WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Hi guys,
I thinking of applying for FRS in a year or two's time, and would like to start getting upto scratch now.

What are some tips for getting up to grade and giving myself the best chance I can?

What are some good workouts to get your strength and endurance up that is required?

Is there any tafe courses similar to the Police Prep. course available?

Is the apptitude test very intensive?

And finally, Iv heard that being in vollunteer groups (such as VFRS VBFB and SES), Having a trade ( such as plumber, electrician ect.), having your H.R. licence and senior first aid certificate betters your chance of making it in, is this true?

http://www.fesa.wa.gov.au/internet/defa ... ?MenuID=61
There is the link, download the information package for more information.

It use to help being a vollie with a trade when actual firies were picking who got in. these days they contract the selection out to a company. Got told this from a instructor at the training centre.
Any community service looks good when applying.

philby wrote:It use to help being a vollie with a trade when actual firies were picking who got in. these days they contract the selection out to a company. Got told this from a instructor at the training centre.
Any community service looks good when applying.

yea i heard that as well.... if you apply and you have no community service on any level, whether that be Bush Fire Brigade or salvo's etc etc then you can forget about getting in..

.

From what i've heard about it, the beep test is what knocks most of them out of the recruiting pool.
It is helpful to download it and practice. Level 9.5 is the minimum but they like around 10. Being able to do that will help a huge amount when joining the FRS

My advice would be when they offer an open day where you can go and try the physical abilities tests you go and do them. Then you know what to expect for the physical side.

Wannabee wrote:Philby not true. The selection panel has not been contracted out. It consists of firies, officers personell from recruitment etc. Apart from assistance with physical and pshcological testing it is all coducted from within. And sgt seedy more than half the last school had no volunteer/community service. I would consider your sources unreliable............

could be different now. I spoke to my source and he said thats what happened 3 years ago....

I think its a good thing that the selection panel hasn't been contracted out... although you would think having "community service" in your life experience would be a box you would have to tick to join the FRS.

Hi all. Some facts. The part of the recruitment program that has changed is the application and the aptitude tests. These are now done online by a company that is external to FESA. This has considerably sped up the process. All other testings (excluding the physical and human movement which have always been done externally) are done by Fire & Rescue Career Station Officer's and Firefighters. As far as preperation, know the testing regime back to front is critical. Prepare prepare prepare. A poorly prepared candidate sticks out badly. As far as the aptitude tests go, look online for free tests. There is a company in Victoria that does preperatory tests and also a local company called Paragon, yet they cost $$$. Your money will be well spent as this is the key section that you may be eliminated on. Only the top X% get through. The open day did not occur last round of recruitment, so be proactive and call your local Fire Station and ask if they can run you through the tests - ask for a tour, don't think that as a volunteer you know everything about being a Career Firefighter, because the likelihood is that you only know about what we do 5% of the time, and that is the incident related stuff. Having a sound knowledge will help you in the interview. The interview is usually panelled by a Superintendant, a Station Officer, a firefighter and an independant. Physical testing - over prepare, you need to reach 9.6 in the beep test, always aim for 10.1, you must be able to drag a hose weighing about 45kg so prepare with 50kg (get imaginative on how you can simulate with things readily available), you nust be able to hold a 13kg rescue tool at knee waist and shoulder height for 30 seconds, do it for 45 seconds using a heavier weight and so on.

Finally - does been a volunteer or doing community service help? Well if you and another candidate score equally and you are a
volunteer, of course it will help! Put yourself in the interviewers eyes.

Hope this helps!

Thanks yellowhelmet, and everyone else for you advice. some great information there.

being a vollie means its easy to practice the physical tests at your own station it gives you good info to talk about in the interview but thats it. you will find your experience as a vollie a big asset when you get in the school though. but keep it to yourself.

any sort of community service is regarded highly in the interview. true the last few school have had very few people with vollie experience but there were people who did a lot of other volunteer work in their communities.

just be prepared for all the testing and dont give up if you dont get in. many people try out several times before they get in

I agree with kempa, the school I went through there were a number of people with volunteer experience- however only a couple with firefighting experience. Some were clubbies, animal shelters etc. Having volunteer expereince helps meet the FESA values which plays a part in final selection.
The day i did the physical testing 45% of all candidates failed, a large number in the beep test, but also a few in the confined space crawl and hose drag( you cant afford to slip at all). Be prepared to run +10 in the beep test, but on our day they stopped everyone at 9.6 due to the large number of people to process.
As far as preparing for the theory/aptitude, the examples available on the fesa website via Saville are a fair summary of the real deal, although Boffins Bookshop do stock an Australian firefighters exam book- i forget the exact title- which is good for engaging that part of your brain.
If you get as far as an interview, prepare well, have examples of where you meet the selection criteria and have a basic understanding of the organisation and the role of the cfrs.

just a heads up, i got an email saying that applications are opening.

don't think I'm prepared for this one, need fitness to be way higher, plus you need H.R. licence and senior first aid before applying now.

9.5 on the beep test is hard.

You have always needed your HR and First Aid before entry.

Shuttle Run is here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test

Realistically you need to run 1.8km to get to level 10, Not that hard to do in 10 mins. Think about the Australian military which requires you to run 2.4km in 12mins.

Helitak_670 wrote:You have always needed your HR and First Aid before entry.

Shuttle Run is here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-stage_fitness_test

Realistically you need to run 1.8km to get to level 10, Not that hard to do in 10 mins. Think about the Australian military which requires you to run 2.4km in 12mins.

Ahh the good old Marines! 11.3! They don't build them like they used to!