More than 1,000 people apply for full-time firefighter roles in Cumbria

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service is recruiting new full-time firefighters for the first time in eight years.

Applications opened on Monday October 17 and the window closed two weeks later on Monday October 31.

Cumbria County Council has revealed to the Evening Mail that a total of 1,152 applications were submitted for the 15 vacancies - meaning that more than 76 individuals have applied for each available post.

As part of the recruitment process, the applicants will be whittled down to a shortlist of 135 before Monday November 21.

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The shortlisted applicants will then be subjected to a series of fitness and practical tests at either Barrow or Workington fire stations to assess their suitability for the role, including a bleep test, ladder climb, casualty evacuation, ladder lift, hose pull and an assessment to check for any issues regarding confined spaces.

Following the completion of the fitness tests, applicants will be further shortlisted to an interview stage. Interviews are scheduled to take place at the beginning of December.

The new recruits are expected to begin a formal training process in February 2017.

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Cumbria’s chief fire officer Paul Hancock said: “Working for a modern fire and rescue service offers a challenging, varied and rewarding career.

"We are looking for men and women who are fully committed to improving the safety of their community and willing to work effectively as part of a team."

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service is also recruiting on-call firefighters at stations across the county, including Walney and Coniston.

On-call firefighters, on average, need to be available from between 80 and 90 hours a week and are paid an annual retainer as well as a fee for each callout they attend.

For more information about becoming an on-call firefighter, contact Barrow fire station on 01229 407945.