Meet Trainee On-Call Firefighter Oliver and find out about his journey so far.

What made you want to become an On-Call Firefighter and join the DFRS team?

It goes back to childhood when I first became interested in the role of a Firefighter as I used to watch London’s Burning; also when I was a youngster my mother used to smoke in bed and this used to concern me. I want to serve for my local community and to educate them.

Tell us about your journey so far.

I applied online for the role, but visited the station to have a chat beforehand. I found the staff really friendly and approachable, I got on well with them; which made me feel like I could be a part of their team. The staff made me aware of what the recruitment process entailed and they also stated I could contact them any time if I had any questions or concerns.

What are you looking forward to most in training?

I am looking forward to Trauma Care and RTC training. Being able to possess the skills and knowledge of trauma care is really inspiring to me as I know I can make a difference when my community and public are in their most vulnerable state. Being able to preserve life and prevent any worsening is a real powerful tool to have.

What are you looking forward to most after training and what do you think will be most challenging?

I am looking forward to being able to help my community when they need me the most. I would like to put trauma care into practice, I think the biggest challenge will be self-confidence when applying my trauma skills for the first time.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

In my spare time; I like to build and restore Motorcycles, I have a passion for tattoos and I listen to rock music.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your journey so far?

Prior to joining the Fire Service; I worked for a very large high street Bank as a Mortgage Advisor, for over 13 and a half years. My role wouldn’t accommodate the hours my local station required and I really wanted to pursue a career with the Fire Service, so I took the gamble and I quit my job to pursue my dream role. I am looking for permanent employment to run alongside the Fire Service and hopefully all being well; I want to pursue a wholetime position once I am deemed competent after my development phase.