Inter Station Transfers

[Rory-495]

Hi all,

Just out of curiosity, what method do different fire services use when people make a transfer request? Also, do people find much opposition to moving or is it relatively easy?

In LFB we use an online system to select the station(s) and watch(s) you would be willing to go to and gives you a position listing. If you get it you must go. However it seems there is also a lot of too and fro between station commanders about if they will release you. 

It seems that a lot of people are stuck in stations because of their specific skills that keep them there - which leads to a lot of people getting irritated and demotivated as they can be commuting many hours past other stations or not getting as much operational or skills training to progress their careers

[Steve]

It has to be based on the needs of the organisation ultimately, otherwise all of the desirable outer stations and  busy central stations would be overflowing with people and hardly anyone at the unexciting stations elsewhere. I have been both sides of it, as a rider Ff to Stn O in my early years and as a SC and BC later on. I didn't want people who didn't want to be in the Borough, but I couldn't allow my SC's to release people on a whim otherwise I'd have empty stations. Generally, people get where they want to go in the end. 

[Harve88]

I imagine it’s an issue in all brigades as it’s a tricky one to manage as mentioned above 

I’ve had a number of transfers blocked in the last year which is annoying when your top of the list and keep getting jumped ( I won’t go into detail). 

Its a vicious circle, if they let people with qualifications move there wouldn’t be a lack of people interested in gaining those skills.

[Neil89]

I know a lot of drivers in my brigade struggle to get moved as there isn’t enough of them. 

But at the same time it can be easier to transfer if you find a station/watch low on skills and you are willing to move and gain a skill there like driving. 

[TrainHardFightEasy]

Very difficult to transfer here if you are a driver as we are very short. 

[Dyson]

What station do you fancy getting to Rory ? 

[Rory-495]

I've about 6 I've requested in the center of London, the issue is that now I've just got my C class I can't be released.

The argument I put forward is that I want to go to a multi, potentially with an aerial or FRU to gain more skills and a more varied ground so that I can develop towards promotion at some point. 

Like Steve said it just takes time but I'm sure I'll get out eventually

[Luminoki]

Depends on the station in question, usually starts with putting your name on the transfer list, stating the station, any particular watch or duty system. When a vacancy comes up, the more popular ones usually hold a process with a PQA application and professional discussion. Its not unheard of for over 20 people to go for one of these jobs. Skills such as driving or special skills can factor into a move as well. Driving can be seen as a big plus but can also be a barrier to being released from your own station. And like Steve said, people can languish on the transfer list for years before getting a move. Or you could be like me, name on the list, ( i went for a less than desirable station ) emailed the station commander so i was on his radar as wanting to move ( as i was in a different command area ) then a couple of weeks later had a quick phone interview. Was there within 2 sets

[Jet]

I don't think transfers in the fire service differ that much to the football transfer window. A lot of to-ing and fro-ing between borough and station managers, especially in a larger brigade where there's more personnel and stations and thus more opportunities for moves. Plus Steve has hit the nail on the head by saying there's always stations that are pretty undesirable to everyone and struggle to get personnel. Cue the annual recruit/inter-brigade transfer dump to those locations. 

[Luminoki]

Its ok until the less than desirable stations are full of recruits and theres nowhere else to put them. I remember when one was posted to the holy grail of stations for that command, there was alot of sulkiness from people trying to get there

[LFB92]

People can sulk about not getting the postings they want but a lot of times they haven’t really put any effort in to move. Detachments can always be requested and seems to be a good way to get a transfer

[Rory-495]

This does seem a way to get a move, gets you on that stations radar - although I know of at least 1 person on a 3 month detachment who is now being sent back after an amazing 3 months and is very much is a downward moral tumble 😆 However I have been informed that LFB have been told to clamp down on the transfer process so detachments may not be the way to sneak in the back door as it seems

[Dyson]

Who’s gonna tell the LFB to clamp down on detachments? I agree that detachment is probably your best option. Find a Watch and station you want, where there is a space, engineer an out duty there and then launch a charm offensive as soon as you arrive ! Talk to the StnO and possibly even the ADO. Sitting on the list and waiting for EPT to realise how awesome you are probably won’t work 😊 If you can show you’re doing it for development your BC is more likely to let you go, particularly if it’s temp at 1st. Even if you do go back in the end, you’ve had that time in town which you’ll absolutely love ! 

[BurtMacklin]

if you are considering promotion, detachment while in temporary rank often leads to automatically assuming that post if successful 

[Becile]

Maybe in LFB, not in our service ! We rarley do temporary any more and its only on yr own station.

[HB2016]

@BecileSorry to resurrect this, may I ask why temporary is rare and why only on your own station? Seems rather limiting.