New campaign set to boost firefighter recruitment

A new drive aimed at increasing diversity in the fire and rescue service and boosting the recruitment of retained firefighters has been launched today by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

To help the campaign, two new publications – 'Start a New Life - Save Someone Else's' and 'Don't Just Live in Your Community - Protect It' – will be available free of charge from fire and rescue services throughout the country.

Launching the publications at Billesdon Retained Fire Station in Leicestershire, Fire and Rescue Service Minister Phil Hope said: "Working for the fire and rescue service offers a valuable and rewarding career but historically it has been difficult to attract people from under represented groups, such as women and ethnic minorities, to a career in the fire service.

"Firefighters on the retained duty system provide a vital service to their communities and we have acknowledged the challenges that the service faces in recruiting staff.

"We are addressing both these important issues. Our aim now is to create a modern and diverse fire and rescue service for the 21st Century that reflects the communities that it serves."

'Start a New Life - Save Someone Else's' offers a broad overview of the various careers available across the fire and rescue service in both uniformed and non-uniformed roles. It has been designed to appeal to under represented groups including women and those from minority ethnic background by showing, through individual case studies, that these groups can and do have good career prospects.

'Don't Just Live in your Community - Protect It' is designed to raise awareness of the opportunities and benefits of working in the retained section of the service and to encourage people to join.

In the White Paper Our Fire and Rescue Service, the government outlined plans to make the service a more attractive career option. It recognised that it has been difficult to attract women and ethnic minorities to a career in the fire service. And as a result government undertook to take action, working with the employers and the unions, to promote a more diverse culture in the fire and rescue service.

In addition to today's launch, to address the issue of recruitment and retention of retained firefighters, Ministers announced in December 2003 the establishment of a stakeholder team to undertake a review of challenges affecting the retained duty system in England and Wales. The Retained Review Team will submit the report of its conclusions, with recommendations, to the Practitioners' Forum in the summer.

(gmcg)