Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: LWC on April 10, 2009, 09:49:04 am
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I really want to join but i just live a little too far out of way, would be great with our jobs as we are flexible.
My friend who does it has just setup a forum if you would like to join.
http://www.retainedfirefighter.com
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used to be long long ago ............the full timers treated you like mushrooms.....keep you in the dark and feed you full of s***
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Its not great if your a half decent window cleaner and you get called out it more then halfs your hourly rate. Only benefit is a bit extra coming in at the end of the month.
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Saving peoples lives and contant income?
Yes please
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Saving peoples lives and contant income?
Yes please
You won't be saving many people's lifes as a retained firefighter, you will however go to many afa's (automatic fire alarms or automatic false alarms depending on your point of view) jobs where you don't do anything, leaking radiators, bin fires, car fires and other uninteresting jobs. Ocasionally you will do something that is worthwhile but not very often. I would imagine also that being self employed you will get frustrated at the ineffeciency and missmanagement of the fire service itself.
As for the constant income depending on how your fire service operates you may be paid a retaining fee every month, paid for training evenings and then paid whenever you get a call out so this can vary greatly from month to month.
Some services pay a salary every month for retained which can be good for quiet stations but not so good for the busier stations because if you had alot of call outs in a month and was away from your window cleaning alot you would get the same money as a quiet month where you were able to get on with your own work.
Others things to consider are being called out at any time day or night, having to plan when your looking after your children as you need someone to look after them if your on call and get called out.(i know one guy who sometimes when his wife went out to work hired a baby sitter while he was still at home incase he got called out.)
There are positives as well otherwise i wouldn't still be a doing it but don't do it to become a hero with a constant income.
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Are you coming over to forum then Philip. ;)
I know there are positives and negs, i would just really like to do it. The money isnt an issue really, but in those crap months...ie January where i earned rubbish money, i could of had a bit of backup with fire service.
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before i started being self employed i went for my for wholetime firefighter tests, i passed them all but failed the final interveiw. i never looked back cos i have made it better as a window cleaner. if you were a retained firefighter you would have to be partime as a window cleaner as you cant really do your rounds on days that you are on call, as you need to be close to the fire station.
if you want to feel the rewards of saving peoples lives and you have a large round then have sombody to work your days off, you will still have a income from the window cleaning
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Yes would be hard to juggle windows and fire service.
Peronally i feel would be worth looking in to.
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its easy enough to juggle it, i tell my custies about the fireservice before i commence work and that i am usually every 4weeks but to allow 4-6weeks incase i get a busy spell. No-one as yet has a problem with this, and i get a lot of referalls.
90% of my round is within 5mins drive of the station, and we are aloud 48hours to book off from calls a week so when im heading out of town i have it booked, and my day away is only one day a month at the moment(7 or 8 hours)
Saving peoples lives and contant income?
Yes please
You won't be saving many people's lifes as a retained firefighter, you will however go to many afa's (automatic fire alarms or automatic false alarms depending on your point of view) jobs where you don't do anything, leaking radiators, bin fires, car fires and other uninteresting jobs. Ocasionally you will do something that is worthwhile but not very often. I would imagine also that being self employed you will get frustrated at the ineffeciency and missmanagement of the fire service itself.
i disagree, there has been more saving people done than i had ever imagined, but agree that you do get woke a lot at 4am for joyriders/idiots burning bins, stuff that can anger you if you are really tired
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i was lucky when i was a retainer my boss at work was also o retainer and the company i worked for at the time back then manufatured fire alarms,smoke detectors etc so i could just run out withought even telling anyone i had gone they just always knew if i wasnt around.............boring being on barn fires ....also have a major problem with our local sports complex flooding when heavy rain.... on one side it has a river on the other a canal so hours of pumping water out and round it goes in a cirlce back into the sports complex............. had a standing crop fire once in july baking hot with all your kit on 8 hours beating out the flames not nice........................many rti's but i done my "time" dont miss it got my hgv through it but this job is the best allthough after 6 years out in all weather im turning more to the carpet cleaning side
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its easy enough to juggle it, i tell my custies about the fireservice before i commence work and that i am usually every 4weeks but to allow 4-6weeks incase i get a busy spell. No-one as yet has a problem with this, and i get a lot of referalls.
90% of my round is within 5mins drive of the station, and we are aloud 48hours to book off from calls a week so when im heading out of town i have it booked, and my day away is only one day a month at the moment(7 or 8 hours)
Saving peoples lives and contant income?
Yes please
You won't be saving many people's lifes as a retained firefighter, you will however go to many afa's (automatic fire alarms or automatic false alarms depending on your point of view) jobs where you don't do anything, leaking radiators, bin fires, car fires and other uninteresting jobs. Ocasionally you will do something that is worthwhile but not very often. I would imagine also that being self employed you will get frustrated at the ineffeciency and missmanagement of the fire service itself.
i disagree, there has been more saving people done than i had ever imagined, but agree that you do get woke a lot at 4am for joyriders/idiots burning bins, stuff that can anger you if you are really tired
Thats surprises me you must have a busy station because the majority of our call outs are mundain.
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Have you 2 come over to the forum ? ;)
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Went into local station yesterday and they werent interested to start cause i live too far away but then i wass offering day time cover and told them i was self employed and they were very interested then.
So fingers crossed. Would have to change alot about the way i work but im willing to do this, wanted to do it for ages.
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??? maybe your in the wrong job.
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sorry?
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Well, maybe you should be a full time fireman?
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They dont do that round here, and i can fit in retained around my work, help people, its not about money but i will be guarnteed some sort of wage from it come wind rain or snow. ;)
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Given the forum a whole new look, what you think chaps
http://www.retainedfirefighter.com/
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Went into local station yesterday and they werent interested to start cause i live too far away but then i wass offering day time cover and told them i was self employed and they were very interested then.
So fingers crossed. Would have to change alot about the way i work but im willing to do this, wanted to do it for ages.
you follow your dream m8, even if it is just so you get to wear a firemans uniform ;D
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They dont do that round here, and i can fit in retained around my work, help people, its not about money but i will be guarnteed some sort of wage from it come wind rain or snow. ;)
what about climbing up them dangerous ladders ;D ;D
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They dont do that round here, and i can fit in retained around my work, help people, its not about money but i will be guarnteed some sort of wage from it come wind rain or snow. ;)
what about climbing up them dangerous ladders ;D ;D
This is true ;D
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i know it`ll not go down too well but I`m a wholetime firefighter who`s a part time window cleaner. And too be honest this has got too be the best way too do it.
Get a decent wage and can top it up with an even better one !!!!!
But if your serious about the retained work you`ve just got to think how much time you`ve got to give up versus the rewards. Certain brigades have different hour requirments per week which are pretty high. And that means when you`re on call no drinkin no goin out etc. You`ve even gotta think about where you gonna walk the dog.
but if your happy giving up some of your time go for it. It can be very rewarding and like the others have said extremely boring but if nothing else you`ll come away with some good stories for the pub !!!! Oh and while your in the pub it normally helps with the ladies !!!! If you need it .
Anyway let us know how you get on ?
Oh which brigade are you joinin ?
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Oswestry in Shropshire, i live too far from the station to offer whole time, believe me i would. So im offering monday to friday day time cover, 8 - 6 something like that. I dont drink anyways, have odd beer here and there, but really doesnt interest me.
Have you had a look at the forum mate? Come over and join, would appreciate your input.
Thanks,
Matt