Candidates who accept the offer of on-call trainee firefighter, and have passed pre-employment checks, will be invited to an on-call development firefighter induction weekend 28-29 June 2025.
The induction course will include:
- Our service and priorities
- Core Code of Ethics
- Payroll, training records and resources
- Working for Cornwall Council
- Health and safety
- Safeguarding
- Heat and humidity awareness
- Water awareness
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Vehicle manoeuvring
- Manual handling
- External engagement, including social media
- The Fire Fighters Charity and the union
- Uniform and PPE issue
- Personal and breathing apparatus facemask fitting
Following the induction weekend, candidates will go to their stations for a minimum of eight weeks where they will undertake a number of practical modules and are provided with a station mentor to support their training. They will also attend two training evenings with their trainee cohort at a central location.
Approve to ride
Trainee firefighters are required to complete a 2-week ‘approved to ride’ (ATR) course before being promoted from trainee to development firefighter and allowed to join their crews in responding to incidents.
The ATR is split into two weeks. Week one focuses on pumps, ladders, fireground commands and road traffic collisions (RTC) training:
- Hose running, knot tying and hauling equipment aloft.
- Pumping from pressure-fed supplies and open water.
- Working at height.
Week two focuses primarily on breathing apparatus (BA):
- The BA set and how it functions.
- Servicing, testing and wearing a BA set, including its ancillary equipment.
- Searching in smoke and darkness.
- Fire science.
- Branch techniques.
- Casualty search and rescue in a live fire environment.
On successful completion of the ATR, candidates will be promoted to development firefighters and will follow a three-year training programme. They will also learn the following areas:
- Safety at height and confined spaces (SHACS)
- Water rescue
- Hazardous materials
- Advanced ladders
Throughout their development, they will undertake annual reviews and additional courses that will support them to becoming a fully qualified on-call freighter.
If you have questions about our on-call induction process, please contact us peopleteam@fire.cornwall.gov.uk