FIREFIGHTER
JOIN THE FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE AT BRISTOL AIRPORT
FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR ESTABLISHED FIREFIGHTERS AND THOSE LOOKING TO CHANGE YOUR CAREER – NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED!
£28,867 starting salary, rising annually upon completion of training to £38,446 after 4 years (including shift allowance)
About the Role
We’re offering an incredible opportunity become a Firefighter at Bristol Airport. We are looking for people who are motivated and enthusiastic, have an aptitude for learning, are passionate about teamwork, are great communicators, physically fit and who want to make a positive difference. No particular experience is needed as we offer full training, however we are also keen to receive applications from experienced female Firefighters looking for a change of scenery It is all about your character, ambition and desire to build a career in the fire service. Our crews have backgrounds as diverse as teaching, retail, care work, personal training, sales, postal work, the prison service – we are genuinely interested in people from all walks of life.
Joining one of four “watches” you’ll be part of a cooperative and supportive team, ready and able to respond to any number of situations, at a moment’s notice, to support the safe and secure operation of the Airport. The role of an Airport Firefighter is more about prevention and readiness than actually fighting fires – emergencies are rare but can be intense when they happen, so being prepared is everything. You’ll learn a wide range of skills – how to operate and maintain a variety of equipment and vehicles; incident response protocols; first aid; security screening and snow clearance, among many others. You’ll also get involved in delivering fire awareness training to colleagues. It’s an incredibly varied role with lots of different responsibilities, where no two days are the same.
Naturally you’ll spend a lot of time learning, studying and taking part in drills and simulation exercises, equipping you with the knowledge and skills you’ll need to be able to respond confidently and correctly when it counts most. The station is a constant learning environment, where all colleagues, no matter how senior or experienced, routinely refresh their learning and acquire new skills. You’ll always be able to rely on receiving the best training and coaching on everything you’ll need to know, and have regular opportunities to practice and hone your skills. This is a fantastic role for people who love to learn.
The Small Print
There are some important things to know before you apply. The Firefighter role is shift based, meaning you’ll work two 12 hour day shifts, followed by two 12 hour night shifts, then four days off. The Airport is a 24-7-365 operation so you’ll work weekends, bank holidays, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve etc when your shifts fall on these days. You’ll also be on call during one of your blocks of four days off per month.
You will need to pass rigorous referencing checks going back five years, along with DBS (criminal records) and CTC (counter terrorist) checks, as the role requires unrestricted access to all areas of the Airport. You’ll also need to be pretty fit, as this is a physically demanding role, and the assessment will involve a bleep test and a demonstration of your ability to lift and move heavy objects. Also, as the role involves driving a variety of vehicles, you must be willing to work towards getting an LGV driving licence.
The Firefighter selection process will involve three stages. First, you’ll complete an online assessment that tests cognitive skills and personality traits. For candidates shortlisted from that, physical testing will take place on 20/21 October. Finally, for candidates that pass, there will be a half day assessment centre on 26 October. We will make offers and give feedback during the first week of November.
Please consider before applying whether you are comfortable with all of this.
WE ARE ON A MISSION TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY THROUGHOUT OUR BUSINESS, AND AS SUCH WE WILL PARTICULARLY WELCOME APPLICATIONS FROM WOMEN, MEMBERS OF THE BLACK, ASIAN, AND OTHER MINORITY ETHNIC COMMUNITIES, AND MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AS THESE GROUPS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER-REPRESENTED WITHIN OUR FIRE SERVICE.
Key responsibilities
- Responding to emergency calls, requests for assistance and First Aid incidents
- Maintaining, inspecting, testing and repairing fire equipment and alarms
- Regularly attending drills and simulation exercises
- Continually training, learning new skills and refreshing existing knowledge
- Conducting risk assessments and audits
- Undertaking security screening activities
- Responding to jet fuel spills and leaks
- Promoting fire safety standards to airport colleagues
- Working on snow clearance in winter months
- Keeping the fire station clean, tidy and orderly
- Maintaining a good level of personal fitness using onsite gym
About you
We’re looking for the following:
- Passion and desire to build a career in the Fire service
- Exceptional team player, loyal, driven to go above and beyond for your teammates
- Strong aptitude and motivation for continuous learning and personal development
- Ability to absorb training and retain large amounts of information
- Integrity, honesty, resilience, self-discipline
- Practical, logical and organised, with excellent attention to detail
- Strong work ethic, commitment, willingness to always do what it takes
- Physically fit and strong, able to lift and carry heavy equipment
- Willing to work shifts including nights, weekends and public holidays
- Willing to work towards getting an LGV driving licence
- Based within one hour commuting distance of Bristol Airport
About Us
Bristol Airport has achieved great success and is currently the 4th fastest growing airport outside London; we have invested heavily in our infrastructure over the last 10 years and we served over 9m passengers in 2019 traveling to over 120 destinations. Our vision is “To be everyone’s favourite airport, delivering a future we can all be proud of” and our values reflect that. Our ambition remains strong, despite the additional challenges introduced by COVID-19, we are committed to providing passengers with safe and amazing travel opportunities. We are extremely proud of how the Airport as a whole has responded to the challenges we face today and we need committed and innovative individuals to help us during this next phase in our evolution. So, are you ready to come on that journey with us?
Why work for us?
We are a modern airport, defined by great people who are skilled, passionate and confident, and who are dedicated to providing great service with a relaxed and friendly style. This blend of talents, focus and passion makes us extraordinary. A pulse survey carried out in March 2021 highlighted than over 90% of colleagues are satisfied with the way in which Bristol Airport has responded to the COVID pandemic and business impact, and the ways in which they have been kept informed.
We like to think we can recognise potential so, even if you don’t think you match 100% of our criteria, if you think you have what it takes then let’s start a conversation. We are committed to building a team of people with varied backgrounds and experiences, the more diverse and inclusive we are the better our workplace and output will be.
We are committed to providing our employees with a broad range of rewards and benefits including:
- 25 days annual leave
- Pension with generous employer contribution
- Group Life Assurance (6 x salary)
- Private Medical Insurance with BUPA (including dental)
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Performance Related Bonus scheme
- Free on-site gym (located within Fire Station)
Find out more about our benefits and recruitment process, by visiting the career pages on our website.
