I choose the apprenticeship with WFRS’ Control Room becauseI wanted to embrace a challenge where every day was never the same as the last and I felt I could help my community and help to save lives.
My husband is a firefighter and we often spoke of a new career for me in the fire service. We had discussed the role of a control operator and I believed that was the path I was going to pursue.
When I applied for fire control there was an exciting new opportunity to enrol on an apprenticeship in emergency call handling. This apprenticeship is being completed alongside my development program in fire control.
The job doesn’t come without its challenges, however. In October of 2023 we experienced a high volume of calls due to flooding. It was my first experience of high-volume activity of that level since starting in fire control and we had been evacuated to our neighbouring control room at Northants
We were working under unfamiliar circumstances but we worked together as a team and ensured the response to our community was delivered to the same standard as always.
In emergency situations, clear and concise communication is important. Effective teamwork is vital if information is to be shared in a timely manner and this allows decisions to be made quickly resulting in the best outcome for everyone involved.
My colleagues in the Control Team are incredible, and they all share years of knowledge and experience. One of the most rewarding things about this job is the people you meet. You develop a trust and understanding with those that you work with as you all have the same aim - to help the community.
The most fulfilling feeling is when our crews leave an incident and I have the knowledge that, by supporting the caller and the crews and working together, we have made the difference to people in our community when they needed us the most.
A 224-shift pattern allows me to have a balanced home and work life. I am home more with my little girl and husband in between tours. As you are unable to bring your work home with you, this allows you to separate work and enjoy quality time at home with your loved ones.
If you are interested in a career in Fire Control I would advise that you come in and have a visit, see what the job entails. The team will be more than welcoming and give you a better understanding of what we do in control.