‘It’s never boring’ Join the fire crew at airport
They’re prepared for everything from clearing snow from runways to major emergencies. Estel Farel Roig meets the firefighting team keeping watch over Bristol Airport as they look for new recruits
FROM responding to fuel spillages to continuously training, it’s a busy job being an airport firefighter.
Gary O’Neill – chief fire officer at Bristol Airport – said all staff have to be able to do everything, but that they provide all the training including getting a HGV licence.
“There is a lot to learn but they will learn it over a period of time,” he told me when I spent the afternoon with the team on Tuesday morning.
“It can feel overwhelming when they first start, but there are not many jobs out there where an entry level job has such variety.”
Firefighters need to be able to operate a range of equipment, he explained, and for instance they need to be able to operate the machinery that comes with snow clearing.
They are also trained on aircraft recovery in case an aircraft comes off the runway.
Mr O’Neill said all the training is done at the airport, starting with a seven-week intensive programme for new recruits.
It is not done after the seven weeks though, he continued, with it taking two years of continuous training for someone to become fully qualified.
A total of 46 people work at Bristol Airport’s fire department, split into four crews of 11 people each, and there are always nine crew members on duty.
In an emergency, it could be up to 30 minutes until they receive support from outside fire crews, said Mr O’Neill, so it is crucial that those nine people know what is expected of team and work as a team.
In a normal year, they respond to up to 600 calls, he continued, with some days being really busy and responding to several calls while others there are none.
Working 12-hour shifts, Mr O’Neill said the job is very varied and includes daily inspections that
need completing, fire alarm checks and safety checks of the runway, for example.
They get called to things like vehicle fires or fuel spillages, and are responsible for snow clearing and de-icing operations in the winter, together with general maintenance.
Mr O’Neill – who has lived in the Bristol and North Somerset area all his life – said they also attend to things that could escalate like a fire alarm getting activated or an aircraft with hot tyres.
“We will do anything that is asked of us,” said Mr O’Neill. “Aviation is one of the safest forms of travel, but our primary role is to respond to an aircraft fire.
“We are here for the safety of the passengers and the aircrafts.
“You have to be very reactive and can never be complacent as it could happen any time.”
With security staff providing first aid,
Mr O’Neill said they would attend a medical emergency in a life-threatening situation, for example if someone was having a heart attack.
All staff are trauma trained, explained deputy chief fire officer Matt Kilyon, which allows them to be able to provide a higher level of medical treatment such as stopping major bleeding.
At the same time, they also train airport staff in first aid.
Mr Kilyon – who is currently working on emergency planning – said a lot of work goes into prevention and that, as the airport returns to normal, it will get busier for
them too.
He added the airport firefighters are constantly assessed and in ongoing training.
As they have a medical assessment every year, said Mr O’Neill, they have to maintain their fitness levels and therefore training is classed part of their working day.
Mr O’Neill, who is ex-military and has been working at the airport’s fire department for 25 years, said it is a great job.
The 53-year-old continued: “It is a great team, with a great atmosphere. I have never been bored in my 25 years. It is a very dynamic job that keeps you busy and really motivated.
“I will retire soon, in a couple of years, but I have enjoyed every part of every day.”
A highlight for him is the team and the people he gets to work with, making friendships over the years.
Mr Kilyon – who has been working there since 2008 – agreed the team is one of the best things about the job, describing it as a very close unit.
Working in a care home and in landscape gardening before, Mr Kilyon said he was in his early 20s when he joined the team, having always been interested in the fire service, but was not successful in his first attempt to join in 2007.
Mr Kilyon, from Gloucestershire, added: “What tends to happen is that people stay – we have a lot of long service people who have been for 25 or 30 years.”
Firefighter Adam Bobruk is one of the newer recruits, joining the
airport’s fire department back in March 2019, with this being his first proper job.
The 24-year-old said he had always wanted to be a firefighter, with his dad being one as well.
Mr Bobruk, from Congresbury, said he tried going to university to study geography but only lasted three months.
“I decided it was not for me,” he continued. “I decided that I wanted an active job.
“Every day is different here and you are not sat around on a computer every day. I also love the training, it is enjoyable. We are constantly in training and developing.
“I love being active and the job can be physically demanding, especially when we are training on the fire ground.”
Mr Bobruk said there is a gym at the station and that they train every day, adding they get given time to keep up their fitness levels.
For Mr Bobruk, the best part of the job is also the bond he has formed with his colleagues, together with knowing that he is able to help people.
“Helping people was always a big draw for me,” he continued. “It gives you a sense of purpose, it feels like you are making a difference, which is great.
“If someone is thinking about it [applying for one of the roles], I would say go for it.
“It is hard work, so make sure you are committed, but it is very enjoyable.”
Craig Bailey has been at the airport’s fire department for nearly six years.
The 26-year-old said his brother also works there and had told what a great job it was.
The firefighter continued: “I think everyone joins because they want to help other people.
“It is a bit different at the airport
I have never been bored in my 25 years. It is a very dynamic job that keeps you busy and really motivated.
Garry O’Neill
as we do a few more tasks that other firefighters don’t such as snow clearing.
“I love the variety of it and the group we have in the station. It is a family up here, it is a great place to
work.” Mr Bailey, from Gloucestershire, said that when you first join it can be quite daunting as there is so much to learn, but that the training is so organised.
He said that the training is never ending and that they are continuously learning new things.
Simon Amesbury, the airport’s talent acquisition manager, said they are currently recruiting twoentry level jobs to join the fire department.
They expect more roles to open up in the next year, he said, adding the positions had opened up as a result of promotions, with the airport’s fire department offering lots of opportunities at every stage.
The starting salary for the entry level position is £28.5k, rising to £38k after four years, he explained.
The requirements include an eagerness to learn and an ability to retain information, together with being a team player.
There is also a physical assessment as part of the selection process, Mr Amesbury explained, with recruits expected to be fit and strong.
“There is a real desire to diversify,” he added. “This is an opportunity for everybody.
“There are certain requirements – like you have to be fit – but we are really committed to diversify and offer the opportunity to everyone.
“What we have here is an entry level position – we do not care what you have done before and people from all sorts of backgrounds come into the fire service.
“It is irrelevant what your background is – it is about you and your character.
“For somebody with no experience, this is an incredible offer and it shows how much we value them.
“You are appreciated, valued and invested in and you are paid accordingly.”
Mr Amesbury said they had around 120 applicants in the first 24 hours of the roles being advertised, with applications closing on October 11.
In their attempt to attract a variety of candidates, they are advertising in places where people from under-represented backgrounds may look for a job such as Women in the Fire Service or websites aimed at people from LGBT+ or ethic minority backgrounds.
At the same time, they are very upfront with the requirements of the job such as shift work.
Mr O’Neill said they want represent the communities they provide a service for, adding they already have a great culture and they now want to get a more diverse workforce.
“It is about trying to attract a diverse range of people, but the standards are still high,” he continued. “The process is tough and it is not for everybody.
“I want them to feel like they have achieved something [by getting a job with them].
“Once you are given the job, you feel rewarded and proud to have been given that position.
“Jobs here do not come up that often, the last time was 2019.
“It would be great to see people from all backgrounds apply.
“They would be surprised to see how welcoming and what a great place this is.”