« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Part-Time Firefighters
CHAPTER TWO: KEY FINDINGS FROM THE LITERATURE EVALUATION
This chapter provides key findings from the literature evaluation conducted as one phase of this programme of research. Findings from the literature evaluation were used to inform subsequent phases of research and, where relevant, these findings are commented on in the main body of this report.
CONTEXT FOR THE RESEARCH
2.1 There are currently three different categories of part-time firefighter operating in Scotland; these are Retained firefighters, Auxiliary firefighters and Volunteer firefighters. These operate alongside their whole-time counterparts. Firefighters' roles have changed considerably during the last half-century. Indeed, the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Executive acknowledge that the Fire Service has taken on new roles over the past 50 years including responding to road accidents, severe weather incidents and other non-fire incidents. However, the view is that these changes need to be taken further and there is an identified need to place a greater emphasis on fire prevention.
2.2 Other drivers of change include European legislation on part-time work and Health and Safety law. A legal situation currently exists where all firefighters must be able to perform to the same levels of competency with respect to the risks they are likely to encounter in their firefighting role and that there must be no differentiation in terms of pay, equipment, promotion opportunities, pension rights and levels of training. The legislation effectively makes a two-tier Fire Service untenable from a legal perspective. One way to accommodate the issues posed by this legislation is to integrate the Retained, Auxiliary and Volunteer firefighters into the mainstream Fire Service.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS
2.3 The brief specifies that the literature review should draw comparisons with organisations such as the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the police, comparing how part-time staff are integrated with their whole-time counterparts. The Special Constabulary, Territorial Army and Royal Marines Reserve are most closely integrated with their whole-time counterparts. The Territorial Army regiments mirror the regular army regiments, which effectively allows the two branches of the army to 'dovetail' for operational purposes. The Royal Marines Reserves are trained to the same standards as the regulars and around 10% of the RMR operate alongside their regular counterparts. The MOD sells the concept of reserve service to employers in terms of benefits to their organisation, concentrating on transferable skills. Special Police Officers operate as regular police constables with their full powers under the law, and can operate alone, with another special or regular police officer. All of the above organisations train part-time staff at evenings and some weekends. In addition the forces also participate in an annual two-week camp.
2.4 The brief also specifies that comparisons should be made with overseas fire services. In terms of training, in many US brigades Paid and Volunteer firefighters are trained to the same standards. Indeed, many states require that Volunteer firefighters meet the National Fire Protection Association's 'Standard 1001: Firefighter Professional Qualifications' which is also used to train Paid firefighters. In the Republic of Ireland the move towards a risk-based approach, preventative measures and competency-based recruitment, retention and career progression displays similarities to the UK Fire Service. These countries may have valuable experience from which the Fire Service in Scotland could learn, although caution must be exercised as this has been gained in organisations that may have different cultures to the Fire Service in Scotland.
TRAINING
2.5 Part-time firefighters view their current training favourably but there are concerns over the lack of time available. Maclean 4 identified a lack of training in team building and maintenance skills for supervisors and management staff. There may need to be better communication between training officers and units, joint training sessions could be held and greater use of IT encouraged. Currently, there is a movement towards risk-based assessment and competency-based training in order to make training more relevant to need. In addition, the Scottish Fire Service Training School (SFSTS) is making training more accessible by improving its web site to incorporate an 'e-learning platform' and Strathclyde Fire Brigade has commissioned a mobile real fire-training unit, which can travel to the rural units.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
2.6 The Retained Fire Service is currently experiencing recruitment problems. Suggested reasons for the Retained Fire Service's staffing shortfall include the Retained service's low profile, societal change and problems with employers not releasing staff. There appears to be a need to sell the concept of part-time firefighters to employers and the community. Employers might be encouraged to release staff through public recognition or financial incentives. Applications from recruits need to be processed rapidly and professionally and potential recruits need to know what to expect during the selection process.
2.7 Recruitment approaches can include Fire Station open days or allowing potential recruits to meet their prospective colleagues. Some suggest that recruitment should be co-ordinated by a specialist officer and appliance staffing criteria, such as distance from station, could be relaxed to make more potential recruits eligible for the service. Other suggested solutions to staffing problems include introducing a flexible retirement age, targeting underrepresented groups, making the Fire Service more family friendly, tackling racial discrimination (where it exists) and fast track entry for underrepresented groups.
ISSUES FOR THE PART-TIME FIRE SERVICE
2.8 Literature suggests that managers of the part-time Fire Service need training in running a volunteer force. Part-time firefighters could be included in the decision-making process and shown more appreciation for their contribution. Brigades could recognise the support of families and should contribute to social events and part-time firefighters could have set hours when they provide cover. Roles such as Community Fire Safety could be made available to part-time firefighters. The Fire Service could also consider more promotion prospects for part-time firefighters.
INTEGRATED PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM
2.9 The Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) could help to integrate part-time firefighters into the mainstream Fire Service. This system should help to ensure that all firefighters are developed to the same levels of competency, therefore satisfying Health and Safety legislation. According to the Report of the Retained Implementation Sub Group 5, statutory duties imposed by the Health & Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, there can be no difference between full and part-time employees. As such, employers must ensure that where the expressed performance of Retained and Voluntary firefighters is the same as their whole-time counterparts, they must be trained to the same standard. A single point of entry test, which is an important feature of IPDS, for both part-time and whole-time firefighters should ensure that firefighters across the country will be assessed and selected by the same standards.
CHIEF & ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (CACFOA) PROJECT AND SOUTH WALES PILOT
2.10 There are currently a couple of very significant projects being undertaken in the UK, which could help inform any changes in the Fire Service. These are the CACFOA Project and South Wales pilot. The aim of the CACFOA Project is to ascertain current best practice to determine how IPDS will work. This project involves 14 Fire Brigades throughout the UK, the project is being co-ordinated by the Norfolk Fire Brigade, chaired by the Chief Fire Officer. The final report will collate all of the information gathered in order to demonstrate how IPDS can be implemented.
2.11 In November 2001, the Chief Fire Officer of South Wales Fire Service created a team of fire service officers to undertake research into the retained service. The team was set up as a result of national concerns regarding the recruitment and retention of part-time firefighters. There is an acknowledge from those running the pilot that "we recognise that such a role would be quite different from the current retained position. Some retained firefighters might not wish to change. And some chief fire officers might wish to keep retained firefighters on the current model. It is clear that one size will not fit all and there will need to be local variations, according to local circumstances."6
2.12 The objectives of the South Wales project include investigating why recruits leave the service, different recruitment methodologies and retention issues; creating a more family friendly system; considering the operation of IPDS and exploring ways in which to introduce community fire safety initiatives. Under the South Wales pilot firefighters are placed on a salary which provides parity with their whole-time counterparts. A rota system reduces the number of hours on call, goes some way to complying with the European Working Time Directive and allows those living further from the fire stations more opportunities to attend incidents and thereby maintain their levels of competency. The South Wales team has piloted the one-stop shop approach to recruitment in which medical examinations and tests are undertaken in one day. The South Wales team is looking at ways in which to recruit more people into the Fire Service including purchasing a recruitment trailer and video, implementing a poster campaign targeting minority groups and stations and divisions being more pro-active. For example, to attract more women into the Fire Service, the South Wales Fire Brigade suggests that recruitment messages should draw attention to the less physical aspects of the firefighter's role such as community fire safety and first aid.
The following chapters explore these issues further and compare and contrast the views of stakeholders, senior personnel and firefighters themselves.
« Previous | Contents | Next »