Women Encouraged To Consider A Career As A Firefighter

The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has announced a series of Firefighter 'Come and Try Days' tailored to women who are thinking about becoming a Firefighter.

These events will be held before a Wholetime (full-time) Firefighter recruitment process is launched in September, and will give women the opportunity to experience what the job involves, ask questions and find out more information about a career as a Firefighter.

The events will be located in Armagh, Omagh and Ballymena Fire Stations and in the NIFRS Learning & Development Centre, Boucher Road, Belfast, and will run between Saturday 9 September and Sunday 17 September 2023.

The details for each location are as follows:

• LDC Belfast, Boucher Road– Saturday 9 September

• Armagh Fire Station – Sunday 10 September

• Omagh Fire Station – Saturday 16 September

• Ballymena Fire Station – Sunday 17 September

Participants are required to be aged 17 and over and will have the option to attend a morning (10 am – 12 pm) or afternoon session (2pm – 4 pm) at each event. Places are strictly limited so to register your interest and reserve a place please visit www.eventbrite.com/o/northern-ireland-fire-rescue-service-68701728113

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Area Commander Suzanne Fleming said: "This is a really exciting opportunity for any woman who has ever thought about a career as a Firefighter- now is the time to get your Firefighting boots on. No two days are ever the same- as an emergency service we attend various types of incidents including house fires, road traffic collisions and educating the community on fire safety.

"I joined NIFRS 22 years ago and I have loved every minute of it. It is demanding and challenging but it is so rewarding to know that you are making a real difference. If you want to climb a different kind of career ladder by supporting your community there is a role here for you.

"We continue to see the number of female Firefighters increase and currently just over 6% of our Firefighters are women. We want to represent the community we serve. Firefighting is a brilliant career choice for women. We want to dispel some of the misconceptions women may have about Firefighting as a career. These events will give you the opportunity to meet Firefighters and hear first-hand what the job involves.

"We really look forward to meeting you at the events."