A typical day on a full time fire station begins with the arrival to the station and attending role call at 9am, where each firefighter is given their orders for the day and what role they will perform if called to an emergency. This is known as your riding position. The positions are rotated so that all the crew gain experience of the different functions. The only exception is the officer in charge who will always lead that crew. The ride positions and their roles are listed below.
Position 1 - Officer In Charge, front passenger seat
Position 2 - Driver
Position 3 - Breathing Apparatus Team, back seat near window, rear of Officer In Charge
Position 4 - Breathing Apparatus Team, back seat near window, rear of driver
Position 5 - Breathing Apparatus Controller, map reader, water person, general helper
Next the firefighters perform drill. Drill refers to a wide range of training exercises designed to practice different firefighting techniques or become familiar with new technology, new procedures and new hazards.
A typical day could include training exercises using breathing apparatus to rescue a trapped person and a lecture on hazardous substances. This is also the time when the firefighters learn about any new or special equipment that they may have to use at an emergency such as thermal imaging cameras or positive pressure ventilation fans.
Next the crews will check all the equipment on the fire appliance as to its availability & operational efficiency.
After the checks the crews will gather in the lecture room to be informed of any new issues recently promulgated and maybe a Q & A session on any of a wide range of fire service topics. Following this will be a P.T. session in the gym.
A break is taken about 11am for tea and toast
Lunch is taken at 1pm.
Following lunch the firefighters may engage in CommunityFire Safety programmes such as home fire safety visits and school education visits. This could involve fitting smokealarms in people's houses or showing school children around the fire engine. The whole crew goes out together as a unit with the fire engine. While at a school, for example, the firefighters may split up and talk to different groups but are always in radio contact with the driver of the fire engine who remains with the vehicle to receive any emergency calls that may occur.
Or they may go and visit one of the local high risk premises to familiar themselves with the contents and layout of the building so they are prepared with local knowledge should an emergency occur there.
As you can now imagine, firefighters have a very busy and full day even before they have responded to any emergency calls. The old myths that they sit around all day playing pool and watching television waiting for an emergency call are thankfully long gone.
The above is only a sample programme of events. Many various themes may be undertaken and it is the watch officer's discretion as to how the day's events run.
At the end of the afternoon the fire engine is washed and cleaned ready for the night crew to take it over. Fire tunic, overtrousers and fire boots are cleaned ready to be stowed away when they go off duty at 6pm.
The night shift starts at 6pm and finishes at 9am the following morning. The shift work pattern is similar to the daytime one, but with more emphasis on Community Fire Safety, personal development, cleaning and maintenance of equipment, up until 12 midnight when the crews are allowed to rest until 6.45am.
