P2 - Application & Selection
Fire Service & Police Service Application & Selection Process
When completing the application form it has to be done in total honesty and also be written in black pen and not any other colour. Honesty in the application is important as it will show who you are and if you are acceptable to join. Also honesty is one of characteristics that the fire service looks for in a fire-fighter so it’s important to be honest.
Also you are required to write a personal statement about yourself explaining what type of person you are and showing all of the things you are good at. This part of the process is basically selling yourself to the fire service and telling them why they should hire you. Also when applying you needs to write a CV this is when you put you educational grades in and also experience you have in working in other jobs. Also you would put in references where the fire service would ring up and ask them about the person applying and if they are suitable for the job.
The fitness tests include doing a various amounts of activities to see if you are up to the test of being a fire-fighter. The 6 tests are:
1. Ladder Climb - This is a test of confidence whilst working at high heights. The candidate will have to do a vary of activities while on the ladder to check the confidence him or her have on a 13.5m ladder.
2. Casualty Evacuation - This is a test of lower and upper body strength. You will be required to life a 55kg casualty walking backwards around a 30m course. This tests whether you'll be stronger enough to save someone from a burning building.
3. Ladder Lift/ Lower Simulation - This is another test of strength, to see if you are able to lift the ladder.
4. Equipment Assembly - This is when you assemble the equipment as quickly as possible and then put it away as well.
5. Equipment Carry - This is when you carry the equipment and see if you are able to carry the weight and still do the tasks required which carrying all of the equipment this is vital because you have to see whether you can or cannot carry the equipment.
6. Enclosed Space – Test of confidence in full uniform and gas mask crawl threw a tight space and see how well you do.
There will also be some medical tests during the selection process; all of the tests are listed below:
- Hearing Test – you will sit in a sound proof booth wearing headphones and will be asked to press a button when you hear a range of sounds.
- Step Test – you will be asked to step up and down on a box whilst your heart rate is monitored and the rate of step is gradually increased.
- Lung Function – you will be asked to blow hard and long down a hollow tube until all your lung capacity is fully exhaled – a reading is taken and assessed accordingly.
- Physical Stamina – you will be asked to squat on a machine designed to test your back and thigh strength and then pull a specified measurement.
- General Tests – you will finally see the doctor who will test your reflexes and discuss your medical questionnaire with you.
- Chest X-Ray – some FRS’s will send you to the local hospital for a chest x-ray.
You have to be prepared for the interview and look up potential questions they may ask and be fully prepared so you can do the best that you can. Practice interview skills so you can be confident during the interview and show why you want the job so much.
Police Service -
Fitness Tests –
· Bleep Test – You will have to achieve over 5.6 in the bleep test to pass this part of the fitness test
· Push & Pull Test – You will have to push and pull a weight of 35kg. If you do both of these tests you will have passed the fitness test.
Skills Test –
· Numerical reasoning skills
· Logical reasoning skills
· Speed vs. accuracy skills
· Verbal abilities
Interview Process –
· Interview (20 minutes)
· Numerical reasoning test (12 minutes)
· Verbal logical reasoning test (25 minutes)
· Four 5-minute interactive role-play scenarios