Firestyle Magazine: Issue 1 - Autumn 2015

RECRUITMENT
Off-duty
firefighter
in Highland
rescue
Station Manager Ross Nixon and members of the public went to
the aid of a man and woman after their car left the A9 near Moy.
An off-duty firefighter and fellow
passers-by sprang into action to help
a man and woman from a partially
overturned car after it suddenly
careered off the road in the Highlands.
Station Manager Ross Nixon was
driving his sons Grant, aged 11, and
Alistair, aged nine, to the Landmark
Forest Adventure Park in Carrbridge on
Sunday afternoon (16 August) when the
incident unfolded ahead of them.
He explained: “The car suddenly
veered into the middle of the road. It
was moving erratically then it left the
carriageway and went into a wooded
area.
“I pulled over and got to there at the
same time as three or four others. The
vehicle had come to rest in a bog and it
was positioned on its side with the driver
and passenger still in their seats.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
(SFRS) officer’s training kicked-in and he
quickly moved to make the vehicle safe
and co-ordinate attempts to assist the
man and woman inside.
He continued: “I applied the handbrake
to secure the vehicle as best we could
and turned off the ignition. We got the
woman out the passenger door but it
was clear the man was in a bad way.
“He was unconscious and didn’t
appear to be breathing but thankfully
he came round after a sternal rub and
we managed to get him out.
“Afterwards I had to apologise to the
members of the public for ordering
them about – you instinctively take
charge of the situation but they really
were great in helping the man and
also in reassuring his wife until an
ambulance arrived.”
With the couple in the care of
paramedics Ross left the scene to
minimise the chance of a subsequent
collision involving the cars now parked
beside the A9.
Now serving as the SFRS officer
in charge of the Badenoch and
Strathspey district, he became a
firefighter 18 years ago and believes
this incident shows the value of people
in rural and remote communities
serving in the fire and rescue service.
He said: “The latest phase of our
recruitment campaign for retained
firefighters is now open and there
are stations across the Highlands
and throughout Scotland looking for
people to join their crews.
“The men and women who serve in this
vital role respond to fires, floods, road
traffic collisions, chemical spills and
many more incidents where people
are in danger.
“It’s an incredibly rewarding job that
gives you potentially life-saving skills
and I would urge anyone who is
interested in applying to get in touch
with us.”
In return for their service RDS
firefighters are paid an annual
retainer fee plus additional payments
for every incident attended and time
spent on all activity, including training
nights, community engagement and
courses.
Applicants must be aged 18 years or
over, have a good level of physical
fitness, have the required standard of
vision and colour perception and live
or work within five to eight minutes of
the fire station.
You will need to demonstrate that
you have the potential to carry
out this challenging role through a
rigorous recruitment process.
Full details are available online
at www.myjobscotland.gov.uk,
where people can find information
regarding specific vacancies
and download the Recruitment
Information Pack.
Applicants are requested to note the
key dates for this recruitment process
as detailed within the information
pack and ensure that they consider
their availability to attend on the
dates specified, including the initial
two-week training course, prior to
submitting an application.
Further supplementary information is
provided on the SFRS website
www.firescotland.gov.uk.
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