Procedures and Requirements to be a firefighter in Spain

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Being a firefighter is to offer a service to avoid the misfortunes that fire can cause or when the fire is already present to provide assistance to the things and people affected. To be part of one of these brigades, the requirements to be a firefighter.

Requirements to be a firefighter in Spain

The requirements to be a firefighter are what a man or a woman has to have to achieve be part of the firefighters in Spain, this is what you should have:

  • Have Spanish nationality.
  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Have a height of 1.65 meters.
  • Not have any disability that prevents you from doing the job of being a firefighter.

Documentation to be a firefighter

Firefighters must have these documents to be able to perform physical and theoretical tests to become a Spanish firefighter:

  • Must have a degree already graduated from school or higher education
  • Carry having a driving license.
  • Have a medical certificate.
  • Document proving that you have no criminal record.

Firefighter registration process

Step 1

Get the aforementioned documentation to be able to enroll in the brigade near the area where you reside.

Step 2

Go to the fire brigade of the area where you live, with all your documentation to be able to carry out the registration process in the fire department

Go to the brigade to have more information about entering the fire department

What tests are carried out to enter the fire department?

Several tests that are divided into physical tests as well as theoretical tests will be carried out to become firefighters and are part of the requirements to be a firefighter

The physical tests of firefighters are these:

Run 300 meters

An unusual but necessary test. The person will have to run 300 meters on the track with a maximum time to do so.

Run 200 meters

Here we are already facing a classic of physical tests, running 200 meters in the shortest time possible, with a maximum time that if you do not exceed the first you would be eliminated.

Run 100 meters

Somewhat less common but it does exist. An even more explosive test than the previous ones, running 100 meters on the track.

Run 60 meters or 50 meters

Very explosive speed tests in which the distance to be covered is usually only 50 or 60 meters flat.

Run 200 meters with weight or ballast

This is a 200 meter speed test variety but carrying some weight. How you carry the bag or the ballast that the test sends, is a decision depends on what you choose, but you have to run a hundred meters and return, always carrying a weight with you.

1000 meter run

The firefighters 1000 meter test it is without a doubt the most famous. It is a classic in all oppositions and it is rare to find bases in which you do not have the 1000-meter race on the track. An endurance test in which cutting times are usually quite difficult to achieve without prior and hard training. Yes it is true that for a person dedicated to athletics, the times will make them easily.

1500 meter run

This test of run 1500 meters on the track it is already somewhat less common but there are cities that ask for it so it does not hurt to train for it in a general way. It is true that a training for 1000 can be worth you, but do some tests and you will see how the rhythms are different if you do not want to reach the last lap melted.

3000 meter run

We continue climbing in meters and we reached the test of running 3000 meters on the track. This physical test for a firefighter is no longer usual and logically has nothing to do with running the previous two.

Cooper test

This test is different from the previous ones, here there is not a fixed distance to run but a maximum running time. Therefore the opponent will start to run and when he reaches 12 minutes running on the track, the distance traveled will be seen.

Coursse Navete

This physical endurance test for firefighters is a classic school and institute where students are usually performed. Two signals are placed 20 meters apart and the participant will have to go from one to another according to the sound signals until such time as he is not able to reach one side in time before the beep sounds again.

Rope Climb

This is one of the classic tests within all the variety of physical tests that are required to be a firefighter. Rope climbing has no more mystery than climbing, climbing, reaching the top of a hemp rope that is hanging from the ceiling, only using your hands until you get to a mark on the rope itself or until you ring a bell inside the rope. stipulated maximum time.

Bench Press

A classic gym exercise that runs for enhance the strength of the chest. If the person constantly goes to the gym, surely you know him or at least you have seen more than one do it. It consists of a lying position on a bench, without being able to take off the back of the bench, lift the weight marked on the bases, a number of minimum repetitions in a maximum time.

Dominated

Another gym exercise that is carried out to train the back and that in some council or city council require it to be able to pass the physical tests of firefighter. Consists in hang from a bar with palms in front and an opening greater than shoulder width. From the pure suspension position you have to perform a push-up until you pass the bar with your chin.

When returning to the suspension position, the arms must be fully stretched, and at no time will the opponent be allowed to swing or make any other movement with the legs to facilitate the climb. All the power lies in the back and arms.

Medicine ball throw

The following physical test consists of throw a medicine ball as far as possible. In case you don’t know it, a medicine ball is a ball whose weight is greater than a normal one, that is, it will have a ball that can weigh 3 kilos, 5 kilos, or more. In the test, the usual thing is to have to launch one of 5.

The ball throw test consists of being ordered in two ways, throwing while standing or kneeling. In the case of throwing standing up, the opponent to firefighter must stand behind a line, catch the ball with both hands and from behind the head proceed to throw it without prior impulse, normally into a sand pit, to see how far he gets to throw it. You can take off your heels but you can never completely detach your feet from the ground or cross the mark line with them, something that can happen due to the inertia of the body.

Deep flex

To measure the flexibility and elasticity of a person there are several methods, but the most widespread and used in various situations is to perform the flexibility test with a wooden box explicitly prepared for it. It is a table in which some stops are placed where the feet must go so that the opponent has the standing situation with a slight opening and be able to lean forward to put his body between the legs and with the fingers of the hand move a piece of wood that slides through another piece which is one meter.

Sit and Reach test

This is a similar but different test of flexibility measurement. In this case we will be sitting on the floor with our legs completely straight and touching the floor completely with them at all times. They will not be able to bend. Our feet will be glued to the wooden crate. The movement is simple, with outstretched arms we will bend our back, flexing the trunk forward, pushing with our hands the piece that will mark the cm that we get to stretch. As we have already mentioned, at no time can you push the bar, separate your legs or bend off the ground.

25, 50 or 100 meters free swimming

These are the three most typical distances that you will find when preparing for the swimming test. In a pool usually of 25 meters, since the Olympics are not usually available for this type of tests, you will have to swim crawl, the distance indicated in the bases.

That is, you will have to do a long, two, or four in the shortest possible time usually taking a maximum. It is best to check the times in the call but to get an idea, for the 100 meters the maximum can be 1 minute 30 seconds.

It can also vary from where it starts, that is, from inside the pool or from outside, being able to launch.

Scuba swimming

In some city or county there is a test that combines swimming and diving. It will require a bit more training and effort on the part of the opponent since they will have to start swimming and halfway through the test go through a certain part of the pool diving.

The test consists of starting, standing or from within the water, swimming 50 meters and from the third length start diving to the bottom of the pool and halfway through picking up an object that must be perched at the end of said length, it is say the third. And conclude with a long quarter again to normal swimming.

Theoretical tests

Legislative issues.

As in any opposition, each area has to abide by laws, which must be learned and interpreted, because they refer to particularities or generalities of this service.

To begin with, it is very important to know and know the Spanish constitution and know what it is about, since they can ask us any article.

It is also important to know the articles that refer, within our laws, to the Government and Administration.

As a public employee, we must also study the Basic Statute of the Public Employee, as well as the laws of the Statute of Autonomy of the community in which we appear.

In addition to the laws to which this profession and its area owes its work, we must know what service we provide according to what the law establishes. Thus, it is important to know the decrees that regulate the Fire Fighting, Prevention and Rescue Service, referring to our community.

Finally, one of the recently incorporated decrees that may also appear is that of Building Code.

However, it is essential to be attentive to any update and pay attention to the area in which we are preparing.

General topics

Here we find the most ambiguous section, since there is no compendium of generalized agenda for all opponents, but this will totally depend on the body you are going to oppose and the level at which you do it.

However, we, in our agendas, offer a set of general topics that encompass what is requested on a regular basis and at different levels.

Topics specific

This agenda is dedicated to essential firefighter job, that is, what jobs are we going to face. Therefore, we find issues related to matter and fire, extinguishing and its tools, hydraulics, rescue, building, forest fires, dangerous materials, adequate clothing, mechanics, engines, civil protection …

You will be able to see these specific topics in detail in our syllabi dedicated to this section, with a good outlining and extensively explained for your understanding.

Therefore, the theoretical part, generally, although, as we have been saying, this will depend on your community, it consists of the following:

Multiple choice questionnaire on the syllabi between 100 and 120 questions. A minimum part of the questions (10-20%) will correspond to the general part, while the remaining 90-80% will refer to the specific part.

How much does a firefighter earn?

The payment of firefighters depends on the city in which they work and their position within the body itself, but it can be said that their salary ranges in all cases in very similar parameters situated between 29,000 and 45,000 euros gross per year distributed in 14 pays.

Duration of training as a firefighter

The duration of training of a firefighter will depend on the brigade where the person chooses to be a firefighter

Fire brigade agendas

These are the 2018 agendas for firefighters in Spain:

  • Topic 1: This topic on “Fire Chemistry” explains everything related to combustion in fires, activation energy, the products that result from fire or how scorching occurs.
  • Topic 2: They talk about fuels, the types that exist and their properties as well as the types of scorching.
  • Theme 3: A topic dedicated to the toxicity of items resulting in a fire.
  • Theme 4: Theme focused on the methods of agony, fatigue, desnourishment-dilution, resignation
  • Item 5: In this topic we talk about extinguishing agents.
  • Item 6: A complete topic dedicated to foams and the type of cooking and extinguishing properties as well as what the Spanish regulations are on those transports that affect the content in terms of boiling samples. Use of boiling in visits and checks.
  • Item 7: They talk about the classification of the cooking groups. Row systems and norms of the different subjects of physical boiling. Choice of application game. Ways of application of boiling
  • Item 8: A topic dedicated to extinguishing agents. Introduction. Compelling extinguishing agents. Fluid extinguishing agents
  • Item 9: Theme dedicated to hydraulic energy, hydrostatics, hydrodynamics, flow, density and specific weight.
  • Topic 10: Subject in which the classes of hoses, their transport and distribution as well as the suture pieces, fittings, adapters, divisions, economies are discussed. Spears, javelin samplers, convenience, accessories. Other earthlings worn out in agony
  • Item 11: A topic about SOS material and dejection. Introduction also to the grid ladder, as well as the folding or sliding ladder. Electron ladder. Rope ladder. Dejection descenders. Deposition hoses or sleeves. Detachable mattresses. Auto bleachers and utility arms. Equipment for relief in stature.
  • Item 12: This topic is dedicated to personal armor equipment. The legislatures of obfuscation of official spills and the groups of one-person fortification as well as the teams of personal safeguard against scorching.
  • Item 13: This is the topic dedicated to the prevention of flows as well as to the prevention of occupational hazards.

Benefit of being a firefighter.

After you have the requirements to be a firefighter, the physical and theoretical tests are carried out and it is possible to obtain these benefits.

  • Average salary of 2,340 euros
  • 14 pays per year.
  • Salary increase according to experience and seniority.
  • Job stability.
  • Three consecutive days of rest after the 24-hour day of work.
  • 40 days off per year.
  • Possibilities for promotion and leave of absence.

What tasks do firefighters carry out?

The tasks carried out by a firefighter are to assist in natural disasters, such as rescuing people in floods, earthquakes and landslides, accidents and spills of dangerous substances, putting out fires, giving talks on how to act in the event of a fire, give first aid to victims, among other functions.

Charges within the fire department

Fighter: He is the newly sworn firefighter, his role is to fulfill orders in the services, train and gain experience. Regarding the administrative aspect, a combatant can assume the roles of department assistant.

Cape: Basically, he is an experienced firefighter. Your job is to guide newbies to services. He follows the orders of the Team Leader, who is usually a sergeant, and is his “Second in Command”. Administratively, he assumes the roles of department assistant and can be an Academy trainer.

Sergeant: He is the sub-officer of the Highest Hierarchy. He has the responsibility to implement the tactics in the services and in case of need assume the Incident Command. He receives the orders of the Officers directly, carries them out and enforces them. He can assume the administrative positions of: Head of Guard, Head of Department, Academy Trainer.

Officer Grade:

Sub Lieutenant: is he lowest rank in the rank of officers. Design service strategies, prepare guard groups, work plans, schedule of activities, command incidents, correctly transfer command when a higher-ranking officer appears on the scene. On the administrative side, he can assume all the positions of the sergeant and also be in charge of High Complexity Departments such as “Prevention”, “Personnel”, discipline “, etc.

Lieutenant: The lieutenant is a consolidated officer, who has begun the process of specialization in a branch of science related to firefighting. Command major incidents, create operational policies, develop strategies for special services (coverage, watch for key dates, etc.). The roles he can occupy are those of Commander, Vice Commander, Board of Directors, among others.

Captain: He is a senior specialist officer with proven experience. He occupies all the roles of the lieutenant.

Why be a Firefighter?

Being a firefighter is more than wearing the helmet and the suit that identifies them, it is understanding what you are facing and why. It makes you integrate a brotherhood, to understand the words «give until it hurts ”.

It is helping others, those who require it, when they are in a dangerous situation. It is to protect the life of the other.

There is a very important point and it is to be in contact with people and with their fears and despair. The fact of being so close to death, of knowing that daily study and training makes a difference. As we know that it is a very difficult job that can be very inspiring some days but other days it can be devastating, we leave you some recommendations:

  • This profession needs hard stomachs and cold heads in order to work. Not everyone can do it. Sometimes some «scenario» accompanies you for the rest of your life.
  • Do not discriminate or isolate anyone but to live more with whoever you feel the most affinity.
  • You must have a good coexistence with your companions, there are long shifts that they give to share, and they tend to forge friendships for life.
  • One of the main dangers and possibly the main one is not posing new challenges, that is, there is no stability: things either go up or down.
  • Do not lose motivation or enthusiasm. You must be constantly moving forward.
  • Remember that this job is hard and dangerous.
  • Have life insurance.
  • Always bear in mind: firefighters are true heroes capable of doing the impossible to ensure the safety of citizens.
  • Meet the requirements, be a professionally attractive candidate, pass the entrance exams, succeed in your professional career.
  • You are willing to learn, both in theory and in practice: Fire fighting techniques, fire prevention, control of hazardous materials, procedure in case of medical emergency, finding out access codes to buildings to carry out fire inspections, Rescue operations resolution and hazardous materials handling are just a few things you’ll learn.
  • Gain experience, train in first aid and CPR, get a university degree in public administration, get a certificate as an emergency health technician or as a paramedic if you don’t already have it, get a lifeguard certificate, get a permit to handle materials dangerous. All these things will help you in your day to day.
  • Be in good physical shape.

NOTE:

  1. Consider volunteering with a fire department before deciding to pursue a career in this field. This is how you determine if you will like it and are willing to face the challenges or not.
  2. Talk to your family before seriously considering becoming a firefighter. Firefighters risk their lives every day. Stress can be difficult for some family members to cope with.

If this is what you like and what you want, gather the Requirements to be a firefighter and venture into this beautiful profession. Much success!

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