PCSOs to undertake training to become on-call firefighters

Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from Herefordshire and Shropshire will soon undertake training to become on-call firefighters.

This pilot joint police/fire initiative, which supports the on-going programme of retained firefighter recruitment was developed earlier in the year between Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS), Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and West Mercia Police (WMP).

Along with other trainees, the PCSOs will undertake an intensive recruits training course which will commence in January and span over a five week period.

This is a first recruits course that has been run jointly between HWFRS and SFRS and will meet the same standards and requirements as all other new recruits course.

Each PCSO candidate has had to meet the same levels of entry requirements, will undergo the same training and be employed in the same way as any other applicant, although the whole process has been far smoother and quicker due to close working with WMP.

Ultimately, this means the community will have more on-call firefighters on fire engines available sooner.

PCSOs will be employed on a retained firefighters contract and, like any other on-call firefighter, will provide cover when they are available and not committed to police emergencies.

It is expected that, based on call historical volume, a PCSO will attend less than one call a week.

The average time taken on these calls is normally around an hour, so the actual time away from PCSO duties will be minimal, but could be the difference between a fire engine being available or not.

It is hoped that that the successful PCSO candidates will be responding as on-call firefighters by April 2016 and that this pilot scheme may be extended in the future into Worcestershire and other parts of Herefordshire.