Have you ever fancied yourself as a local hero or life saver, then a job in the local emergency services could be for you.
There are literally hundreds of ways to help out in your community, so if you can keep a cool head in a crisis then why not think about becoming a police officer or firefighter.
POLICE
Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) work alongside the regular police.
By dealing with minor incidents, PCSOs allow police officers to make more effective use of their time. Jobs include patrolling the streets, issuing fixed penalty notices and assisting at sports events or demonstrations.
There are lots of other background jobs available, from front counter staff to caterers and cleaners. Every local police force sets its own entry requirements and publicises vacancies.
Contact: Police Service Recruitment at www.policecouldyou.co.uk
FIRE CREW
Our firefighters receive lots of recognition for their bravery, but many people are unaware of the back-room staff that keep the service going.
There are a vast range of jobs in catering, communications, computers, building management, finance and training - to name but a few.
There are 59 separate fire brigades in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each is run independently under the command of a chief fire officer. As such, each of the regional services does its own recruiting and back-up jobs are usually advertised in the local press.
Contact: Fire service recruitment at www.fireservice.co.uk
AMBULANCE CREW
Answering 999 calls is just 10 per cent of the total workload at a typical ambulance service.
The Ambulance Service employs 38,000 staff in this country, and these include the paramedics, technicians, care assistants and other frontline staff who provide patient care in emergencies.
A good way to start is to become a volunteer with the St John Ambulance (www.sja.org.uk), which has 43,000 volunteers and 1,000 ambulances nationwide. They cover everything from village fetes to football matches.
Contact: Ambulance Service Network at www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
COASTGUARDS
Coastguards are often called the fourth emergency service.
They work for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, as part of the service which co-ordinates search and rescue along the British coastline.
They also investigate illegal shipping activities and pollution spills.
Depending on which arm you join, you could find yourself in cliff rescues, coastal searches and boat work but the bulk of jobs are in administration handling 999 calls, providing information to the public, updating logs and general paperwork.
Contact: Maritime and Coastguard Agency at www.mcga.gov.uk
HOSPITAL
The nhs employs around 1.3 million people so it’s no wonder that hospitals are like small towns.
This means there are a lot more staff than just doctors and nurses manning the wards. Whether they are a PA to a consultant, a clerk in the finance department of a health trust or working in IT, they all keep the NHS up and running.
There are more than 300 different careers to choose from. The vast majority of job vacancies are advertised online, although you can also call 0845 60 60 655.
Contact: www.jobs.nhs.uk and www.nhsemployers.org
ROADSIDE
Drivers on our packed roads couldn’t function without roadside assistance and vehicle recovery.
The breakdown engineer could be the first person at a nasty accident or rescuing a motorist who has run out of petrol in the middle of the night.
To make the grade, you need to be highly skilled and experienced in dealing with potentially dangerous situations. Most people gain their technical skills in a garage before working on the road. Breakdown companies often look for a minimum of three years experience as a technician.
Contact: Institute of the Motor Industry at www.motor.org.uk
Article sourced from Mirror.co.uk