Event to be held in Omagh for women considering a career as a firefighter

DO you enjoy being active and live a healthy lifestyle? Have you ever thought of climbing a different career ladder? How do you feel about making a real change in your community?

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is hosting a series of Firefighter “Come and Try days” tailored to women who are thinking about becoming a firefighter, held at locations including Omagh.

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, September 9 and Sunday, September 17.

The local event will take place at Omagh Fire Station on Saturday, September 16.

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

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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 six per cent 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.”