Promotion

[Harve88]

Just out of interest how long did people serve as a FF before thinking of going for promotion (and any further promotions  after that) and what motivated you to do so? 

A lot of colleagues I have spoken to  seem to deny that they will ever want to move through the ranks,  but I have also seen a number of them quickly change their mind when a promotion process comes up.

It seems to be an idea that most people don’t want to admit to and I have always wondered why that is?

[Noddy]

I joined in 1998 and back then the probationary period was 4 years culminating in an assessment.  However, if you passed the old leading fireman’s exam before that assessment you didn’t have to do it so I went for it... and passed my Lfm exam in 2001.  Because I had it I was then asked if I wanted to try a temp promotion which I accepted and was promoted to Lfm in 2002.  I had continued to crack on with the studying and passed my station officers exam in 2003.  However, I was posted to a great watch as the Lfm and enjoyed it so much I stayed put for the next 7 years (I did do a couple of temp Sub Officers in that time).  I then decided I wanted to be in charge of my own watch and got promoted to the Watch Manager role in 2009, the rank I’ve stayed at ever since.

I think it’s down to personal circumstances when deciding if promotion is for you as opposed to length of service. 

I was motivated by the extra responsibility and my ultimate aim of becoming a Fire Investigation Officer which was only available to Watch Managers, which I achieved 9 years ago.  I now have absolutely zero interest in promotion 😁

[Messyshaw]

I did 7 years at Fireman rank (as it was then). I was really happy at one of the busiest fire stations in London. In fact when counting actual fires and not all the dross like AFAs some of the ‘busier’ stations were lumbered with, my station was in the top 5 busiest. I got to wear BA perhaps weekly and sometimes several times a shift. I was in my early 20s and working with a great bunch of guys and each shift was 9 or 15 hours of fun, interrupted by the odd fire call! Life was good.

Meanwhile, the Officers on the station hardly got a wear, rarely went in a job, and when we were buggering about on the station laughing so hard it was difficult to breath, they were locked in the office clattering on a typewriter and swearing as they had put the carbon paper in the wrong way around. OK they got their own room and got to hang on the leather strap to clang the bell -(yes, I am that old!!!) - but how can that be better than slithering around the floor on your belly in some crappy HMO  grappling with a jet and then emerging into the daylight covered in sh*t??? 

Then one day my Guvnor asked if I wanted a week’s acting up. He was a scary ex forces bloke with a big lined face and a LOUD voice who you never said no to. So, on went the stripe and I became that officer getting frustrated with the poxy carbon paper. I immediately went on an outduty  to Soho and found myself in charge & picking up jobs for a couple of hours in the afternoon when their Guvnor and LFm were out on their respective machines. I was surprised to admit that I really enjoyed it and a few months later, I grabbed a long spell of temporary promotion.

The eureka/light bulb moment came on the first day when I was busted back down to Fm. It was 09:30 ish and we were doing inventories and emptying the appliance lockers to clean them. During the usual nonsense and joking, I leant on a broom handle. One of the guys gave me a rollocking “Don’t stand there as they will see you from the office” (the inference being they would give us something else to do if we were seen relaxing).

I remember those ‘words of advice’ to this day, as the penny dropped that I couldn't hide behind fire engines for the next 25 years and needed to consider a plan B to give me more challenges.

I would like to tell you how that moment led to me rushing through the ranks to ACO, getting medals and being awarded a Knighthood!!. But that was never the plan. Getting promotion gave me motivation and challenges. It allowed me to move around upwards and sideways and enjoy time on various stations and roles. This included the fire investigation team, a staff job where I rode a Command Unit, and latterly within fire safety dept which gave me transferrable skills I am using now since retirement.

Promotion is not for everyone and thank God it isn't as it would be even harder to achieve it. I have a friend who has just retired after serving all of is time at the station he went to from Training School. He has had a whale of a time and enjoyed every moment other than not being able to have a retirement do due to this bloody Covid emergency.  I too didn't regret a minute of going for promotion, but there most certainly is an optimum time IMHO. Too early and you miss out on the joy of being at FF level, too late, you may not achieve your goals

[Lumie]

@Messyshaw I can’t comment on promotion, but I’d like to say it’s always a pleasure to read your posts on here. They do, however, make me think I joined the job after it’s peak. That first paragraph is what i thought I’d be doing fresh out of training school... oh how naive🤣

Anyways, not to derail the thread from what it’s intention is, that will be all from me😉

[BurtMacklin]

I did 8 as a FF then went for CM. A bit of experience is essential, a lot of experience is a luxury. How you are as a person when managing people will determine how good you are in the role not how long you’ve been in or how many wears you’ve had. 

[Carl]

I did 10 years before I went for promotion. I wanted to sit in every seat first. I was lucky to become a driver within my first couple of years in the job, so could ride in the back in any position, drive and operate the pump. I also wanted to become a Trauma Technician which I did and also master the specials. I became a Driver, Operator and Instructor on both our Aerial and High Volume Pump as well as the Decon Units. Once I mastered that I went for it. 

I did 2 x 6 month temporary CM roles before getting CM, and then did countless temporary WM positions before getting a WM job. In between all that I did a 12 month stint in our HQ when the MTFA was rolled out. I then did a 2 year secondment as a Flexi Station Manager at the Fire Service College. I came back, did a 4 year stint back as WM and then went for Station Manager. Now, 24 years on, I am a substantive FDS SM with less than 4 years to go. A happy place.

Don't wish your fire service career away, it goes far too quick anyway. On the flip side, if promotion is what you want, go for it. If you want the dizzier heights you need to start soon. Most of all, enjoy what you do, it doesn't feel like work then.

[Matt]

Promotion and responsibility isn't for everyone and some like to still get their hands dirty and that is just how some are and are quite happy with that.

Personally for me to work your way up the ranks I think you have to experience and understand each of the ranks and be able to work in that rank to a good level because if you work you way up with no experience it's going to be know that you have quickly got there and there wont be the trust and respect when you come to manage others.  If you want to be CFO then you work your way up.

[Becile]

I’ve got to agree with @Carland @Matt in that it not just length of time moving up, it’s the breadth of knowledge across the service you gain whilst doing that. If you think it’s just OPS, Prevention, or another area you are wrong in my opinion, to experience the FRS from many angles at the various ranks for a reasonable amount of time (or roles ) makes for a far more rounded officer, which both helps to promote respect and trust through the organisation. If and when you get the opportunity to experience more regional and national (And sometimes international) work you should grab it, it takes you to new experiences , friends and situations you couldn’t even imagine in your wildest dreams, and you get payed for it...bonus! 

[Mike]

Our Brigade has a fairly flexible acting up system. The one I'm currently on allows me to be acted up at other stations when there's a shortfall as a standby. Sometimes, I'll be on standby every 4 of the tour, sometimes I'm left alone for several weeks. This gives me a lot of flex when it comes to varying roles, I still ride the back, drive, and get to be in charge. (Not at the same time... which I'm sure they'd love to implement.)

Having the experience of being on the front, I feel, makes me a better firefighter. I know what IC's will want, what to look for and the information they will need from crews on arrival. Thankfully, my officers were very supportive of my acting up, and I was on a homebrewed development plan which really helped me. 

I enjoy the responsibility, having to think a bit differently when turning up at jobs. Your crew asks you what you want to do, and with their help, you figure it all out. 

It can sometimes feel like a puzzle, you gotta try to get all the right bits in place to reach a good conclusion, and when it does, it feels pretty good. When it doesn't...  learn from it and do better next time.

Saying that I've still got a lot to learn, 4 years in September, and I've been acting up / Temp LFF since last August. 

[Desserts]

20 years as a FF and driver, then a kick up the backside by my Guv who was a mate. Then Cm and WM before retirement!

[Firestorm]

I did 15 years on the same watch (neighbouring Messy) and, for similar reasons, was very contented.Great watch, decent ground and the excellent social life that came with it with pre and post work beers, (different times) I started acting up fairly early on and enjoyed it, various Guvs were happy to let me act up, a few pushed me to do it. Riding in charge of the P was good, riding in charge of the FRU was much better, especially when we only had 5 of them across the brigade. Then a few things happened in my life, my younger brother died and very soon after I became a dad. I had a look at what I was doing and where I was going and decided to take the plunge. My Guv at the time told me it was about ****ing time!

Passed the assessments, met Steve (career highlight 😉 ) and spent a short time as a CM, went for the next assessment of WM and passed that and never looked back. I really enjoyed running my own watch and being in charge but I suppose I was blessed to have a brilliant CM and a really good watch. Moved from there for a change, hated it, and finished back on the first WM watch for a 9 month cameo and had the best time, finishing on a high.

Odd thing is I thought I'd desperately miss the job, I've only set foot on a station once since and that was to take a friends widow to a memorial service. It mostly feels now like I was never in the job at all.

[Mess6311]

i am a new WM with 13 years. i waited until 9 years before going for CM. i then did 4 years at CM before looking for my own watch to command.

When you as an individual feel ready its your choice. I know a couple of FFs that have gone for it just out of probation. Quick in my opinion but if they are right for it, then it works. I know firefighters that have done 20, 25, 30 years that would have made fantastic WOs but it doesnt suit everyone and if everyone got promoted there would be no senior men to guide the juniors. 

I firmly believe that EFADs make great officers, not exclusively, but generally they have a good appreciation of all the positions under them. Make sure you're comfortable knowing what you are doing before you look for advancement. And if you're lucky enough to have good solid switched on WOs above you when you start you will know when you are ready and have the grounding to develop at the correct rate for you

[HoldFast]

Some great replies on here. I haven’t done any acting up yet but am keen to make the jump in the next couple of years. I’ve been a firefighter for 10 years - 7 years RDS and 3 years wholetime. I did my EFAD after 5 years and I’ve spent a bit of time in community safety and control - all areas I hope will help me to be a more rounded officer one day. I was going through the motions to start acting up just before I left RDS for wholetime and it got put on the back burner as I started with another service and kind of felt like I’d started all over again. I have felt a few times like I’m ready to go for it and then put if off because I feel like I need more experience, but I think to an extent I will always feel like that because I want to be the best I can be. I hope that in the next couple of years il do a bit of acting up and that will help me gauge when I’m ready to go for promotion. I think everyone has ‘their time’ and it’s important not to rush it, but also not to let it pass you by without even realising.

[Becile]

Looks like it’s that time again....through to the interviews for GC! Third time lucky maybe.

[Fireddo]

I think the very fact that you are asking the question shows that it is time. If you wait until you feel ready then it will never happen. I felt the same at 8yrs when I applied a temp CM job on a Recruit Course and was given the same advice. I am not ambitions at all, but am now a FDS SM and signed off towards GM (not that I want that). 

Go for it, but consider the training route as it is great for development. 🙂