Many retained firefighters respond to emergency calls from work. They carry a pager and, if called, will drop everything to get to the fire station as quickly as they can.
They could be responding to any kind of emergency situation - fires, floods, traffic collisions, chemical spills - and so their quick response could be the difference between life and death.
This work is vital to the safety of people and properties in area and the support of employers allowing their staff to respond is essential.
But there are some benefits for employers:
1.
Firefighters need to be fit - They need to keep themselves fit which has many health benefits.
2. The skills they bring - A trained firefighter learns many skills, a lot of which can be useful in any workplace. Firefighters learn to work well in a team, to think quickly, to take responsibility and use their initiative, to communicate fast and accurately and to keep calm in a crisis. They also develop an ability to deal with all sorts of people in a wide range of circumstances.
3.
Trained in first aid - Firefighters learn first aid to a high standard. This will help to keep other employees safe but also contributes to legal obligations for first aid cover, cutting the cost of training.
4. Help with health and safety regulations - Risk assessments and fire hazards are all part of the training for retained firefighters so they can support health and safety officers to meet their obligations and improve the safety of all your staff.
5.
The training is on-going - Retained firefighters must maintain and develop their skills continuously. Staff who are willing to learn and develop are vital to any organisation.
6. Motivated staff - Staff who are able to fulfil their ambitions and potential are usually happier and more productive in the workplace. Retained firefighters must be highly motivated to take on the task and this motivation will help them in everything they do.
7.
Committed employees - Being a retained firefighter takes commitment. No one takes on the role lightly. Committed firefighters responding from work are likely to be committed staff.
8. Good publicity and local reputation - The PR opportunities can be tremendous. Promoting the organisation as caring about its community and supportive of its staff can be very beneficial; and the rest of the workforce can be encouraged by knowing that a colleague is doing something interesting and worthwhile with the support of their employer.
9.
Trained to deal with anything - Retained firefighters must be able to deal with a whole range of situations, they never quite know what they might find when they respond to an emergency, so they are likely to be able to cope with the ups and downs of working life.
So although an employee may have to rush off at any moment, and could be away for some time, the benefits could make this worthwhile and the employer will have the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting something that could really make a difference.
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