Your fire service needs you!

Watch manager, Stuart Donald, is running a recruitment drive at the Thornhill Place station for anyone interested in becoming a retained duty system (RDS) firefighter.

Mr Donald joined the Aberdeen city centre team full-time in 1992 for two years before transferring to work operationally at Elgin until 2010.

After moving to Forres, he joined the crew here.

He said: “I initially decided to join as I wanted something a little bit different, something that changed day to day and wasn’t routine.

“These days, I enjoy taking new personnel through the development process until they are fully qualified as firefighters.

“I also enjoy the community safety work we carry out, which has seen a significant reduction in dwelling fires within Forres and the surrounding area.”

Potential trainees can look around the station and discuss the equipment used, chat with firefighters and view the electronic availability system which manages on-call time.

You can also discuss pay scales during the development phase and once fully qualified, view the process for applying through the ‘myjobscotland’ website, learn about the physical requirements and practical selection tests, as well as the general commitment required for initial and on-going training courses.

Training consists of a two week initial course covering safety at incidents. Around six months later, trainees attend a two week intensive breathing apparatus (BA) course. They then enter a development phase, learning other skills during weekly training sessions on Wednesday evenings, culminating in an assessment of skills after three years.

Training nights feature simulated fire exercises, drills utilising pumps, ladders, road traffic collision equipment and safe work at height equipment as well as lectures on subjects as varied as hazardous materials, equality and diversity, incident command, fires in commercial properties and more.

Mr Donald attended a number of big fires in Aberdeen, as well as major incidents at a chip shop in Hopeman and at Moy House involving 10 pumps each. He also worked the Moray floods of 1997 and 2002 which led to establishment of a water rescue team.

“Forres personnel spend a significant amount of time carrying out home fire safety visits and fitting smoke alarms,” added Mr Donald.

“We also undertake CPR training with equipment carried on our two appliances.

“A number of staff are trained as flood responders and have to undertake annual training to maintain certification.

“This is the same for other skills, such as breathing apparatus training at our development colleges in Portlethen or Invergordon, and maintenance of skills training for drivers.”

The closing date for applications to join is September 17.

Call 07545233452 for more information.