Firefighter training

Training is your first step into the firefighter world. Once you’ve completed these courses you’ll be well on your way to becoming a fully competent firefighter.

If you're applying to become a wholetime firefighter, you'll complete these courses over a 12-week duration. For on-call firefighters, these courses will take place across the timeframe detailed next to each. You’ll be sent all the details of when the courses take place, but here’s what you can expect to do on each one.

Courses

Core skills training

12 days (on-call firefighters only)
Grey

This initial course will give you a baseline to be able to ride appliances.

This residential course covers:

  • squad drilling
  • words of command
  • vehicle marshalling
  • knots and lines
  • safe working at height (you'll do another course on working in confined spaces at height at a later date)
  • pitching of the various ladders used
  • pumping using main and portable pumps (theoretical and practical)
  • water safety and rescue awareness.

Breathing apparatus training

10 days (on-call firefighters only)
Grey

This course covers:

  • information about breathing apparatus and how to use
  • how to use the breathing apparatus control board
  • safe movement in heat and smoke
  • casualty handling
  • use of guidelines
  • ventilation (PPV)
  • fire chemistry
  • branch techniques
  • gas-tight suits.

Road traffic collision

Three days (on-call firefighters only)
Grey

This course covers:

  • role of fire service at road traffic collisions
  • SRS (supplementary restraint systems) identification and hazard management
  • setting up organisation of the incident scene
  • stabilisation of unsafe vehicles
  • glass management
  • various cutting techniques with both hand and hydraulic tools
  • immobilisation and extrication of casualties.