The Guvnor Posted 18 July 2015 Share Posted 18 July 2015 An operational UK Fire Fighter for 30 years, I was like a kid in a sweet shop every day I went to work and not too many folk can say that. Well you are either on strike or asleep so it's no wonder you felt like that, not having to do anything I will treat those disparaging remarks with the contempt they deserve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
General Smuts Posted 18 July 2015 Share Posted 18 July 2015 I sell plastic sheets. I sell plastic in raw form....as you may have been able to figure out...it's a desk job. Plastic FWENDS!!! Injection moulding or vacuum forming? Packaging Project Manager for Aldi. Work close with the buying team taking their ideas and getting them in store. Pros - Aldi are flying at the minute which is good for our company. Basically get as much food and booze for free - we just request a production case to analysis Cons - Trying to make a buyer understand that we are just trying to keep them from being sued and suppliers getting frustrated with Aldi but all in all its a good job. Just packaging or POS/POP as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orangecity23 Posted 18 July 2015 Share Posted 18 July 2015 Im a Technical Planner for Alstom Power. A little boring as i find myself having days where im not very busy. hence why im on FT to pass the time. 38 hours a week Mon-Fri. Used to work as a Mechanical Fitter for Alstom and worked away from home 10 months of the year. For 10 months i would work minimum 70 hours a week (10 hours a day everyday) and have 1 weekend off every fourth weekend. Was a good job and good banter with the lads but you can imagine how tough it was being away for so long from wife and daughter. Those weekends off used to be awesome seeing my daughters face. My wife got pregnant again so i decided to switch career path. Been in this job over 2 years now and love the fact i go home everyday and see the kids. Kingcarr, is your bit of Alstom the bit that's being bought by GE? If so, welcome to the club. I work at what was Converteam on Boughton Road, it's now GE Power Conversion. I'm a design engineer, I do software for Steel Mills and stuff. It's good. I have to drive 20 miles to get there every day. This is bad. This also explains why I get so mad about road works, why I hate Peter Soulsby, and why I may be in trouble if I ever get my hands on whoever decided to dig up the Catthorpe Inetrchange for 3 fecking years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1742 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Desperate to become a bra advisor at Marks and Spencer's, but have never even managed to get an interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox92 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Well you are either on strike or asleep so it's no wonder you felt like that, not having to do anything How disrespectful towards a service that one day might save your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wymsey Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 How disrespectful towards a service that one day might save your life. Isn't DB11 some sort of referee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1742 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Difficult one really, as it is a service to respect as it could well be one that saves your life. But also the fact is, they do go to work to go to sleep half the time. If you can handle that type of work, it's a great job as it's generally sleeping and playing table tennis, unless you get a call out. It is a cushy number in comparison to other emergency services, as the police and nurses as an example actually have to stay awake and work during the night shift, whereas fireman are asleep at the station, unless the phone rings. But, as you say, you might need them one day and it takes a special sort to be able to do their work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beliall Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Difficult one really, as it is a service to respect as it could well be one that saves your life. But also the fact is, they do go to work to go to sleep half the time. If you can handle that type of work, it's a great job as it's generally sleeping and playing table tennis, unless you get a call out. It is a cushy number in comparison to other emergency services, as the police and nurses as an example actually have to stay awake and work during the night shift, whereas fireman are asleep at the station, unless the phone rings. But, as you say, you might need them one day and it takes a special sort to be able to do their work. but fireman work 24 hour shifts dont they? thats why they have bunks. police and ambulance work "normal" shifts. i could be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleckneymike Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Difficult one really, as it is a service to respect as it could well be one that saves your life. But also the fact is, they do go to work to go to sleep half the time. If you can handle that type of work, it's a great job as it's generally sleeping and playing table tennis, unless you get a call out. It is a cushy number in comparison to other emergency services, as the police and nurses as an example actually have to stay awake and work during the night shift, whereas fireman are asleep at the station, unless the phone rings. But, as you say, you might need them one day and it takes a special sort to be able to do their work. This is either trolling or ignorance of the highest order. In future could everyone please restrict any fires to normal office hours or if possible pre book a slot for when you'd wish the fire brigade to rescue you from either a burning building or car crash, this would avoid the need for sleeping or leisure activities in fire stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Volunteer as a head of music for a student radio station - great fun, often get new releases early and get to keep whatever gets sent to us, as well as the students union paying for my music (well, I buy it for the station officially speaking). As for an actual job - unemployed at present although I'm starting in a telecommunications warehouse when I get back off holiday - worked there as a holiday job during university, they didn't originally have the work to take me on full time but they've had a couple of people hand their notice in, so I'll be going full time there (until I can find a job in my degree). Waiting on hearing back from a couple of interviews I had with chemical development companies, as well as a formal application I've made to an analytical services department for a pharmaceuticals developer following an informal meeting I was invited to with their head of department; so hopefully not too far away from working in my degree field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1742 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 but fireman work 24 hour shifts dont they? thats why they have bunks. police and ambulance work "normal" shifts. i could be wrong No they don't. Think if they do the evening shift it is something like 8pm to 6am. But on that shift they do just go to sleep unless they have a call out or something to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beliall Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 No they don't. Think if they do the evening shift it is something like 8pm to 6am. But on that shift they do just go to sleep unless they have a call out or something to do 6pm to 9am. 15 hours. let them sleep i say https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wholetimefirefighters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katieakita Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Think it is a 12 hour shift and they are there when you need them, government cutbacks permitting. Not sure what people want Camblewick Green was not real so they cannot be doing endless drills by the girls school going up and down the ladders. The world would be a better place if they did nothing but sadly that is not the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1742 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 6pm to 9am. 15 hours. let them sleep i say https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wholetimefirefighters 9.00am to 6.00pm for 2 days6.00pm to 9.00am for 2 days Then 4 days off. The 6.00pm to 9.00am involves them sleeping unless they get a call out. Not bad hours that Think it might have changed though. My point is and only is - during the night shift they sleep unless they get a call out. Other emergency services they do a normal evenings work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beliall Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 9.00am to 6.00pm for 2 days 6.00pm to 9.00am for 2 days Then 4 days off. The 6.00pm to 9.00am involves them sleeping unless they get a call out. Not bad hours that well, why dont you go and do it then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleckneymike Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 well, why dont you go and do it then? Or better still he could go start some fires to keep them all busy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beliall Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 9.00am to 6.00pm for 2 days 6.00pm to 9.00am for 2 days Then 4 days off. The 6.00pm to 9.00am involves them sleeping unless they get a call out. Not bad hours that Think it might have changed though. My point is and only is - during the night shift they sleep unless they get a call out. Other emergency services they do a normal evenings work i think you should consider that sleeping isnt the norm for firefighters. i doubt theres ever a shift with no call outs or outside work, whether its checking hydrants or refuelling the rig, and if the have an evening call and return at midnight, there will be work to do prepping the truck for the next one. or a multitude of other things i cant even imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 I doubt that I could go to work and go sleep intentionally. 'I know I have just had 8 hours sleep, had breakfast showered and dressed I will now go bed for another four hours and if the alarm goes off jump out of bed wide awake and ready to concentrate on firefighting duties' I think that besides looking after the vechle there will be paperwork drills and other routine duties. Playing ping pong is one way to keep their fitness levels up to speed so they will also be doing excercise whilst on duty. I wonder if some stations have gyms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob1742 Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 I doubt that I could go to work and go sleep intentionally. 'I know I have just had 8 hours sleep, had breakfast showered and dressed I will now go bed for another four hours and if the alarm goes off jump out of bed wide awake and ready to concentrate on firefighting duties' I think that besides looking after the vechle there will be paperwork drills and other routine duties. Playing ping pong is one way to keep their fitness levels up to speed so they will also be doing excercise whilst on duty. I wonder if some stations have gyms? They go to bed. My mate retired a few years ago. Once it's bedtime, they hit the fart sack. They have beds in the stations, proper beds and they sleep. All the paperwork and drills etc are done during the day. My mate loved it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScouseFox Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 as long as he wakes up when somethings on fire i'm not sure why anyone would give a shit what he does in the meantime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crinklyfox Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 I've had three careers. 1. Graduated in 1978, went into minerals industry process plant turnkey design and commissioning, moved on to equipment design and commissioning. Career went off the rails when the minerals industry hit a downturn in the 80's. 2. Got into quality control then quality assurance in manufacturing/engineering in the late 80's, then went on to provide a consultancy service in the same field. 3. Became a manager of a company within a large group around the turn of the century specialising in providing inspection services to international standards, then left in 2010 to run my own business, again in consultancy services to industry. Now semi-retired, do some contract work. Good points (1): the minerals industry will always thrive, people need materials and metals Bad points (1): the minerals industry typically has facilities in the back end of nowhere, not good for raising a family Good points (2): quality sells, there is always a need for good QC/QA people, consultancy was great, you have to think on your feet and are largely your own boss. Bad points (2): what was once a sunrise sector is now on the decline, and the job involves a lot of problem-solving. Good points (3): I enjoyed the freedom management gave me to (successfully) develop the company. Being my own boss later was great and the money was good. Bad points (3): Pressure of work, not enough hours in the day and running my own business meant income was feast or famine. Being semi-retired now is good, so long as I get sufficient work and have sufficient leisure activities to stave off boredom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 I've had three careers. 1. Graduated in 1978, went into minerals industry process plant turnkey design and commissioning, moved on to equipment design and commissioning. Career went off the rails when the minerals industry hit a downturn in the 80's. 2. Got into quality control then quality assurance in manufacturing/engineering in the late 80's, then went on to provide a consultancy service in the same field. 3. Became a manager of a company within a large group around the turn of the century specialising in providing inspection services to international standards, then left in 2010 to run my own business, again in consultancy services to industry. Now semi-retired, do some contract work. Good points (1): the minerals industry will always thrive, people need materials and metals Bad points (1): the minerals industry typically has facilities in the back end of nowhere, not good for raising a family Good points (2): quality sells, there is always a need for good QC/QA people, consultancy was great, you have to think on your feet and are largely your own boss. Bad points (2): what was once a sunrise sector is now on the decline, and the job involves a lot of problem-solving. Good points (3): I enjoyed the freedom management gave me to (successfully) develop the company. Being my own boss later was great and the money was good. Bad points (3): Pressure of work, not enough hours in the day and running my own business meant income was feast or famine. Being semi-retired now is good, so long as I get sufficient work and have sufficient leisure activities to stave off boredom. After 25 years in the manufacturing side of print industry,I've started in the Quality Assurance field (for a pharmaceutical printing company!)Didn't realise how much there is to learn in the Quality aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crinklyfox Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 After 25 years in the manufacturing side of print industry,I've started in the Quality Assurance field (for a pharmaceutical printing company!) Didn't realise how much there is to learn in the Quality aspect. Good luck, it's one of those jobs where you can really make a difference if you put in the effort. Pharmaceuticals is a specialist field where the demand for good people always seems higher than other sectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raj Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Good luck, it's one of those jobs where you can really make a difference if you put in the effort. Pharmaceuticals is a specialist field where the demand for good people always seems higher than other sectors.Cheers pal...I hadn't heard of SOP,CAPAs,ISO9000s 4 months ago!!! !Any tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Guvnor Posted 19 July 2015 Share Posted 19 July 2015 Ok so mixed views on a Fire Fighters job and the old chestnut of sleeping on duty during night shifts. I worked at several stations during my career, inner city stations are generally busy at night and rural stations not so busy. A 15 hour night shift starting at 17:00 and finishing at 08:00hrs, would consist of checking the gear on the appliance, a practical drill session, Community Fire Safety duties followed by a presentation or lecture, looking to wrap things up at 22:30hrs and at midnight you had your rest period till 06:45 get up routines and breakfast. Not all stations have dorms some just have reclining seats in the rest room. As for resenting fire fighters rest periods on night shifts, if your gaff is on fire with your loved ones trapped inside (I don't think any of you outside the job can imagine what it is like to be confronted with parents screaming at you to get their kids out) would you prefer fire fighters who may have been fortunate enough to have some rest or completely knackered individuals who can't think straight. I was a Manager and had to make critical dynamic decisions pretty bloody quick taking everyone's safety into consideration. Of course I have only mentioned fires, the role of a fire fighter has changed incredibly over the past 30 years and is now much more technical with vast amounts of specialist equipment of which you must maintain a high level of competence to be able to deal with numerous and varied incidents. I was surprised at the level of ignorance posted especially with the anniversary of 7/7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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