‘Positive’ response to fire service recruitment drive
There has been a “positive” response to an ongoing recruitment drive by Cavan County Fire Service, with dozens of new applications for fire fighters received across 10 local stations.
Under Workplace Relations Commission proposals, aimed at resolving last year's industrial relations dispute, a minimum of 12 retained firefighters will be assigned per station, with six available to respond at any one time as and when incidents arise.
To meet those demands, the county council began a recruitment campaign by hosting open days at stations across Cavan beginning in Virginia on January 11 and Ballyconnell this afternoon (January 18, 2-4pm) and concluding with the Kingscourt station on Saturday (January 20, 2-4pm).
On Monday evening last it was the turn of Belturbet station with sub officer, Ray Slaughter, on hand with the rest of the crew to welcome and talk to potential recruits.
Under the accepted WRC rules, new retained firefighters will enter service with guaranteed fixed minimum earnings of over €18,000 and will reach the top of the scale after eight years.
There is a plan too, once full staffing levels are achieved, to have all firefighters operating on a structured week-on, week-off roster.
For the likes of local publican Ray, who has served for 19 years as a firefighter, it will be a “massive change” in terms of striking a healthier and more attainable work-life balance.
He believes this change, and other recommendations adopted, will help overcome some of the challenges associated with the recruitment and retention of retained fire personnel. The Belturbet station welcomed interest from 16 people last Monday night and Ray reports similar levels of interest elsewhere around the county.
There was a “surprise” visit too from Ray's youngest daughter Katie, who hopes to one day join the frontline with the Irish National Ambulance Service, but who was “intrigued” by what was required to become a retained firefighter.
“We've nine crew at the minute [in Belturbet] with one guy starting a three-week course from today, so we will be 10. Ballyconnell have nine but they've three new recruits coming forward, and Dowra has another. So it's positive.”
He also welcomed €1.4 million in funding allocated in the last budget targetted specifically at providing more training and recruitment of members for Cavan's retained fire service.
“It's massively important, and it's great for ourselves. We're members of a community service providing a service back to our communities. The experience ranges from from myself as a publican to farmers, electricians, and postmen,” explains Ray.
“This won't suit all of the people who've visited us on our open days, maybe not right now, but they're an important and informative way of building interest among local men and women and an important start of a conversation that might one day see some of them join our crews.”
Applications may be obtained by emailing jobs@cavancoco.ie, by phoning 049-4378600, or downloaded online. The deadline for completed applications is Friday, January 26. Completed forms should be emailed to jobs@cavancoco.ie