Building a Resilient Modern Day Fire Service
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Fire hazards are one of the most common yet dangerous problems faced by families and businesses worldwide. Almost every other day, there is news of a large-scale incident due to a fire hazard. While this is a persistent problem and cannot be entirely controlled, government officials worldwide have not generally considered their fire departments as worthy enough service to put more resources in to meet these demands. Although firefighting is considered an elite profession, it has not been given the resources needed to meet the dangers.
Firefighters are, in most cases, brave, dedicated, and selfless inpiduals who put their lives on the line to save others' property, lives, and livelihoods. These personalities think beyond themselves and work selflessly to keep their community safe and thriving.
It's usually only those who are passionate about serving their community and improving the safety and lives of their fellow citizens that are pulled towards service as a Firefighter. Bringing these issues under the spotlight is Brent Clayton, a professional firefighter and recruitment expert.
With a work experience of more than a decade, Brent Clayton has developed a clear understanding of this profession's dynamics. According to his observation, firefighting, although a very rewarding and satisfying profession, can be extremely risky and daunting even to the trained firefighter.
Brent wants to help this firefighting get its due recognition and resourcing to meet the demands of a growing society.
Brent started his career in 2007 and has personally experienced that firefighter recruitment processes worldwide are particularly tough to get through. Many applicants drop out after being rejected on a small issue during their first application, feeling so disappointed they never try again. This is the reason Brent took up the challenge to create a system to prepare aspirants for these sometimes extremely difficult recruitment tests, and through the decade-long process, they became a sought-after firefighter recruitment expert in Australia.
Emphasizing the Importance of Firefighters
Brent Clayton initially worked in the military and then as Prison Guard for a number of years. He was always inspired and fascinated by professions in the public sector that attracted a lot of competition. After years of serving in different governmental positions, he switched to a career in firefighting. He has worked with 3 of the largest Fire Services in Australia as well as Emergency Management Victoria. His profound experience in the field has made him a sought-after speaker.
Ever since he joined the fire service, he felt the need to create awareness of firefighters, the fire services, and the extremely demanding and dangerous role they fill within a community. As a speaker, he emphasizes recruiting the right candidates to create a resilient and robust fire service; he goes to extreme lengths to educate people on firefighting and the fire service in Australia.
Another major contribution of Brent to the firefighting community is the creation of a recruitment portal to give aspiring firefighters a chance to contribute in a professional role with the fire service.
He founded his company 'Fire Recruitment Australia' in 2009, which trains and prepares aspirants to perform. As Brent has developed intimate knowledge around the testing and recruitment procedures that candidates face, he decided to share his knowledge of the process with aspiring applicants and guide them to successfully get through the selection process. It is his intent that "We train good everyday people with the right attitudes, skills, and beliefs to become the next generation of firefighters" it is his view that this will contribute to the effectiveness and capacity of the fire services and, in turn, the community as a whole.
With Brent's expertise, he has devised certain techniques and strategies that candidates follow in order to pass the firefighter selection tests. By training the right candidates for these tests, this high-spirited inpidual aims to paint a clear picture of this profession, the recruitment processes, and the fire brigade in general.
He wants people to understand that firefighting is not a normal job and wants more suitable people to be able to join the service. Brent trained aspiring candidates by helping them coordinate their cognitive capabilities with their actions in a multidimensional recruitment environment.
The recent Australian bush fires created havoc in the country. According to the Productivity Commission's review of government services, the number of Australia's firefighters has dropped by 10%. Being mindful of the frequent bushfires, the decreasing numbers of firefighters is an alarming situation. Although many volunteers came up and bravely helped to save the people, property, and animals, Clayton expressed the need for more professionals as, in his view, it's a massive task to have volunteers away from their jobs and families for extended periods. With his services, innovations, and public speaking, he aims to motivate inpiduals to shift their focus towards this profession and consider this a serious career option.
Brent has written a book on firefighter recruitment in Australia named Fire Services Recruitment: The Process to Success, first published in 2012. This book plays a vital role in bringing aspiring firefighters up to speed and encourages people to be more confident when committing to getting a role as a professional firefighter.
His book contains a unique process to a successful outcome for applicants and Brent's personal viewpoints and real-life experiences in the recruitment space. The book covers all recruitment processes, including aptitude and cognitive testing, interviews, psych testing, and final selection. The knowledge assembled in the form of a book keeps sufficient information for an inpidual to learn the firefighter selection process from the grass-roots level, to understand what it takes on a fundamental basis to become a firefighter.