Selection Process

Selection Process

Lateral Entry criteria for operational Fire Station personnel is detailed by Clause 45.11 of the CFA / UFU Operational Staff Enterprise Agreement (2002) (pdf 10k).

Operational Fire Station employees are usually selected by an internal advertisement and selection process. In the event that no suitably qualified internal applicant exists after advertising internally on two occasions, CFA can seek to fill the vacancy through Lateral Entry.

Applicants

Applications will be sought from applicants who satisfy the following criteria;

Must be able to prove and validate they have the requisite skills, competence and experience within their application for the position sought
Have the required years of service as a career Firefighter or Fire Officer
Satisfy criteria for unbroken service as per Clause 45.11 unless special circumstances exist.
Has service with an accepted and recognized career Fire Service

External Applicant Selection Process

The process will conform to CFA Recruitment and Selection Policy.

The selection process for external applicants will include the following;

Confirmation of satisfaction of the four (4) application criteria regarding proof of skills, years of service, unbroken service and recognized service.
Evaluation of application against the Key Selection Criteria (KSC) of the position sought.
Successful completion of selection testing of applicants.

i. Psychological testing
ii. Medical Assessment by CFA doctor
iii. Physical Assessment

An Interview
Referee checking
Criminal Record Checking

Lateral Entry Appointee Training Process

The training process will include the following areas of training;

CFA induction / transition program including assessment
Leading Firefighter (LFF) or Fire Officer (FO) assessment as the case may be.

Successful completion of all aspects of this training will be required prior to appointment.

This training will be conducted at the CFA Training College at Fiskville via Ballan and will require appointees to live in at this location for the weekdays of training.

Appointment at Station

On station training will include a station induction program plus any further or ongoing training identified in the training process.

Probation

Appointees continued employment is subject to satisfactory completion of a six (6) month probation period (from date of initial appointment to CFA).

Drivers Licence

The operational requirements of positions require appointees to hold as a minimum a medium rigid endorsed Driver's Licence.

Physical fitness

Personnel are required to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness to meet the requirements of their position.

Work Location

Personnel may be required to work at any CFA career fire station across the State of Victoria in accordance with the Order of Transfer Policy. If designated as a Reliever, incumbents may be notified verbally and in writing that they are required to relieve and fill vacancies at any integrated fire station in the State of Victoria.

Volunteer Membership

CFA allows permanent members to commence or continue service as volunteer firefighters. To do this, the following conditions apply:

A permanent operational firefighter may be a registered volunteer member of a brigade other than at his / her substantive work location.
Personnel are not permitted to hold senior volunteer positions in either:
- a fully volunteer brigade, those being Brigade Captain and First Lieutenant, or
- an A or A1 station, that being First Lieutenant.
For competition purposes, firefighters should compete with the brigade with whom they are registered. If not a registered volunteer member, they should compete with the brigade to which they are appointed.

Smoke Free Workplace

CFA is a smoke free environment and smoking is prohibited within CFA buildings and motor vehicles.

Security Clearance

Employment is conditional upon a police criminal record check clearance which is satisfactory to CFA.

Termination of Employment

Either CFA or yourself may terminate your employment by giving notice in accordance with the Award and/or Operational Staff Agreement.