What skills are required?
The role of Firefighter Control is a highly skilled role, which ideally requires candidates to have the following attributes:
- Excellent communication and listening skills
- Personal resilience
- Multi-tasking
- Attention to detail/Accuracy
- Quick decision making and risk assessment
- Remaining calm under pressure
- Empathy with callers
- The ability to provide reassurance and safety advice to callers
- Ability to remain focused during periods of low activity
- Keyboard skills
- Being able to work as part of a team
Most of the activity in Fire Control is recorded on incident logs, good spelling ability and being able to type at dictation speed are a key part of the role.
Initial training
Prior to commencement of the training course, you will be provided with an onboarding, pre-course learning document.
The initial training course is delivered over ten consecutive weeks, 5 weeks will be delivered at our Training and Development Academy on Long Lane in Aintree. The next 5 weeks will be held in the primary Control room at our Service Headquarters on Bridle Road, Bootle.
Daily course times will either be 8am – 4pm or 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.
The initial 2 weeks are intensive, with the requirement to learn a large amount of background information about MFRS.
During the remainder of the course, you will be taught how to use the computerised mobilising system, emergency call handling skills, radio procedure and other skills required for the role.
Progression from training course
You will be enrolled on a Skills England – Level 3 Emergency Contact Handler Apprenticeship.
The apprenticeship course is formulated to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the role.
The full apprenticeship program will be explained fully during the initial training course. You will receive support and guidance throughout the process.
Emergency Contact Handler Skills England
The apprenticeship takes 12 to 18 months to complete and will commence once the initial training period has concluded.
As a standard requirement for the apprenticeship, you will be required to provide qualifications certification for GSCE level English and Maths. If these have not already been achieved prior to employment, you will be required to pass the exams before completion of the apprenticeship.
The opportunity to attain these qualifications will be offered through our Training & Development Academy.