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How to develop a personal mission statement

Key questions to get you started.

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What’s your personal mission statement?

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Written by former Delta Force Operator Pete Blaber, the book “The Mission, The Men, and Me” drives home the simple and powerful principle that “being ready” trumps having a “perfect plan” any time. So, let’s get you ready.

You’ve likely heard someone say, “If you want to succeed here, you need to take the work personally.” As a young volunteer firefighter, I recall the repetitiveness of washing fire trucks, racking hose, throwing ladders and, yes cleaning the toilets – every day, sometimes more than once. It’s all the same principles as the book: You will need to be ready if you expect to succeed.

We didn’t keep up the repetitiveness at the firehouse because we “didn’t get it” or “couldn’t do it.” We kept it up because we wanted to be the best in the business, and we cared how we looked doing it and, most importantly, because we wanted to be ready. I see that same pride in firehouses today – sometimes to different degrees, yet as a culture we care, and we want to look good doing it, and we want to be ready.

Follow the KISS principle

Remember when you first got hired or joined your local VFD? They likely gave you some books to read, some papers to fill out and disclosures to sign. Somewhere in there was probably a copy of your organization’s mission, vision and values.

Understanding the mission was really your first test – the first step in understanding why you were getting ready to do whatever it was you were going to do. If your department had a mission statement, I suspect that it was a verbose regurgitation of an epiphany that once came to some administrator from the past. I don’t need people to memorize a paragraph; I need them to be ready to fulfill the mission. Keep the organizational mission statements simple, like the KISS principle – “Keep it simple, stupid.”

Something that no one ever asked me in those formative years was, “What is your personal mission statement?” Now, if someone had asked me this back then, I likely would have blurted some incoherent words or telegraphed a diatribe that somewhat matched the lengthy organization mission statement we had.

But if you think about it, how can you possibly be ready to achieve the organizational mission if you don’t know what you stand for on a personal level? Sure, as a younger firefighter, it’s not quite as meaningful, nor urgent, for you to focus on the long-term future you’ll have within the organization. I get it, you’re just trying to survive and learn everything you can.

At some point, you will need to evolve your thinking into understanding that you are part of the bigger picture. Having a compass that’s pointing you in the right direction will not only become more meaningful to you but will also become essential to your continued success in our very dynamic field. And at some point, having a compass that points to something more meaningful than “don’t suck today” will have real meaning to you.

Before we start on the personal mission statement, let’s review your personal success tetrahedron . The base of the tetrahedron is the mission (service), and the three sides are physical strength and nutrition, moral focus, and mental toughness and stability. We must find the balance among the three walls of the tetrahedron so we have the stability to achieve the mission. After all, you’ve got to ensure that you’re taking care of yourself before you can be expected to earn and uphold the public trust and to take care of those whom you are sworn to protect and serve.

Furthermore, it is important to recognize that you are a public servant who is held to a standard of public trust. That means that it’s not only your actions ON the job but also OFF the job that impact the public’s perception. While we’re focusing here primarily on your work life, the personal mission statement should certainly transcend into other parts of your personal life.

Key questions

As we think about personal mission statements, the KISS principle applies here too. It’s not about verbiage; it’s about being ready to fulfill the mission. Your personal mission statement is part of your life plan.

The first thing to understand as you begin your personal evaluation is that the personal mission statement is not set in stone. Your answers to the questions will likely evolve over the years until you achieve your greatest potential.

Now, start by answering these three questions to help develop your personal mission statement:

  • Why do you want to do what you do – at work and in life? This is intended to be a positional question – a reflection on why you are striving for particular goals. Let’s say you’re taking the promotional test for lieutenant. The answer to “why” will most likely be different at the lieutenant stage of your career than it will be once you get to the chief’s ranks. It’s fair to ask yourself this question on a regular basis.
  • What difference and/or affect will you make at your department? Are you swinging for the fences, trying to save the world, or do simply seek to improve the impression of leadership amongst the rank-in-file? Do you believe you can make that difference?
  • What is your power? You could also ask yourself what you bring to the table. Maybe it’s a master’s degree, maybe it’s 20 years of intense experience/street smarts or national certifications/credentials, or you’re a legacy family member with a rich and storied family history within the organization. MAYBE you haven’t figured your power out yet – this exercise will help you drill down to identify it.

There are myriad options and programs out there to help you along this journey. Many of those options are fee-service or classroom opportunities that will help you work through the process. Some processes look at the questions slightly differently, and some ask totally different questions. I’ve found the above three questions a simple yet powerful tool for firefighters and chiefs alike to use as a starting point.

Maintaining your mission statement

Establishing your personal mission statement may be difficult at times; however, try to remember that it is just a statement. Only YOU can truly control the trajectory of your career; the personal mission statement is just designed to help direct your compass and keep you focused on the mission. With that in mind, here are some tips to stay on track:

  • Practice what you preach in your statement and in your personal and professional actions.
  • Evaluate every day and tomorrow: Like the OODA loop in operations, in your leadership, you need to constantly be observing, orienting, deciding and acting. Are you staying focused on getting to where your mission statement wants you to be? Will tomorrow’s environment still get you there? What do you need to adjust? Remember, it’s all about being ready.
  • Recognize that none of us knows it all: This is meant to keep you humble and aware that we’re in this together. There are others out there to help you, and you may be the one being called on to help someone else through this process.

Some additional resources:

  • “Does leadership live with you or die with you?” which includes five essential steps for leadership success.
  • “How to write a personal mission statement (40 examples)”

Finding meaning in what you do

“I had a life, I looked up one day and it was gone.” I heard this on a police drama, and the line struck me as a perfect way to emphasize the importance of building a personal mission statement. After all, none of us wants to wake up one day and realize that we didn’t make a positive impact, wishing we had floundered less and focused on our personal mission more.

My personal mission statement is emblazoned on the back of my personal challenge coin: “Inspire transformation to help others achieve their maximum potential.” And with more than 40 years of experience and serving in this role, I truly hope that I am helping others achieve their maximum potential.

So, what’s your personal mission statement?

Chief Marc Bashoor

FRS Development

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Firefighter Application

personal statement for fire service

Completing the application form is the first step to joining the Fire Service. People usually think filling in the application form is a pretty easy step, but 90% of applications will be rejected .

Where can I get an application form?

Please bear in mind that application forms are ONLY available when recruitment for wholetime firefighters is open for the FRS you want to apply to.

The majority of Fire and Rescue Services use online applications, although some of the more remote ones still provide an application form for you to download and either fill out on your computer or complete by hand.

What will the application form ask me?

Application forms will vary slightly between Fire Services, but the most important part (often in the personal statement section) is designed to find about how you meet Personal Qualities and Attributes needed to be a good firefighter. You will need to give real-life examples of situations where you have demonstrated the PQAs.

You’ll also be asked to provide your personal and contact details, declare any unspent criminal convictions, and give details of your previous employment and education.

There may also be some basic screening questions for you to answer, to make sure that you understand and meet the basic requirements of the firefighter role .

Often you’ll only be given a short window when recruitment is open to submit your application – and occasionally FRSs will reserve the right to close the process early if they reach a certain number of applicants. Therefore it’s crucially important to be prepared!

How do I answer PQA questions?

The questions are phrased like this:

  • ‘Please  describe a time  where you have worked effectively with others’
  • ‘Can you  give an example of a time where you have resolved a challenging problem?’
  • ‘Provide  an example of when you have had to meet high standards’
  • ‘Please  describe when you have had to create a detailed plan’

What help is available?

We have helped many firefighter applicants to improve their ability to pass the selection process. We can show you how to make your application better so you can see the difference yourself. We can teach you how to apply this knowledge to later stages of the recruitment process too.

Our support ALWAYS improves the applicant’s chances of getting through to the next recruitment stage. We can’t write your application for you, but we can make sure it is the best version it can be!

Our Service is recognised to be the best help available to you pass your application. Most of our customers come back for help preparing for their interview!

Our workbooks give you tips and exercises to practice completing an application form before you do the real thing. It covers everything you need to know – it’s full of learning exercises and detailed examples to gradually build up your skills.

Our personalised feedback service lets you know what you’re good at and what needs work with the answers you have already done. If you are concerned your experience may not be quite up to scratch, we can give you honest and constructive guidance and advice.

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personal statement for fire service

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Your Fire Service Résumé: A Personal Mission and Vision

Evan Kutzin challenges you to consider your personal mission and vision when building your list of fire service accomplishments.

Your Fire Service Résumé: A Personal Mission and Vision

VOLUNTEERS CORNER ❘ By EVAN KUTZIN

Walk into the headquarters of a progressive fire department and it’s likely that you’ll find its Mission and Vision Statements hanging prominently in the lobby or outside the chief’s office, displayed proudly for the community to see and to keep department members energized, engaged, and motivated. Clearly articulating the department’s mission and vision has become the primary means of launching the strategic planning process not only within the fire service but throughout the public and private sectors, nongovernmental organizations, and nonprofits alike.

Fire Department Interviews and the Informational Vacuum

USING MISSION STATEMENTS IN THE FIRE SERVICE: DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR COMPANIES ARE DOING?

Lead Your Rural Agency to Success with an Organizational Philosophy

Evolution of a Mission Statement

Although the process of defining an organizational mission and vision has been discussed in Fire Engineering in the past, a quick review should help to better illustrate the more personally impactful concept that this article presents.

The Strategic Planning Process

Strategic planning is the practice by which organizations can facilitate effective and efficient process management by means of understanding strengths and weaknesses. A good strategic plan should be an overall approach or framework to outline what the organization is trying to achieve: goal setting. The strategic planning process should force participants to step back and look at the dynamics from a “30,000-foot” perspective outside of the day-to-day activities. Here, you will be talking in generalities, not specifics. It should provide the “big picture” of what is currently being done; where it is headed; and, ultimately, how it expects to get there. Strategic planning should also provide clarity about future milestones and achievements rather than a course of action for day-to-day operations. The plan should map out a clear path from the present through the ultimate vision of the future. Where will the organization be in five, 10, or 20 years? The organization should also understand that the planning process in and of itself may turn out to be more significant than the actual results. The introduction of disciplined internal dialogue may be enough to develop a widespread, long-term planning philosophy.

Strategic planning should be a fluid process with the goal of assisting the organization in determining its immediate and long-term objectives, recognizing and reducing risks, identifying ways to increase efficiency, and helping to maintain stabilization. To achieve these ultimate goals, the strategic plan will need to outline the following questions:

  • Who are we?
  • Where have we been?
  • Where are we now?
  • Where do we want to go?
  • When will we want to get there?
  • What do we need to do to get there?
  • How do we do it?
  • How do we measure our success?

Before you lay out the mission and vision, develop the growth strategies and identify the benchmarks of success, you need a means to evaluate the organization as it stands today, to determine the current position and identify issues that may need to be addressed in the plan. This should involve a process that evaluates the organization’s S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats known as a SWOT analysis. Strengths may identify internal areas or functions where the organization excels and where skilled and knowledgeable staff may be present. Weaknesses identify internal areas that are lacking, need improvement, or have an unclear direction. Opportunities shift the focus to the external, looking to identify underserved markets or functions, emerging needs, outside collaborations, and public perception. Finally, threats may identify external risks to the organization and its success or growth. This may include new codes or regulations, financial or budgetary risks, and human resource constraints.

The strategic planning process will then shift from the analysis phase into full-on strategy development, where the mission and vision statement will be organized to define the who, what, where, when, why, and how. The mission statement development doesn’t create the fundamental purpose of an organization; rather, it tells the story of it—it defines the critical processes and informs stakeholders of the desired level of performance. The vision statement then outlines what the organization wants to be or how the world or sphere in which it operates should be. It concentrates on the future, is a source of inspiration, and answers the question, “Why?” The vision casts a wider net, describing what will be achieved in the wider scope if the mission is successful.

Strategic Planning on the Fireground

You can also use the term “size-up” as another name for strategic planning. We are already accustomed to doing this in the operational hazard zone every day on the fireground. We arrive on scene and size up the situation as described in the acronym COAL WAS WEALTH. Throughout the incident, we develop incident action plans and define the scope of our work. We announce the strategy (i.e., offensive or defensive attack, protecting exposures, primary search), set performance indicators (e.g., visible fire knocked down, under control, victim located), and leverage all of the tools available to us (i.e., engine to establish initial attack line, truck to the roof for vertical ventilation, rescue to search for occupants). We understand the standard conditions with which we may be presented, the standard actions we take to stabilize the situation, and the standard outcome we expect.

The fireground is always evolving with an array of dynamic issues that we must constantly evaluate during the incident. It’s our professional responsibility to the public we serve to have this operational size-up concept “under control.” However, if you’re not yet deploying this process in your organization’s management and leadership zone, perhaps you should be.

Your Personal Strategic Plan

My big question here is, “Have we learned to use this size-up in our personal lives and professional careers in a similar manner?” Go back through the above strategic planning process outline and replace the italicized word organization with an appropriate pronoun to define yourself (e.g., I, we, us, our, and so on). Step out of the realm of planning for an organization or incident and think about this process as planning for your future in the fire service and perhaps even how the fire service fits into your life as a whole.

A Culture of Excellence

As volunteer firefighters and officers, most of us have careers outside of the department. Yet, we find that our day jobs may not define who we are. When we meet someone for the first time and start talking, we may never bring up our line of work—the one that pays the bills; our careers may just not speak to who we are as a person. That’s not to say we don’t like our jobs or we don’t see them as our future. We may just not have the same sort of passion for our full-time occupations as we do for the volunteer fire service. How many other professions have employees who proudly display their companies’ logos on a T-shirt, jacket, hat, car decal, gold pendant, or tattoo on their arms? We do this because we are proud to identify as part of the team that is the fire service family. We have a desire to serve, and we enjoy doing so. As much as we hate those middle of the night carbon monoxide calls, we still get up and do the job. Paycheck or not, the fire service is a profession and a true calling for many of the 750,000 volunteers in the United States.

Right now, there is a wave going through the fire service to develop a new culture of excellence—building reliable and effective leaders at every rank—by balancing the new rules with the old traditions. Peter Drucker, author, educator, and described “founder of modern management,” once wrote, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” Integrity/doing what’s right for our organization, our coworkers, our customers, and ourselves as leaders must be its own reward because for many of us, there’s no money involved. Our people are our most important assets; without them, there is no team.

Whatever role you choose to take in the fire service, from the top down, own it. You control your own happiness in the firehouse, so if you don’t like what you see, fix it. And, if you find yourself sticking around the fire service for all the wrong reasons, I assure you there is no one stopping you from getting out. We can’t all be experts at everything, so find at least one thing and master it—be that go-to person. In all aspects, be the best that you can be to your own abilities, then push yourself a little further and be a “forever student”; never stop learning. Whether we realize it or not, we are aggregates of every experience we’ve ever had in the fire service and beyond. We build muscle memory every day we get out of bed and every time we climb on and off the rig. We think and act based on our combined past experiences. At the end of each tailboard training or drill, go around the group and list one new thing learned that day—you may be surprised by the responses you hear.

Use the strategic planning process to evaluate who you are internally as a person and a firefighter. Ask yourself where you’ve been and where you want to go with your fire service career—and even with life in general. I encourage you to start by building your résumé; it’s the best way to tell your story. Be proud of your accomplishments. You pushed your way through some pretty long, difficult classes. You pushed yourself when nobody else would—mentally, physically, and even emotionally. Whether you took a class because your department required it, for your own personal knowledge, or just to see if you could make it through, it doesn’t matter. Was it just to pad your résumé for a promotion or a department election? Or, did you take the training to learn something that could save a life someday, help you grow as a firefighter, or be a better person or leader? Be proud of the citations, commendations, and awards you received. There is value and morale in pomp-and-circumstance; your years of service and commitment to the department do count for something. However, you must always stay humble—the résumé you built is only for you to know where you’ve been. It’s not your podium from which to stand and preach. Your years sitting around the firehouse and that folder of certificates don’t make you the world’s best firefighter, officer, chief, or leader. Your résumé is the story of your career as a firefighter and the data for your own SWOT analysis.

Into the Future

Only now that you know where you’ve been, résumé in hand, can you start to look to the future. Where do you want to go in the fire service? Are you content where you are, or do you see yourself moving beyond your department? Maybe you want to move on to a bigger, busier volunteer or career department. Maybe you want to mentor a probie or teach the next generation at the fire academy. It’s a proud officer moment when one of your members gets on the job in their “dream” department. Remember, you helped build their passion and fire service foundation. Maybe you want to make the trip to the Fire Department Instructors Conference International for the first time or maybe you want to write an article for Fire Engineering . Then, look at what you need to do to get there. Perhaps you need to study more, train more, or even play the firehouse politics more. It’s often who you know, not what you know. Then, how will you know when you get there? How will you measure your success? Is your rank, replete with the white hat and chief’s car, all that matters to you? Or, is your goal to be the wise and trusted senior firefighter. Maybe it’s a bump in salary, awards hanging on your wall, a simple compliment, or a pat on the back after having an impact on someone’s life. Make this your mission statement.

Your life will be full of successes and failures. You won’t always be in the right place at the right time. After you miss the “job of the year,” as the old saying still goes, “See you at the big one”; there will be many more. You can control only what you can control, but you do have the power to answer the “why” and to define how you will be remembered—in life and in the fire service. Why do you do what you do? Why are you here? Why did you choose to make sacrifices? Don’t let people remember you for what you did; instead, let them remember you for why you did it. Write your own ending and let your legacy be your pension in life. This is your vision statement.

EVAN KUTZIN has been a firefighter since 2001 and serves as the deputy chief for the Old Tappan (NJ) Fire Department. He has been a fire officer since 2007 and has served in several volunteer and career capacities for fire and emergency medical services combination departments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Kutzin is a New Jersey-certified fire instructor, a fire inspector, and an EMT-B and works full-time as a fire marshal for one of New Jersey’s public colleges. He has a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in administrative science with a concentration in global security and terrorism studies.

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Application form - Dos and Don'ts

06 April 2021   Posted in: Wholetime

For those of you who will be successful in the eligibility stage, there are several more stages to the application process, including online assessments, interviews, practical and physical tests.

While there is a lot of information on the fitness side of being a firefighter, what should you consider when moving forward with the application form?

This application form comprises of two sections:

First section – Application form

The first section captures your personal details, which includes your address and requires you to detail your sickness absence levels in the past 12 months. 

If this exceeds five days you will be asked to provide further details. HR will review the information provided and will make a fair and consistent judgement on whether you pass this section. 

Long-term absences due to operations, injuries, significant illnesses/medical conditions or life events such as bereavement or divorce will be considered in a positive light and it is likely you will pass the sift stage. 

Repeated absences over 5 days in a year due to minor ailments are likely to mean that you will not pass the sickness sift. 

It is essential that firefighters have good levels of health and wellbeing and a strong work ethic. 

Second section - Personal statement

The second section is the personal statement (up to 1,500 words). In this section we are looking for candidates to demonstrate the core skills required to become a Firefighter, these include:

  • The ability to work well under pressure
  • Good communication skills
  • Commitment to continuous development
  • Ability to solve problems and possess good practical skills
  • Ability to work within a diverse environment and adapt to different needs

Please note that this is not exhaustive. You must include evidence against each of the above and may also wish to also outline other skills and experience you have which you feel would positively contribute to the role of a Firefighter. 

It is important to provide examples as evidence. These can be from your current or previous employment, voluntary work, education or non-work related examples. 

If you make statements such as “I have good communication skills” you will not pass this stage. You must provide an example to evidence this. 

The personal statement also requires you to evidence how you meet Avon Fire & Rescue Service values.  These are:

  • Transparent

We believe it is not just what we do but how we do it that is important. Our values act as the standards of behaviour we expect from our staff. These values can meet different things to different people. 

There will be further blogs coming next week outlining our values in more details, helpful tips on your personal statement and details on shortlisting.

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Fight fire with water!

[ Click here to directly go to the complete firefighter resume sample ]

Fight for your dream job with an ATS-compliant resume.

Learn all about landing a shortlist with our Firefighter Resume Guide today.

Your fire department resume is the key to getting an interview call, so it is important to market yourself in a way that convinces the recruiter that they don’t have to look any further.

After reading your fire fighter resume, a potential employer should understand the impact you had in your previous roles and how well your firefighter resume skills will translate to the new role you are applying to.

In this guide, we will reveal every secret to writing the perfect fire fighter resume.

We will show how you can capitalize on your strengths while downplaying your shortcomings. Furthermore, we will show you how just a one-page document can help you land your dream job!

Here is a summary of our Firefighter Resume Guide:

  • Only use the month and year format to write the dates throughout all the sections of your fire fighter resume.
  • Write the key skills and firefighter resume objectives/summary section towards the end. This will save you time and make it easier to draft these sections as well.
  • Avoid using paragraphs at all costs as it makes your fire chief resume look cluttered. Instead, use one-liner points to communicate your roles & responsibilities in the professional experience section.
  • Do not let your fire chief resume exceed 2 pages unless your work experience transcends 10 years.
  • Write a fireman resume summary if you have a professional experience of 3 years or more, otherwise stick with firefighter resume objectives.

That's not all.

This guide is embedded with 15+ sample firefighter resumes and firefighter resume examples that are designed to show you what each resume section would look like after you follow the guidelines in this blog.

Whether you're writing an entry level firefighter resume or a resume for firefighting professionals, this blog is the ONLY guide you will need.

The best part about this guide is that it is so exhaustive that you won’t have to look for information anywhere else!

By the end of this resume for firefighters blog, you will learn:

  • How to draft each section of your fireman resume correctly.
  • What personal information to include in your firefighter resume.
  • How to list professional experience in a firefighter resume.
  • What firefighter resume skills to write in your key skills section that will make you stand out.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is easy to use as it auto-fills all the boring stuff for you, you just need to optimize it according to your current target job-listing and you are done. Start building your resume here.

Mentioned below is a list of information you will gather by reading this blog:

Firefighter Job Description for Resume

Firefighters are heroes! They save lives while risking their own. Your resume should make sure that this trait of yours comes across in the most humble way.

Following is the firefighter resume job description:

  • Administer medical care to injured people in emergencies.
  • Contain fires, assist victims, and ensure overall community safety.
  • Inspect fire fighting equipment and hydrants.
  • Perform minor maintenance to equipment.
  • Be equipped to perform emergency functions, such as first aid, CPR, etc.

Firefighter Sample Resume

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Take a look at the sample firefighter resume below. It illustrates the perfect resume for firefighters.

  • Administered medical care to injured people in emergencies to save the lives of 30 individuals
  • Assessed conditions and responded quickly to contain fires, assist victims, and ensure community safety
  • Controlled wildfire with a team of 3 Firefighters at the local park leading to the fire to be 100% extinguished in record time
  • Mobilized a team of 9 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies
  • Trained 20+ volunteer Firefighters, showcasing leadership during evacuations and fire prevention
  • Conducted “Fire Safety” talks in various venues including elementary schools , churches, and local businesses
  • Devised fire training boot camps for troubled teens and individuals in rehabilitation
  • Inspected F irefighting equipment and hydrants and performed minor maintenance that minimized malfunctions by 30%
  • Awarded “Silver Grade” Award for saving 150 workers from life-threatening injuries during a local factory fire
  • Emergency Medical Technology Certification | Texas Department of State Health Services | Austin, TX, US | Feb '10 - Jun '10
  • State Firefighter Certification | The Texas Commission on Fire Protection | Austin, TX, US | Jul '09 - Sep '09
  • Languages : English, Spanish

Firefighter Salary

Firefighter salaries as quoted by the following major websites:

  • PayScale : $47,965 / year
  • Indeed : $45,454 / year
  • Glassdoor : $48,774 / year

What is a Firefighter Resume & why do you need it?

You will need an ATS-targeted resume to shimmy down the fireman’s pole and land that job interview for a fireman.

A less than perfect resume will take you nowhere with a fire chief as they are looking for highly-motivated people who pay special attention to detail and you have to reflect the same with your resume.

So, the need of the hour is to keep up with the times, which means you have to make sure that your resume is perfectly structured and formatted making it both recruiter and ATS friendly.

We have written this blog to help you build a wildland fire resume that will sail through any ATS while also impressing your recruiters.

A persuasive resume requires creativity. We have compiled the do’s and don’ts of writing resumes to help you build your resume.

Firefighter Resume Sections

To make sure that no relevant information is missed out on, we have divided the resume into the following sections which will cover every aspect of your professional identity:

  • Personal Information
  • Profile Title
  • Summary/Objective
  • Professional Experience
  • Certifications (if any)
  • Awards & Recognition (if any)
  • Additional Information (if any)

If you want more advice on nailing your resume sections, read Hiration's Guide to sections in a resume .

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try Hiration’s Online Resume Builder. It’s fast and easy to use! Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click.

How to write your Firefighter Resume

If you go about writing your wildland firefighter resume with no set direction, you will probably take up a lot of time and come up with an average run-of-the-mill resume.

You want to avoid that and write a kickass resume while not wasting your time. For this purpose only, our resume writing experts have broken down the whole process into the following easy to follow stages:

  • First Stage: Master Firefighter Resume
  • Second Stage: First Draft of Firefighter Resume
  • Third Stage: Final Draft of FIrefighter Resume

Master Firefighter Resume

Alright, let’s get to work. Sit down! And think about your whole professional life. The recent instances will come easier to you, so start listing everything down. What you did, how it helped the company?

Were you the employee of the year? The manager gave you any special kudos? It’s all solid gold! Keep going back to all the profiles you have held and keep listing down everything at one source file.

Dig out any logs and files to come up with hard data to back up your claims.

Do not forget about your education! List down all the information regarding your education as well.

Wondering what goal this master firefighter resume will achieve? It will help you in the following manner:

  • Resume-writing in the present: As all your information is now compiled in one source, all you need to do is pick out the relevant details to build your resume. Because of the easy accessibility, it is so much easier to customize your resume according to whichever job you are targeting at the time.
  • Resume update in the future: Once we have found a job, we tend to not look at our resume until we need it again and then we have to go through the whole ordeal all over again. But, if you have a master resume, you will cut your effort in half as you will already have all the information you will need to update your resume located in a single file.

First Draft of Firefighter Resume

The first draft of your fire department resume requires you to draft all the sections of your resume except the key skills and firefighter resume objectives/summary section.

We have listed all the sections you will need to draft in this section below:

Draft of Firefighter Resume

Now that you have completed writing all the sections mentioned in the first draft of your wildland firefighter resume, it will be extremely easy for you to write the key skills and firefighter resume objective /summary section.

We saved this section for last to make it easier for you to draft them. Now, you just need to go through your professional experience section and identify keywords from it to make-up your key skills section.

For the firefighter resume summary section, you just need to identify the roles & responsibilities that resonate with the firefighter resume job desciption of your target job and frame them for this section.

Also, don’t forget to highlight the achievements that you are most proud of.

Use Hiration’s guide on how to write a resume to improve your chances of getting more interview calls.

Firefighter Resume: Header

Always remember that your fire chief resume header should only be your name, not “CV” or “Resume” or anything else.

These are some of the tips regarding how to format your resume header to make sure it follows current industry standards:

  • Your resume header appears at the topmost part of your resume.
  • Leave a single space between your first and last name.
  • Initialize middle name, if you have one.
  • Keep the font size between 16 and 20.

Job hunting can be daunting, that’s why we’ve put together guides to navigate you through the process. Hiration’s Guide To Writing The Perfect Resume Header is one such guide.

Here's a firefighter resume sample showcasing the perfect header section:

Head Section in a Firefighter Resume

Let the resume writing experts at Hiration take some stress off your shoulders by helping you build an ATS-optimized wildland firefighting resume. We can also help you build your firefighter resume cover letter

Firefighter Resume: Personal Information

Avoid providing extremely personal details and keep this section strictly for contact information only. Ideally, the personal information section should consist of the following details:

  • Your functional mobile number
  • Your professional email ID
  • Your current location of residence

Updated Mobile Number

Re-check this information after you are done drafting your fire dept resume to make sure there are no typing mistakes here. Follow the below-mentioned instructions while writing your updated phone number:

  • Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number
  • Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code
  • Write your updated mobile number after the ISD code
  • Eg: +1 65432 51981

Professional Email Address

Do not mess up while writing your email ID as it will be the official mode of communication between you and your recruiter.

It needs to be professional-sounding as well to leave a good impression on your recruiter.

So, let’s say, if your name is Alecto Carrow, your email ID should look like “[email protected]” and not “[email protected]”.

Current Location of Residence

There is no scope for error even in the tiniest details of your resume. Follow the guidelines below while writing the location in your resume:

  • Mention your current city and state of residence if you are looking for a job in your country of residence. If you are hoping to move abroad, mention your city and country name.

Read Hiration's Guide to composing your contact information to perfectly curate the personal information section of your wildland firefighting resume.

Sample Firefighter Resume for Personal Information

Here's a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal personal information section:

Personal Information Section in a Firefighter Resume

Read on to explore the 15+ firefighter resume examples that we have mentioned in this blog for a better understanding of how each section should be ideally curated.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is a comprehensive resume writing service that can create your wildland fire resume and on your behalf, using the employment of professional resume writing experts.

You can also use our services to write the perfect firefighter resume cover letter.

Firefighter Resume: Profile Title

Your profile title conveys your latest job designation in your functional industry to your recruiter.

It is important that you accurately curate your profile title and do not lie or exaggerate your level of seniority in hopes of higher pay.

Write this section in the font range of 14 and 16 font size.

For tips on writing an ideal profile title, view our firefighter resume examples.

Profile Title Section in a Firefighter Resume

We understand that writing a resume for what could be your dream job is formidable. If you are looking for assistance, let our experts review your resume and tell you what to do to make it better.

Firefighter Resume: Professional Experience

The professional experience is the most important section of your wildland firefighter resume as your suitability for this job will be judged based on this section.

With the help of this section, you will be able to talk about your roles & responsibilities and achievements that make you stand out from the crowd.

You can employ the following tricks to enhance the quality of your professional experience section:

  • Use the STAR format
  • Frame one-liner points
  • Use bucketing & bolding

We have composed the guide to show you how to compose the professional experience section in your resume to help you.

Our firefighter resume examples use numbers and figures in the professional experience section that make the candidate’s accomplishments more tangible.

STAR Format

The STAR format stands for:

S: Situation - The situation that led to your contributions. T: Task - The task that got assigned to you. A: Action - What action you took to fulfill this assigned task. R: Result - What were the results of this action in the form of an achievement figure.

The STAR format employs the cause-effect relationship to explain the “why” behind your actions and results, pinpointing your exact contributions to your organization.

Framing Points

A shortlist-worthy resume is one that communicates your roles & responsibilities to the recruiter in an effective manner. That will happen when it is easy to read and comprehend.

Wonder why you are not getting shortlisted even when you are qualified? It might be because you have been using paragraphs to phrase the professional experience section of your resume.

It’s time to turn the leaf and follow our advice of only using one-liner points.

Here are two firefighter resume examples that we want you to observe closely:

Example 1 :

"I was responsible for administering medical care to injured people in emergencies which led to 30 individuals being saved. I employed different approaches according to the conditions at hand to contain fires and assist victims. My team always responded quickly and assessed the conditions accurately, ensuring the safety of the community. I along with a team of 7 firefighters was able to control the wildfire at the local park in record time. I also spearheaded and mobilized a team of 11 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies."

Example 2 :

  • Managed to control the local park wildfire with a team of 7 Firefighters which led to the fire being extinguished 100% in record time
  • Spearheaded a team of 11 Firefighters while responding to local fires and emergencies
  • Saved lives of injured people in emergencies through administering medical care, a total of 30 individuals saved till date
  • Employed the right approach to contain fires and assist victims by responding quickly and accurately assessing conditions, ensuring the safety of the community

Framing Points Analysis

The following points can be concluded from the following firefighter resume examples that we have mentioned above:

  • In firefighter resume example 1, we have used a paragraph to talk about the candidate’s professional experience. As is evident, it’s long and messy hence failing to have the desired impact.
  • In firefighter resume example 2, we have used simple one-liner points to communicate the same information as example 1. As we can see, it is easier to read and gets the point across in a more comprehensible manner.
  • Hence, we implore you to use bullet points rather than paragraphs while drafting the professional experience section of your wildland firefighting resume.

Bucketing & Bolding

While good readability is incredibly important, if your resume still does not pack a punch, all this effort may go to waste.

We encourage the use of bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

Look at these two firefighter resume examples that illustrate this point:

Fire Extinguishing

Emegency & Medical Care

  • Saved lives of injured people in emergencies through administering medical care, total 30 individuals saved till date

Bucketing & Bolding: Analysis

We have drawn the following conclusions from the above-mentioned firefighter resume examples:

  • In firefighter resume example 1, we use points that make the resume easier to read and comprehend. However, it does nothing to emphasize your career highlights.
  • In firefighter resume example 2, we use bucketing & bolding along with the bullets that will directly draw the recruiter’s attention towards the highlights of the candidate’s career. This enhances the effectiveness of the resume.
  • Hence, we advise the use of bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.

Sample Firefighter Resume for Professional Experience

Here's a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal professional experience section for your resume.

Professional Experience Section in a Firefighter ResumeExperience

Use Hiration’s Online Resume Review Service. It will help you correctly evaluate your resume and tell you how to overcome the shortcomings. Just click below:

Firefighter Resume: Education

Although firefighters don’t require formal education, most candidates will have at least an associate degree to stay one step ahead of the competition.

The education section of your firefighter resumes should ideally contain the following details:

  • Name of your school/university.
  • Name of the courses you have pursued.
  • The location of your school/university.
  • Date of enrolment and graduation from each course (in month & year format).

Should you show your GPA on a resume for a firefighter? See Hiration's Guide on how to list education on your resume .

The minimalist design of our firefighter resume examples do not distract the reader’s attention and make it extremely easy to navigate.

View one such sample firefighter resume illustrating the perfect education section below:

Education Section in a Firefighter Resume

When adding education to your resume, use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to ensure it is in a professional format.

The pre-designed firefighter resume templates that comes with our Resume Builder can be easily customized to suit your professional needs & qualifications. Use it to write an impeccable resume today!

Firefighter Resume: Certifications

Certifications play a vital role in a firefighting job. As firefighters respond to emergency situations, certifications other than fire fighting also come in extremely handy and are even sought after.

So, if you have an EMT certification or any medical certification, etc. do not leave them off your resume. Moreover, certifications also give you an edge over your competition which might not have that added advantage.

Mention the following information in the certifications section of your fire department resume:

  • Name of the certification you have pursued.
  • Name of the certification issuing body.
  • Location of the certifying body.
  • Enrollment and completion date in the month and year format.

Align this information horizontally in the format shown below:

{Name of certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (in month & year format)

Hiration's Guide on listing certifications on a resume will answer all of your questions regarding the certifications section.

Our firefighter resume examples demonstrate the ideal sections to a resume. View our certifications section below:

Certifications Section in a Firefighter Resume

Do not miss out on your dream job! If you have an existing resume you want to get evaluated, we can help you with that. Use Hiration’s Resume Review Service!

Firefighter Resume: Volunteering Experience

Any kind of community service volunteer work will look sharp on your wildland firefighter resume, especially medical volunteer work.

Showcasing volunteering initiatives on your resume suggests that you are not only dedicated to cultivating your firefighter resume skills but also want to help the community.

Read Hiration's Guide to listing volunteer experience on a resume to know exactly how to demonstrate your volunteer work on a resume.

You can also use Hiration’s Resume Review Service to help better your volunteer firefighter resume with the help of our resume writing experts.

Firefighter Resume: Additional Information

All the miscellaneous information that you are not able to fit anywhere finds a home in the additional information section. You can mention anything ranging from hobbies to your knowledge of multiple languages.

Our sample firefighter resumes can help you.

Attached below is a sample firefighter resume showcasing the ideal additional information section:

Additional Information Section in a Firefighter Resume

You can also use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to make use of our pre-filled firefighter resume template with perfectly aligned sections to make an impeccable resume.

Write your perfect firefighter resume cover letter by using Hiration's Services

Firefighter Resume Key Skills Section

Your recruiter is most likely to scan this section of your resume first to make sure that you have the firefighter resume skills that they are looking for in a candidate.

Based on this the recruiter might decide to evaluate your resume further.

This means that you need to perfectly compose this section to impress the recruiter. Mention your core skills here.

You can also identify the keywords mentioned in your target job listing and replicate these keywords smartly in the key skills section.

Compose this section of your wildland fire resume towards the end as it is a more effective approach.

Hazey about the details? Read Hiration's Guide on what skills to put on a resume and put your doubts to rest.

Hiration’s Online Resume Builder will write your wildland fire resume while complying with all the current industry standards. Use it today!

Check out what a great key skills section looks like in our sample firefighter resume:

Key Skills Section in a Firefighter Resume

Firefighter Resume Summary

Writing a wildland firefighting resume summary? That’s hard, so don’t do it first. Write your other sections, then select the best of them for your firefighter resume summary.

This section gives the recruiter a quick overview of your professional experience and the highlights of your career.

Here are some facts that you should keep in mind while writing your wildland firefighting resume summary:

  • Only write a resume summary if you have a minimum of 3 years of work experience.
  • Pick the keywords from the firefighter resume job desciption of your target job and lay them down in your resume summary, do not, however, blatantly copy keywords.

Hiration's Resume Summary Guide has all you need to know about composing a resume summary.

Let Hiration’s firefighter resume examples guide you.

Evaluate our firefighter resume examples to make the ideal resume summary:

Summary Section in a Firefighter Resume

Every section in Hiration’s Online Resume Builder is pre-filled, and the text size and the design of the resume are perfected to save you from the trouble of obsessing over every tiny detail.

You can also customize each section according to your needs using the firefighter resume template that comes with our Resume Builder.

Firefighter Resume Objective

When writing the entry level firefighter resume objective, focus on what you can do for the company and not the other way around. Be very clear with what you intend to contribute and aspire to accomplish.

Write a entry level firefighter resume objective if you have less than 3 years of work experience.

Hiration's Guide on Resume Objectives will help you if you are a fresher or have very little experience.

Resume Review & Free Firefighter Resume Templates

Being a firefighter, it’s alright if you are not well-versed in the art of writing a resume. Let the resume writing experts at Hiration help you identify the flaws in your resume.

We will tell you exactly what you can do to make a perfect fire department resume.

With our review service, your wildland firefighter resume will be professionally reviewed according to the following parameters:

  • Compliance with industry norms
  • Content Relevance
  • Recruiter Friendliness
  • Design Compatibility
  • Conversion Scope
  • ATS Compliance
  • Global Compatibility
  • Performance Assessment
  • Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)

And you will even get 2 firefighter resume templates for free!

Make sure that your wildland fire resume is ATS-optimized with Hiration’s Resume Review Service.

Online Resume Builder for Firefighter Resume

Our Online Resume Builder is a comprehensive tool that will help you design an impeccable fire dept resume that will have perfect formatting.

You will get the following resources with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder:

  • Option to save unlimited resumes
  • 25+ resume designs
  • Full rich-text editor
  • Unlimited PDF downloads
  • 100+ resume templates
  • 1-click design change
  • A shareable link
  • Live resume editor

Write your wildland fire resume with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder now!

Key Takeaways

  • The month and year format is the ideal format and should be followed consistently throughout all the sections of your wildland fire resume.
  • You can't go wrong with the reverse-chronological format. Follow it to make sure that your wildland fire resume is ATS-optimized.
  • Maximize the readability and effectiveness of your resume by using bucketing & bolding while framing points. Do not forget to use the STAR format.
  • Use power verbs to begin all the bullets of the professional experience section.
  • For present profiles, use power verbs in the present continuous tense. For past profiles, use power verbs in the past tense.
  • In the professional experience section, quantify your achievements wherever you can.
  • Never let your fire dept resume exceed 2 pages and your resume summary 3-5 lines unless you have 10+ years of work experience.

With this you have reached the end of the blog, we hope you are now able to write a job-winning firefighter resumes.

Are you ready to put all these tips into action and land the perfect firefighter job? Check out our fire dept resume templates and build your resume with Hiration’s Online Resume Builder.

Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at [email protected] and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

personal statement for fire service

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personal statement for fire service

personal statement for fire service

15 Firefighter Interview Tips: Expectations and Preparation

The firefighter oral board interview is probably the most important step in getting hired. The written test and physical agility test (CPAT) are usually just scored as pass or fail. Most, if not all, of your score as a firefighter candidate, comes from your performance on one or more firefighter interviews. That means that you need to know ahead of time what you should expect and how to get prepared to successfully pass this pivotal step in the hiring process.

In order to prepare yourself for a firefighter oral board interview, you need to be prepared to present yourself as the ideal firefighter candidate using real stories from your life. You must do this while still directly answering any questions you are asked.

This sounds vague, but we will get into some important details to help you below. The firefighter interview is somewhat similar to other job interviews, in the sense that you’re competing for a position, but there are major differences that set this type of interview apart, and it’s important that you prepare properly.

For a shortcut to getting hired as a firefighter, check out  TopScore Firefighter Coaching .  It is the one thing you can do to speed up the time to getting your dream job more than any other.

Your # 1 priority is keeping your family safe.  As a firefighter, I recommend everyone has updated smoke detectors that don’t require battery changes, like these ones from Kidde , a fire extinguisher, like this one from Amerex , and a fire escape ladder if you have bedrooms above the first floor, I recommend this one from Hausse.

Also read: How to Become a Firefighter: The Complete Guide

What to Expect

The firefighter exam process is tough. The written exam, physical agility, background check, medical – a lot of hoops to jump through.

But remember, all the preparation that is required to become a firefighter (classes, certifications, experience, etc.) is all just to give you a chance to be in that interview “hot seat” to prove that you are the best candidate for the job.

My #1 piece of advice for any prospective firefighter is to take the firefighter interviews seriously and to show up as prepared as possible!

When you get your first interview, it’s very common that excitement and anxiety will begin to set in immediately. The first interview is the most important step in finally earning the career of your dream. It’s essential that you know what to expect when you step foot into that interview room.

Going into the interview blind may not only hinder your ability to receive a job offer, but it also affects the impression that fire service professionals have of you.

We see candidates all the time that don’t put in the required time to prepare for their interviews and it really shows. Everyone was new and had to learn at one point, but you need to show that you put in the work to prepare for this step, because becoming a firefighter is very important to you.

Learning about the interview process and showing up well prepared is what really separates the best firefighter candidates (the ones that get hired) from all the others.

This is a competitive career path. Remember that there may be thousands of people testing for a few positions!

When I got hired, there were 3500+ applicants and they hired 12 people! The interview is what allowed those 12 to stand out above the rest. So, treat this step like your future career depends on it.

For the fastest path to mastering the interview process and getting hired as a firefighter, you should get coaching.

The best resource that I know of for this purpose is the TopScore Interview Coaching Course . It is, by far, the most efficient and cost-effective way to get hired as a firefighter.

Think of it as a small investment into your future. The time and stress the secrets in this course will save you will make up for the cost 10 times over or more.

Also read: Most Common Firefighter Interview Questions: Insider Info

Panel Oral Board Interview/s

The panel interview or oral board exam is your first interview of a fire department hiring process. During this interview, you’ll be questioned by a panel. This is not the same as your typical job interview

This panel may be all firefighters, engineers, and captains from the department you are applying, personnel from other nearby departments or even a mix of firefighters, city employees and citizens of the area. They will also frequently have a representative from HR (Human Resources department) to make sure the interview process is fair for all candidates.

Over the course of the interview, the members of the panel will ask you a variety of questions, and you’ll be given a time limit to complete all the questions. They may give you a written copy of the questions when you first sit down, so you know what they will be asking you.

The purpose of the interview board is to have several firefighters weigh in on the strengths and weaknesses of you as a firefighter candidate. Through an organized scoring process, panel members will be able to rank and rate the candidates based on their qualifications and determine who would be a good fit for the department.

They want to see people who are passionate about becoming firefighters, know and understand what the job entails, are eager to learn and are “trainable”, that fit with the culture of the department, and most importantly, that is someone they would like to work and live with for a 30+ year career.

There may be more than one panel interview to get your overall score as a candidate. You will then be placed on an eligibility list based on your score. They will use this list to schedule the next step, a Chiefs Interview; an interview with the department’s Fire Chief/s.

Chief’s Interview

Some people may tell you the Chief’s interview has the potential to be much less stressful than the panel interview. They say instead of having a dozen sets of eyes on you as you answer questions, it’ll just be you and the Chief (and maybe one or two other people observing). While these are all true, I would advise that you don’t treat this interview any differently than the others.

The Chief’s interview can be much less structured than the panel interview, with the goal of this interview being to get to know you as a person.

You need to show up prepared, as this is the person who will decide if you get the job or not. Passing the panel interview confirmed that you’re a qualified candidate, but it’s now the Chief’s job to determine whether you would make a good fit in their department.

They are able to ask more follow up questions to get to know you more and really understand your motivation and reasoning. They may even try to see how you will handle stress by pushing and questioning your answers. If this happens, you have to keep your cool and not lose it.

Based on this round of interviews, the Chiefs will decide you they want to hire and call with job conditional offers. These offers are contingent on a few other things like passing a background check, medical exam, drug test , or other criteria. If you’ve impressed the Chief, you most likely secured yourself a job.

To learn more about the other steps in the hiring process of a fire department, click here .

Types of Questions

chalkboard says "what's your story"

An important part of preparing for your firefighter interview is getting an idea of the types of questions that they will ask you.

There are several types of interview questions you’ll be asked, and it’s important that you’re able to answer each with confidence and accuracy.

Here are some of the things they will be looking to find out in the selection process based on your answers.

  • Who you are as a person and employee (values)
  • What you know about the fire service and about this specific department
  • Why you want to be a firefighter (motivation)
  • That you have a high level of physical fitness and are mentally ready to be a firefighter (trainable)
  • That you can work as part of a team and bring a positive attitude

15 Tips for Success in Your Fire Interviews

firefighter helmets and turnout gear in lockers

Getting your first interview takes some work, but making sure that you impress your interviewers takes much more time and effort on your part. It is all about preparation.

While you might feel confident in your knowledge and skills related to fire science, there’s much more to firefighter interviews than just knowing your stuff.

In fact, most of the questions they ask will probably have nothing to do with detailed skills and firefighter knowledge. You need to be able to make a good impression and convince your interviewers that you’re a solid fit for their department. They want to know that you will get allow with your fellow firefighter and know your role.

These may very well be the most important interviews of your life, and you should prepare as such. You shouldn’t expect to wake up 10 minutes before your interview, drive to the interview location and absolutely knock it out of the park without any significant effort. There are a few people who have done this, but it was not me.

When I started this process, I was terrible at interviews! Really, I was awful. But because I had the passion to push myself outside my comfort zone and I sought out the help I needed; I was able to make dramatic improvements and eventually land myself a career with my dream department. And you can too!  

With that said, here are 15 interview tips for a successful firefighter oral board.

1. Dress Appropriately and Professionally.

man wearing a blue suit and black tie

Though people are reluctant to admit it, first impressions are very important. Dressing professionally and representing yourself well during your firefighter interviews demonstrates your perception of the career and your dedication to the field. It shows that you care enough about the opportunity they are offering you to dress the part.

When selecting an outfit for your interview, you should be looking for an outfit combination that is business professional. Some may say that business casual is okay, but I always preferred to be a little overdressed, if anything. Go for simple and professional.

My recommendations are:

  • For men: A suit (dark blue or gray), white shirt, simple tie, dress shoes
  • For women: A pantsuit (dark blue or gray), white shirt, dress flats or heels

For my first interview, I couldn’t afford to buy a suit, so I wore one of my dad’s. It didn’t fit great, but it was the best option I had.

I eventually saved up so I could afford a suit of my own. It was a lot of money to me at the time, but to me, it was well worth it to give myself every chance at my dream job. It doesn’t have to be a fancy, expensive suit, just one that fits good and is professional.

For less than $200, you should be able to get a suit that will work great. Any cheaper and it may not last very long. Better to spend a little bit of money, so you don’t have to get another one when it falls apart. Here is a great option for men.

personal statement for fire service

In addition to the right outfit, you have to make sure that you’re well-groomed. This includes taking a shower, combing and styling your hair, and limiting jewelry, makeup, and perfume/cologne. You want to look good, but you don’t want to draw too much attention to yourself.

Many may disagree with me, but I always recommend a clean shave (no mustaches, goatees or beards).

Also read: What to Wear to a Firefighter Interview: Attire for Getting Hired

2. Arrive on Time and Be Prepared.

Like I mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t begin preparing for your interview the night before. The preparation should have started long before the interview day.

One of the first things you should do after your interview is scheduled is to find the interview site on a map and do a test drive to the station.

This will allow you to get accustomed to the route you will take and know how long it takes to get there so you can leave at the right time on the day of the interview. This may sound silly, but you don’t want to be the person who shows up late because you didn’t pre-plan.

You should also make sure that you get to your interview early the day of. In the fire service, they say, “Early is on-time and on-time is late.” Punctuality shows that you are serious about this job, professional and respectful of others’ time.

For the panel interview, you need to bring several copies of your firefighter resume to distribute to each member of the panel (6-10 copies should be enough). A cover letter is optional.

Your resume should be tailored to a career as a firefighter and contain information that proves you’re qualified. Here are some resume writing tips . Include these three main categories:

  • Education (Degrees, special classes)
  • Experience and Training (past jobs whether related to fire service or not)
  • Certifications (EMT, Paramedic, Firefighter 1, Rescue Systems, Fire Prevention, etc.)

3. Think About Your Answer Before Answering Each Question.

You’ll probably be a little stressed during the interviews and feel pressured to answer quickly and concisely. This is super common and it is okay. You’re nervous because it is important to you. However, you won’t get extra points based on how fast you respond.

Before you answer, take a deep breath, pause for a few seconds to compose your answer, then speak calmly. There is a time limit for the interview, but if you rush to answer every question, your answers won’t come across the way you had intended.

When a panel member or the Chief asks you a question, the most important thing you can do is think about the question and how to answer it.

Ideas will immediately begin flowing once the question is posed, but you shouldn’t just blurt out the first things that come to mind. This part also becomes much easier the more time you have practice and prepped for your interview because you aren’t surprised by the questions.

You want to show your interviewers how deeply you can think and provide elaborate responses that show them just how qualified you are. Take your time when answering and make sure you think clearly about your response before giving it.

This is a testament to your communication skills, which our vital to your work as a firefighter.

4. Research the Department and Position.

One of the best ways to show your interest in a firefighter job is by researching the department to which you are applying before the interview. This not only allows you to get a leg up and know the right things to say, but it also shows your potential future employer that you’re interested in the position and department enough to research it.

The secret here is to find ways to learn about what makes this department unique. Seek out information that you can’t find just by searching on the internet. If it’s easy to find, then all the other candidates will find it as well.

A great way to do this is to do station visits before or during the testing process. Make sure to follow the rules and etiquette as described in the hiring process. If they don’t tell you about station visits, you should ask.

It’s always good to call the station ahead of time to make sure they will be there and have time to talk with you. It’s a good idea to not show up empty-handed (ice cream is never a bad choice, but a homemade treated is great too). When you are there, have questions prepared to find out about the department. Here are some ideas:

  • What makes this department different?
  • Why do you like working here?
  • What are some current issues or changes the department is going through?
  • Does the city leadership support and have a good relationship with the department?
  • What does the department value most in a new firefighter?
  • How does the fire department interact with the community they serve?

For firefighter interviews, the information you research will be slightly different than that of other job interviews. Rather than getting information on company sales and job performance, there are other things you’re going to want to focus on. You should also do research online as well.

Here are a few ideas of some information you might want to look for about the department you’re interviewing at:

  • How many stations are there? How many fire engines, trucks?
  • How big of an area does the department cover?
  • What specific target hazards are there?
  • How many calls does the department run per year?

Another simple thing you can do here to get a leg up is to actually read the job description that you are applying for. This can give lots of valuable info about what they are looking for. You can use some of the key phrases that you find to show you pay attention to details and understand what they are after.

5. Learn About Yourself and What Makes You Qualified.

Certifications and passed examinations show you’re cognitively qualified, but there’s more that goes into being an ideal applicant. Just because you have knowledge of what it means to be a firefighter, that doesn’t mean you’d make a good firefighter. You need to set yourself apart from the other candidates.

This is the point at which you should evaluate your personal strengths and weaknesses. Self-reflection. This is a step that many people skip or don’t spend enough time on because it can be difficult.

You need to review what is important to you in your life and why. Why do you really want to be a firefighter? Try to spend some time really thinking about these questions. Be honest with yourself.

For example, if you communicate and work well with others, this can easily translate to firefighting. If you’re great at analyzing situations and brainstorming a solution, this is something you should demonstrate in your interview.

Basically, you’re looking for any skills that you have that can be beneficial as a firefighter as well. But most importantly, you should try to understand your motivations.

When reflecting on yourself and your own abilities, it shows a lot about you if you can identify your own weaknesses. Employers know that no candidate is perfect, and a candidate that knows and admits their own weaknesses is more likely to be able to work on them and turn them into strengths.

When you talk about a weakness, it shows character and maturity that you can accept and admit your short-comings. Be sure to talk about what you have done or are doing to improve your weaknesses.

6. Apply Your Past Experiences When Answering Questions.

Panels and Fire Chiefs aren’t expecting every candidate to already have experience firefighting, but applying your past experiences may be helpful to you during the interview. 

Real stories and past experiences are what take a mediocre or even good answer to an interview question and turn it into a great answer! This is the secret sauce that will allow you to stand out from your competition. This is one thing that successful candidates almost always do.

Though you probably won’t be able to speak about how you extinguished a certain number of fires or other firefighter skills you possess, that’s not important. Almost all your previous employment and experiences can transfer over to being a firefighter. (Though experience as a volunteer firefighter or wildland firefighter is never a bad thing.)

The mistake many people make is trying to relate everything to any fire service related experience that they have. Some of that is okay, but any experience you have in your life can be relevant to a career as a firefighter.

Let’s say you worked as a cashier at a convenience store. That’s customer service, which is a huge part of being a firefighter. Talk about what you did to make the customer’s experience better and why that is important to you (if it actually is). Or how you interacted with your coworkers and worked as a team.

Or maybe you worked in construction. Building construction is a whole class that is taught as part of a degree in fire science. Understanding how buildings are built can help firefighters understand how they will burn and how to prevent injuries.

As you can see, you need to relate whatever experience you do have to the fire service. Use this to show them that you understand what the job of a firefighter really is and prove to them that you can do it with your actual experiences.

If you can relate your past to the questions they’re asking, it shows that you might be more capable in the position than other candidates. You might even be asked questions about your past, such as how you handled certain situations, how past experiences changed your outlook, and how you relate firefighting to previous employment.

Overall, the goal is to show that, even though you don’t have direct experience as a firefighter, you still have relevant life experience that you can use to your advantage.

7. Describe Your Answers in Detail.

As you’re sitting in your interview, you might be asked a question that could feasibly be answered with a “yes” or “no.” The absolute last thing you should do is simplify your answer in one word. Simple is good, but you need to give them an answer they can score you on.

For any question, even a “yes” or “no” question, there is always the opportunity to elaborate on your answer. You should always take this opportunity. Not only does it show that you took their question at more than face value, but it also allows you to demonstrate what you know and displays your social skills.

Try to understand what they are looking for with the question they are asking. Give them an answer that shows you understand this and use a real example from your life to prove you have already lived it.

8. Know the Basic Types of Questions.

chalkboard with question mark

Firefighter interviews are not like most other job interviews you’ve probably been on. Unlike most types of interviews, it’s almost certain that those being interviewed at fire stations are brand new to the field. With that said, Fire Chiefs and panelists wouldn’t learn much about a candidate if they only asked about past firefighting experience. They usually don’t expect you to have much firefighting experience.

Instead, the questions are more focused on on-the-job scenarios, personal skills and interests, strengths and weaknesses, your goals when it comes to firefighting, and your personal morals, values, and beliefs.

Your interviewers are striving to learn about how you would function as a firefighter in their department, in particular. They are trying to decide if you fit the department culture.

The good thing about firefighter interviews is that almost all of the questions can be found and prepared for. If you don’t have a pretty good idea of most of the questions they are asking, as well as how you will answer them, then you are not adequately prepared for your interview.

You can find lots of example questions online and almost all the questions you are asked will be variations of these.

Here are some common interview questions and topics you might be required to speak on:

  • What have you done to prepare to become a firefighter?
  • Why do you want to be a firefighter?
  • What do you know about this department?
  • How you would respond in specific emergencies
  • What makes you qualified to be a firefighter?
  • How you can use your strengths to help you as a firefighter?
  • The duties you’ll be expected to perform as a firefighter?
  • Your ability to work with others and take orders from your supervisors?
  • Your moral standards and beliefs
  • How you and your loved ones will cope with your new work schedule
  • Your goals (firefighting-related and general)
  • Situational questions as a probationary firefighter (stealing, following orders, chain-of-command, knowing right from wrong)
  • How you handled yourself in a stressful situation

Here is a resource for some more sample interview questions.

9. Mention Anything Important That They Have Not Asked About.

You have a lot of experiences and skills that you can use to your benefit as a firefighter. However, your interviewers won’t be able to ask you everything. That’s why it’s important that you do your best to slip in any information that you seriously want your interviewer to know.

Elaborating on your answers is the perfect time to mention the certifications that you have, relevant work experience, skills pertaining to the field, and anything else you think is related. As long as it flows naturally, your interviewers will not question the additional details.

The question, “What have you done to prepare for the position of a firefighter?” or something similar is one they will almost always ask you. This question is the best chance to talk about the majority of your education, experience, and certifications. This will probably be your longest question to answer because you don’t want to leave out anything good. But you still need to be mindful of the time limit, so try to be concise.

At the end of the interviews, it’s almost guaranteed that your interviewers will ask you, “Is there anything else you wish to add?” This is the perfect time to mention your additional qualifications and skills that you haven’t mentioned yet.

Remember that this is still a scored question, so if you have covered everything you wanted to say, you can do a quick summary and closing statement. You need to say something so they can give you a score on that question.

Your interviewers can only judge you on the information you provided them. If you answered questions quickly or did not offer additional information, there isn’t much they can judge you on. This is the easiest way to blend in with the crowd and be passed up for a job offer.

Try to include real stories and personal experiences into your answers wherever possible to set yourself apart and leave them with no doubts that you are the candidate that they are looking for.

10. Demonstrate Good Social and Communication Skills.

This may seem obvious, but don’t forget that you are judged not just on what you say in the interview, but on everything you do as well.

Saying the right things during your interview is obviously important, but presenting good social skills may just be a little bit more important. After all, a career as a firefighter requires you to interact with your fellow firefighters, supervisors, and the general public on a near-daily basis. After all, firefighting is really all about customer service.

So, what types of good social skills should you display while on your interview? Here are some examples of things you should remember to do:

  • Introduce yourself clearly and offer a firm handshake
  • If your interviewer has a title (like Chief), be sure to use is when speaking to them
  • Be polite, respectful, and have a great attitude
  • Use appropriate language and relevant vocabulary
  • Sit, stand, and speak confidently (good body language)
  • Smile and show interest
  • Be enthusiastic and show that you are passionate about becoming a firefighter!

11. Be Able to Put Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes.

As mentioned earlier, some of the questions your interviewers will ask in the panel and Chief interview will be scenario-based. What that means is that you’ll be given a hypothetical scenario that you might face eventually as a firefighter and describe how you would respond to the situation.

While you aren’t physically in that scenario just yet, there’s a good chance you will be at some point during your career. Being able to respond truthfully and correctly not only shows that you understand what is being asked, but that you would be able to evaluate the situation as it’s happening and figure out the appropriate response.

They want to see that you can make good decisions based on strong values.

In the same realm, it’s also helpful to be able to show empathy. Knowing the proper response to a scenario is great, but being able to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes and understand their actions at the moment demonstrates an incredibly rare skill that employers find useful.

12. Show Passion, Dedication, and Motivation.

two firefighters carrying a dummy during a rescue drill

One of the biggest mistakes you can make at your interview is just spewing off any knowledge you have in fire science. Yes, your interviewer wants to see that you know about the field, but these interviews are more about learning about you as a person. They want to see that this opportunity is very important to you.

It is important to be yourself and sincere in your interview. If you’re seriously passionate about being a firefighter and making an impact on society, it’s important that you show that.

You might be thinking, “I wouldn’t be at this interview if I wasn’t passionate about firefighting.” That may be true for you, but any boss or supervisor knows that some people view jobs simply as a source of income. You need to be able to explain what about being a firefighter really appeals to you and prove that you are the right person for the job.

Though you’re undoubtedly interested in making some money, your interviewers should be able to see that your career choice is about helping others and spreading your passion.

But your answer to why you want to be a firefighter better be much more than, “Because I want to help people.” Most every candidate says that. You need to get more personal and help us understand the real reason you are passionate about becoming a firefighter.

When you let your true personality show rather than acting somewhat robotic, you offer your interviewers a brief glimpse of who you truly are. This allows them a better chance to picture you as a member of their department.

13. Practice for the Interview.

There’s no way to know exactly what questions you’ll be asked at your interview, but you can get a pretty good idea of the things they are looking for. Use the resources above to see the types of questions and put some real work into how you will answer them.

Every candidate I talk to says they practice for their interview, but when I ask them basic questions that anyone can look up online, they are prepared to answer them. This shows you didn’t put in the time.

If this career is important to you, preparing for the interview is THE BEST thing you can do to improve your chances!

Once you’ve brainstormed some solid answers to these questions, you need to work on giving those answers and representing yourself well. Here are some suggestions for how to practice for an interview :

  • Write down your responses to the common interview questions (Bullet points are good so you can organize your thoughts without them coming across as “canned”)
  • Brainstorm an introduction (Describe who you are and why you would be a good candidate)
  • Time your responses to the major questions so you can manage your time appropriately
  • Practice with another person or alone in front of a mirror
  • You should also have a closing statement prepared
  • Schedule a mock interview with your local fire department
  • Ideally, get interview coaching to speed up the learning process

14. Record Audio or Video of Your Interview Practice.

Sony video camera

Recording yourself on your phone is a great trick for interview practice. Once you have an idea of basic questions, you can practice while filming yourself or even just recording your voice. This gives you a chance to see how you sound and act.

Most people are surprised to get a look at the things they say and do in an interview. You want to be as professional as possible. Try to get rid of space filler words like, “um” and “and”. See if you make weird gestures that distract from your answers.

15. Take Notes After the Interview

In the ideal world, you would ace the first interview and get a job offer within a few days. However, it’s entirely possible that you’ll make it through your first interview or two without getting the job. Most people don’t get hired from their first firefighter interview, so don’t get discouraged.

Use the experience from one interview to make you better prepared for the next. After all my interviews, I would go out into my car, and right away I would write down all the questions that I could remember them asking. (Not to share with other candidates).

I would then take any notes I could remember about how I answered, mistakes I made, questions I didn’t feel prepared for, etc.

These notes were extremely helpful! I had a ton of great info and feedback I could use to make sure I was better prepared for the next interview.

From what I have seen, not very many people did this, which meant that they were more likely to make the same mistakes again next time. Don’t let this be you! Use this info and become a firefighter as quickly as possible.

Congratulations on earning your first firefighter interview! After you’re done celebrating this major achievement, it’s time to get down to business and make sure you’re ready for the interview day. 

You should have a general understanding of the types of interviews you’ll experience and what kinds of questions you’ll be asked. We suggest you follow these guidelines to help guarantee yourself a job.

  • Dress professionally and bring any documents the interviewers ask for.
  • Make sure you have answers prepared for the most common interview questions.
  • Reflect on your own life and apply your experiences to your answers.
  • Be knowledgeable in what the job of a firefighter is really like and be able to speak about it intelligently.
  • Practice, practice, practice!

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Step One: Application and Supporting Statement

The start of the recruitment process involves completing an Application/Supporting Statement. This requires you to complete an online application form that will include:

  • Your personal details such as full address, contact detail and National Insurance number.
  • Your education and employment history
  • Equality monitoring data

Within your initial application you will also be required to submit a supporting statement. Within your supporting statement you will be required to evidence how your knowledge, skills and behaviours meet the criteria in the job profile. 

See the Supporting Guidance for 2023 Wholetime Recruitment .

Qualifying Criteria 

To submit an application form you need to be 17 years and six months or older at the point of application and 18 years or older when you commence in role. 

Before being offered employment, you will be required to provide evidence of your entitlement to work in the UK, in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. 

To apply for a wholetime position you must live within a 30-mile radius of the centre of Reading.

Whilst a full driving licence is not required to apply as a firefighter, without one, an individual would not be able to progress to competent status pay. 

You will need to demonstrate you have level 1 functional skills (English, Maths and IT) during the recruitment process and must attain level 2 by the end of your development period. For reference level 2 is equivalent of grade C / 5 GCSE).

You will also need to be new to the firefighting role to join an apprenticeship. 

Declaration of Offences

If you have a criminal record this will not necessarily disqualify you from employment. All applications are considered on their own merits and in particular, whether the offence has a bearing on your suitability for employment as a firefighter. However, firefighters do need to have a high level of self-discipline and be people in whom the public can have complete confidence.

You will, therefore, be required to declare any conviction which is not yet ‘spent’ within the meaning of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and any charges that are pending. You will also need to satisfy the requirements of a DBS check, this may be a standard DBS due to a change in legislation expected in July 2023.

Further guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act can be obtained via the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders. Visit their website at  www.nacro.org.uk for more information.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to equality of opportunity. If you would like information on the adjustments that can be made at this stage of the application process, please contact  [email protected] .

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Fire at French battery recycling plant under control

P ARIS (Reuters) -A fire at a battery recycling plant in southern France is under control, though burning, the local firefighters service said on Monday, two days after the blaze began.

The fire broke out in a warehouse containing 900 metric tons of lithium batteries owned by recycling group SNAM in Viviez, north of Toulouse, local councillor Pascal Mazet said in a statement on X.

The fire was contained on Sunday, the prefecture said. A team of five firefighters remained on site on Monday, a spokesperson for the firefighters said.

French media showed thick smoke over the Viviez site at the weekend but firefighters and local officials said there were no indications of dangerous air pollution.

Lithium batteries are essential to electrical devices from phones to electric cars. However, they contain combustible materials which, combined with the energy they store, can make them vulnerable to catching fire when exposed to heat, potentially leading to the release of toxic materials.

SNAM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Geert De Clercq, Ingrid Melander; Editing by David Holmes and Barbara Lewis)

Smoke rises from a warehouse fire, owned by French recycling group SNAM, which houses lithium batteries in Viviez, north of Toulouse, France February 17, 2024 in this image obtained from social media. Adeba via REUTERS

Live Moment Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll to step down from top job, months before contract was due to end

Queensland's Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has denied being a "scapegoat" as she announces she will step down from the top job next week. 

Commissioner Carroll's last day will be next Friday, months out from when her contract was due to finish. 

She was appointed to the role in 2019, becoming the first woman in the position after serving as commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service. 

"Since the start of the year, I've had candid conversations with my husband, with my children, who have been unbelievably supportive, every step of the way," she said.

"I made this decision and was going to have the discussion about not renewing my contract with the minister in about two weeks' time, but because of the heightened speculation and commentary, I brought these discussions forward."

Katarina Carroll holding pen and looking at map.

Commissioner Carroll said it was her decision to step down and that it was time for "new leadership" to let the focus turn to the work of her officers. 

She said she wanted the "air to be clear", and refused to speculate on who would replace her. 

"The world has changed since COVID. To have in one year a 25 per cent increase in domestic violence is just unheard of, and that's in one year," she said.

Two women in face masks look at a map on a table.

Youth crime a 'vexed and complex issue'

The commissioner and state government have been under increasing pressure over young offenders.

Last week, Commissioner Carroll spoke to cabinet about youth crime, asking the government for more warrantless "wand" search powers, and an extension of GPS ankle monitors on young offenders. 

Speaking today, she said the police response to youth crime had been "outstanding". 

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll speaks to a man while in her police uniform

"It is one of the most vexed and complex issues that we are dealing with," she said. 

"It's dangerous, it's escalating and it certainly is one of the biggest focuses of the QPS."

'Heart-wrenching moments'

Commissioner Carroll also spoke about the 2022 Wieambilla murders. 

Three shooters killed Constable Rachel McCrow, 29, Constable Matthew Arnold, 26, and neighbour Alan Dare in the Western Downs on December 12. 

Those murders, and the on-duty death of Senior Constable Dave Masters in June 2021, were her darkest days, she said. 

"They were heart-wrenching moments which rocked our blue family, and I know this organisation will never forget the contributions of those fine officers," she said. 

Commissioner Katarina Carroll lays flowers at the Chinchilla police station.

'She kept her oath'

Police Minister Mark Ryan said Commissioner Carroll had "kept her oath" to serve Queensland. 

"You don't just end up commissioner of police by chance. You get there through hard work, through distinction, through selfless service."

Premier Steven Miles thanked her for her service.

"She has led both our fire service and our police service with distinction," he said.

"She has delivered important reforms to both organisations."

Live Moment

Look back at how ABC readers and other Australians responded to this live moment.

Police minister says the commissioner was committed to the service

Mark Ryan says Queensland has had an "outstanding example of a Commissioner in Katarina Carroll".

"Someone who has kept her oath to you and that is an oath to serve with honour and distinction, an oath of selfless service. She's done all of those things," he says. "An incredible journey, and a journey that is reflective of her character. "You don't just end up commissioner of police by chance. You get there through hard work, through distinction, through selfless service."

That's where we'll leave our live coverage.

She won't speculate on who will replace her

She says the formal discussion about her resignation was with the police minister this morning.

"I wish everyone luck, as we embark on this journey," she says.

She says the police service's response to youth crime has been 'outstanding'

She says the QPS's initiatives and strategies around early intervention and prevention have been some of the "best work" across all jurisdictions in Australia.

"It is one of the most vexed and complex issues that we are dealing with," she says. "We have seen the nature of offending in this cohort of children completely change post COVID. "It's dangerous, it's escalating and it certainly is one of the biggest focuses of the QPS."

Wondering what this is? Join us next time we're live and be part of the discussion.

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  • Community and Society
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Politics latest: Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle battling for future after Gaza ceasefire vote chaos - as 49 MPs back no-confidence motion

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is under pressure over his handling of the SNP's motion for a ceasefire in Gaza. His decision to allow a vote on a Labour amendment saw Tory and SNP MPs storm out - and he is now facing questions over his future in the role.

Thursday 22 February 2024 09:39, UK

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  • 49 MPs now say they have no confidence in Speaker
  • Hoyle apologises for handling of Gaza votes
  • Labour's ceasefire amendment passes without vote
  • Explained: What on Earth went on in the Commons
  • Explained: Why Speaker's move sparked such anger
  • Explained: How MPs can force Speaker out of office
  • Sam Coates: Speaker has 24 hours to save his political life
  • Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

The number of MPs who have signed a motion of no confidence in Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has now increased to 49. 

It comes amid fury at the Speaker over his handling of the Gaza ceasefire vote yesterday evening.

The motion reads: "That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker".

Alongside her comments on the new government scheme to recognise baby loss (see previous post), health minister Maria Caulfield has also welcomed new guidance to bosses over their legal obligations to women in the workplace going through the menopause.

Guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says employers could be sued if they "do not make reasonable adjustments" for women. 

"The menopause is something which has gone unrecognised for years," the health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News earlier. 

She said the workplace was a particular focus for the government at the moment "because we are losing so many women who are the most experienced women in the workforce" due to symptoms of the menopause.

She added that there are some really simple things that employers can do to make the workplace better, including better ventilation or changes to the uniform women may have to wear. 

According to the EHRC, symptoms of the menopause can be considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if they have a "long-term and substantial impact" on a woman's ability to carry out their usual day-to-day activities.

Failing to make  "adjustments" will amount to disability discrimination under the act if a worker's menopause symptoms amount to a disability, the watchdog has said.

Disciplinary action against menopausal women over menopause-related absences from work could also amount to unlawful discrimination unless it is justified, the guidance says.

Symptoms of the menopause include hot flushes, brain fog and difficulty sleeping.

A government scheme to recognise the loss of babies stillborn before 24 weeks has been launched in England today.

Up until now, parents who lost a baby pre-24 weeks' gestation were not able to register their child. 

The voluntary scheme will now offer grieving parents a certificate to formally recognise their child.

The certificates will be official but not legal documents. 

The idea was formed as part of the Government's response to the independent Pregnancy Loss Review. 

"This doesn't take away the pain or the loss ... but just being able to register that child's name and their date of birth means a lot to parents," health minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News earlier this morning.

She said losing a baby is a "very, very difficult time anyway," but "not being able to recognise or register the name of your child or their date of birth has been very, very difficult for parents".

The certificates will be available for either parent to access following a loss under 24 weeks which occurred after September 2018. The government is planning to expand eligibility in the near future. 

Kath Abrahams, chief executive of Tommy's, the pregnancy research and baby loss charity, said the announcement will be "warmly welcomed". 

"The pain of losing a baby before 24 weeks is often made even worse for bereaved parents because there is no formal recognition of their experience.

"We're pleased that baby loss certificates will now be available to provide a degree of comfort for at least some of those families."

But Ms Abrahams said miscarriage remains a "largely hidden problem" because of a lack of government commitment to gathering statistics on the issue.

"We do believe, however, that more must be done to formally record losses before 24 weeks," she said.

People in Scotland can already apply to have their loss recorded in the Memorial Book of Pregnancy and Baby Loss Prior to 24 weeks. 

They receive a certificate of inclusion in the book.

By Tamara Cohen , political correspondent

It was intended to make childcare more affordable, and more than 100,000 applications have already been submitted. It will be rolled out to babies from nine months in September.

But providers warn that the funding will not be enough to cover costs and risks putting them out of business, as the sector struggles with food and energy inflation, as well as staff shortages.

A survey of nearly 1,200 providers by the Early Years Alliance found most of those planning to offer the free hours were yet to hear what their funding rate would be from their local authority - with just weeks until it starts.

  • For those which have, 60% of nurseries and pre-schools surveyed said the rate they had been offered would be less than the cost of delivering places - leaving them with a shortfall;
  • A quarter - 24% - said it was very or somewhat likely they would close in the next 12 months due to cost pressures;
  • There is already a crunch on places and most (71%) are not planning to increase the number of places they offer - due to lack of space, staff or financial constraints; 
  • Eight out of ten said they would have to increase their prices or charge parents for items which would ordinarily be included in their hourly rate such as food or activities.

One manager anonymously told the survey the government's policy was like "adding fuel to a burning building, and eventually it will come falling down".

Read more here:

Labour campaign coordinator Pat McFadden MP has defended Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle who is under pressure this morning over his handling of yesterday's Gaza ceasefire vote.

"I feel really bad for the Speaker because I think he acted in good faith yesterday," Mr McFadden told Sky News.

Asked whether Sir Lindsay can survive, he replies: "I hope he can".

We have been reporting that more than 30 MPs have signed a no-confidence motion in the Speaker after he broke with convention by accepting both Labour and government amendments to the SNP's Gaza ceasefire motion yesterday.

Mr McFadden was also asked about rumours that Sir Lindsay was put under pressure from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to accept Labour's amendment. 

"This is not true," he said. 

"It is not true that there was any threat - implied or otherwise - to the Speaker's position."

It's a rainy day in Birmingham and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the vote in the House of Commons over support for a ceasefire in Gaza is not the first thing on people's minds.

But make no mistake, this is a huge issue here for voters of all stripes - and particularly important to the Muslim community.

Ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October last year, interested parties have been watching not only the UK government's response to Israel and Gaza, but the opposition's stance too.

This is partly because the Muslim community is one of Labour's most loyal voter bases, which has almost exclusively stuck with the party in recent elections.

But potentially, no more.

I'm invited into the Green Lane mosque where there are several events going on in the expansive and beautifully preserved Victorian building.

Read Serena's full account here:

Chaos yesterday evening over the Gaza ceasefire vote has made Speaker Lindsay Hoyle's position "difficult", health minister Maria Caulfield has just told Sky News. 

Asked whether she would support him going forward, she said: "It has dented my confidence in Lindsay".

"I am disappointed in his actions," she said. "Disappointed and surprised as well."

Pressed further on the Speaker's future, she said: "I would struggle now to support him.

"But let's see what happens in the next 24-48 hours. He knows he did wrong, he apologised. Let's see what he proposes to fix the situation".

We have been reporting that more than 30 MPs have signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay after he broke with convention by accepting both Labour and government amendments to the SNP's Gaza ceasefire motion yesterday.

The move sparked fury from the Conservative and SNP benches.

The health minister said the evening descended into a "circus," adding it was "not the House of Commons showing its best side".

"Particularly on such a sensitive issue," she continued.

"With hostages still being held, humanitarian concerns in Gaza, running out of food and water - they are the issues that we should have been focusing on yesterday.

"And instead, because of the decision the Speaker made, it turned into a circus.

"I can only apologise to the public, because that is not what they expect of people who should be leading from the front in these sort of debates," she added.

Watch the full interview with Ms Caulfield here:

As we bring you the latest reaction to a chaotic night in Westminster, you can take a look back at the moment Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle apologised for his handling of the Gaza ceasefire vote.

Sir Lindsay broke with convention yesterday by accepting both Labour and government amendments to the SNP's Gaza ceasefire motion, sparking fury from the Conservative and SNP benches.

Watch the Speaker's apology in full here:

By Beth Rigby , political editor

Sir Keir Starmer started the day facing the prospect of a very sizeable rebellion and possibly even a shadow cabinet resignation or two as dozens of MPs warned they wouldn't be able to vote against the SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

And yet he ended it becoming the first political leader to pass a motion through the Commons calling for a ceasefire after the Speaker broke with decades of precedent to allow a vote on a Labour amendment to the SNP motion.

Talk about a lucky general, a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. 

One former Tory cabinet minister messaged me from the green benches saying that "Labour whips had walked out of the chamber grinning" as the Commons descended into chaos.

But the truth of it was no one won last night.

MPs squandered a chance to come together to find some consensus around ceasefire terms for the Middle East.

Instead, against the very real backdrop of divided communities across the UK and growing threats to MPs over this difficult issue, we saw the spectacle of political point-scoring and rows over parliamentary procedures as MPs took positions to stoke dividing lines with an eye on the election ahead.

There was very little thought given to the tensions already at play in our communities over this long and bloody war as MPs, given the option to dial it all down, just stoked it all up.

Now the Speaker is in crisis with over 30 MPs already having signed a motion of no confidence in Sir Lindsay Hoyle after the MPs exploded in fury over his decision to break decades of precedent and allow Labour and the government to table amendments to the SNP ceasefire motion.

By Jennifer Scott , political reporter

Raised voices, walkouts, calls for resignations, even a few tears - it was a hairy day over in parliament on Wednesday and not the usual scenes expected from an opposition day debate.

So what rattled Westminster and its MPs? And how did the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, find himself at the centre of the furore?

We take a look at how the saga played out.

What was supposed to happen?

As the third largest party in the Commons, the SNP is entitled to three opposition days in parliament every session - letting them pick the topic to be debated on the floor of the chamber.

Wednesday was one of those days, and the party chose the Israel-Hamas war, laying down a motion calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in the Middle East.

This has been a long-held position of the SNP, so the proposal came as no surprise.

But it did lead to mounting pressure on the Labour Party to shift its position - which had, until this point, echoed the government's calls for a "pause" - as the last time a ceasefire vote took place, there was a raft of resignations from their frontbench.

So, on Tuesday - and after days of speculation - shadow foreign secretary David Lammy announced Labour would be putting forward an amendment to the SNP motion, calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire".

There were still caveats in place, including ensuring both sides laid down their weapons and that all the Israeli hostages were released, but it was seen as a big shift for Labour.

Come Wednesday, the stage was set for the debate - but little did we know about the chaos that was coming.

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Cancels Student Debt for more than 150,000 Student Loan Borrowers Ahead of   Schedule

Today, President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan. The Biden-Harris Administration has now approved nearly $138 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 3.9 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions. The borrowers receiving relief are the first to benefit from a SAVE plan policy that provides debt forgiveness to borrowers who have been in repayment after as little as 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in student loans. Originally planned for July, the Biden-Harris Administration implemented this provision of SAVE and is providing relief to borrowers nearly six months ahead of schedule.

From Day One of his Administration, President Biden vowed to fix the student loan system and make sure higher education is a pathway to the middle class – not a barrier to opportunity. Already, the President has cancelled more student debt than any President in history – delivering lifechanging relief to students and families – and has created the most affordable student loan repayment plan ever: the SAVE plan. While Republicans in Congress and their allies try to block President Biden every step of the way, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers, and is leaving no stone unturned in the fight to give more borrowers breathing room on their student loans.

Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, starting today, the Administration will be cancelling debt for borrowers who are enrolled in the SAVE plan, have been in repayment for at least 10 years and took out $12,000 or less in loans for college. For every additional $1,000 a borrower initially borrowed, they will receive relief after an additional year of payments. For example, a borrower enrolled in SAVE who took out $14,000 or less in federal loans to earn an associate’s degree in biotechnology would receive full debt relief starting this week if they have been in repayment for 12 years. The U.S. Department of Education (Department) identified nearly 153,000 borrowers who are enrolled in SAVE plan who will have their debt cancelled starting this week, and those borrowers will receive an email today from President Biden informing them of their imminent relief. Next week, the Department of Education will also be reaching out directly to borrowers who are eligible for early relief but not currently enrolled in the SAVE Plan to encourage them to enroll as soon as possible. This shortened time to forgiveness will particularly help community college and other borrowers with smaller loans and put many on track to being free of student debt faster than ever before. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s SAVE plan, 85 percent of future community college borrowers will be debt free within 10 years. The Department will continue to regularly identify and discharge other borrowers eligible for relief under this provision on SAVE. Over four million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment under the SAVE Plan Last year, President Biden launched the SAVE plan – the most affordable repayment plan ever. Under the SAVE plan, monthly payments are based on a borrower’s income and family size, not their loan balance. The SAVE plan ensures that if borrowers are making their monthly payments, their balances cannot grow because of unpaid interest. And, starting in July, undergraduate loan payments will be cut in half, capping a borrower’s loan payment at 5% of their discretionary income. Already, 7.5 million borrowers are enrolled in the SAVE Plan, and 4.3 million borrowers have a $0 monthly payment.  

Today, the White House Council of Economic Advisers released an issue brief highlighting how low and middle-income borrowers enrolled in SAVE could see significant saving in terms of interest saved over time and principal forgiven as a result of SAVE’s early forgiveness provisions.

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President Biden’s Administration has approved student debt relief for nearly 3.9 million Americans through various actions

Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s track record of taking historic action to cancel student debt for millions of borrowers. Since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved debt cancellation for nearly 3.9 million Americans, totaling almost $138 billion in debt relief through various actions. This relief has given borrowers critical breathing room in their daily lives, allowing them to afford other expenses, buy homes, start businesses, or pursue dreams they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt. President Biden remains committed to providing debt relief to as many borrowers as possible, and won’t stop fighting to deliver relief to more Americans.

The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken historic steps to improve the student loan program and make higher education more affordable for more Americans, including:

  • Achieving the largest increases in Pell Grants in over a decade to help families who earn less than $60,000 a year achieve their higher-education goals.
  • Fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program so that borrowers who go into public service get the debt relief they’re entitled to under the law. Before President Biden took office, only 7,000 people ever received debt relief through PSLF. After fixing the program, the Biden-Harris Administration has now cancelled student loan debt for nearly 800,000 public service workers.
  • Cancelling student loan debt for more than 930,000 borrowers who have been in repayment for over 20 years but never got the relief they earned because of administrative failures with Income-Driven Repayment Plans.
  • Pursuing an alternative path to deliver student debt relief to as many borrowers as possible in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Administration’s original debt relief plan. Last week, the Department of Education released proposed regulatory text to cancel student debt for borrowers who are experiencing hardship paying back their student loans, and late last year released proposals to cancel student debt for borrowers who: owe more than they borrowed, first entered repayment 20 or 25 years ago, attended low quality programs, and who would be eligible for loan forgiveness through income-driven repayment programs like SAVE but have not applied.
  • Holding colleges accountable for leaving students with unaffordable debts.

It’s easy to enroll in SAVE. Borrowers should go to studentaid.gov/save to start saving.  

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  3. 11+ Annual Fire Safety Statement Templates in PDF

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  4. Fire Department Personal Statement

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  5. Cover Letter for the Position of Firefighter

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  6. Personal Statement: Becoming a Firefighter

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COMMENTS

  1. How to develop a personal mission statement

    Chief Marc Bashoor What's your personal mission statement? AndreyPopov/Getty Images Written by former Delta Force Operator Pete Blaber, the book "The Mission, The Men, and Me" drives home the...

  2. Application Form

    Hints and Tips We advise that you split your statement into two sections. Part one should cover your skills and experience and part two should cover each of the values. You may wish to present your statement using headings or bullet points so each part is clear. Writing your examples Allow yourself plenty of time for your personal statement.

  3. Firefighter Application

    Application forms will vary slightly between Fire Services, but the most important part (often in the personal statement section) is designed to find about how you meet Personal Qualities and Attributes needed to be a good firefighter. You will need to give real-life examples of situations where you have demonstrated the PQAs.

  4. Character, Attitudes, and Values: Defining the 'Good' Firefighter

    Anthony Correia has 43 years of fire and EMS service. 30 of those years in senior leadership positions, rising to chief, in both career and volunteer organizations. Tony is a graduate of the ...

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  8. Application Form

    This year, the application form and what we are looking for from applicants has slightly changed. Rather than a community focus, applicants should look at Avon Fire & Rescue Service's values and make sure their personal statement reflects those values. As a service, we believe that it is not just what we do, but also how we do it, that is important.

  9. Your Fire Service Résumé: A Personal Mission and Vision

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    Second section - Personal statement. The second section is the personal statement (up to 1,500 words). In this section we are looking for candidates to demonstrate the core skills required to become a Firefighter, these include: ... Avon Fire & Rescue Service Police & Fire Headquarters PO Box 37 Valley Road Portishead Bristol BS20 8JJ ...

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  17. Step One: Application and Supporting Statement

    Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is committed to equality of opportunity. If you would like information on the adjustments that can be made at this stage of the application process, please contact [email protected].

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    Personal Statement For Fire Service 494 Words 2 Pages I am applying for promotion because I wish to continue my development and better myself within my fire service career but also to have an opportunity to positively lead others encouraging growth and excellence through my hard work and dedication to the service.

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  28. FACT SHEET: President Biden Cancels Student Debt for more than 150,000

    Today, President Biden announced the approval of $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers currently enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan.