the public and signposting to the appropriate department when required.
- monitoring and maintaining fire cover to ensure we can respond to emergencies in a timely manner.
- participating in exercises and incident debriefs.
- maintaining own development.
- updating social media and the website with incidents.
Do Firefighter’s (Control) also take calls for Police and Ambulance?
No, we liaise with police, ambulance and a variety of other agencies but we only handle calls for the fire service. Occasionally we do get calls meant for other services, but these will always be passed on to the relevant service to deal with.
What is a typical shift like as a Firefighter (Control)?
There is no such thing as a typical shift in Fire Control. Whilst there are daily routines that must be completed, the nature of the job means that no two shifts are the same. A Firefighter (Control) needs to be ready to deal with whatever the shift may bring. That could be lots of small incidents at the same time, one big one or anything and everything in between. Click here to see what happens when a call comes in.
What happens if I take a call that upsets me?
Occasionally there will be calls that are upsetting. Calls can come from people who are distressed, frightened and confused. Whilst a Firefighter (Control) needs to be able to deal with these calls in a calm and reassuring manner there will be times when the nature of the incident can have an effect. To help with this we offer TRiM.
Trauma Risk in Management (TRiM) is a system developed by the Royal Marines and widely adopted by the military, police forces and fire and rescue services and is considered an effective form of stress management. This is stress which follows as a result of a traumatic incident. This can be any event from a minor accident to a major disaster. It can affect survivors, victims, rescuers and helpers as well as onlookers, witnesses, colleagues, friends and family members. There are members of the Service Control Centre who are TRiM practitioners who will be able to support if TRiM is considered appropriate.
I have a hearing impairment; can I still apply?
All successful applicants must pass a medical test which will include a hearing test. Applicants for Firefighter (Control) who meet the H2 hearing standard should be considered fit for role. Applicants who score lower than H2 may be required to undertake additional functional testing before a decision on fitness can be determined.
I am dyslexic; can I still apply?
Yes, you can apply – you may require reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. We ask on the application if there are there any special arrangements or facilities that will help you to attend the interview or take part in the selection process and this will enable us to make adjustments to the process; it will not prevent you from applying.
We recognise the importance of diversity throughout our Service and are fully committed to embracing the talents of people with autism, dyslexia, ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity.
I have a criminal conviction; can I still apply?
The Services approach to the recruitment of ex-offenders is set out in our Policy Statement. We will undertake a minimum of a Standard DBS Check on new and existing staff who are moving role. The level of check undertaken will be determined by the role you will be doing.
All Fire and Rescue Service staff are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, as the nature of the jobs falls within the type of work excluded from the Act by the 1975 Exception Amendment. Applicants will be asked to declare all cautions or convictions, even if they are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act unless it is a protected or filtered offence.
We are unable to accept applications from anyone with unspent conditional cautions or convictions. You will not be considered for a role within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service until the rehabilitation period has passed and the conviction(s)/caution(s) become spent.
All Firefighters (Control) are required to obtain Non Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV2) clearance.
I want to be a Firefighter. Will working as a Firefighter (Control) make it easier for me to become a Firefighter?
Whilst working in Fire Control gives an insight into the way the fire service works in general; it is not a short-cut to the role of an Operational Firefighter. For information on our Wholetime recruitment process, click here.