Firefighter profession increasingly popular in Lithuania

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Lithuania
2024.08.25 14:32

The profession of firefighter is becoming increasingly popular in Lithuania – not only young people fresh out of school, but also immigrants and businessmen returning from abroad are rushing to save people from fires and waters.

“There are so many people who want to be firefighters – almost three in each place. They are all really motivated, they know who a firefighter is and what he does. We planned to take 35 people, but we will take an additional group, so instead of 35, we will take 75. We also take people who have their own business, but whose dream of helping others has not yet come true. Everyone is really kind. They are really motivated, they love this kind of work – carrying, rescuing, pulling,” Vaidotas Dieuulis, deputy director of the firefighters’ school, told Elta.
His assistant is Mindaugas Kanapickas, deputy director of the Fire and Rescue Department (PAGD).
“The interest in the firefighting profession is great news for our service and our future. Before, we had to look for those who wanted and we simply did not collect them. When the COVID-19 pandemic was over, we received calls from Lithuanian colleagues in Ireland and the UK who were interested in the conditions for becoming a firefighter in Lithuania,” the PAGD representative told Elta.
The Fire and Rescue Academy has announced that there is good news for all those who want to tie their future to the world of firefighting – the school is ready to further increase and strengthen its firefighter ranks.
“Soon, two new batches of future trainees will be formed, each with 35 people. This means that up to 70 people will have the opportunity to study at the firefighter school at the next selection! Take advantage of this opportunity. The selection will be held from October 7 to 11, and the studies will begin on November 4 and December 9. “Document acceptance ends one month before the start of the selection – on September 6,” the announcement reads.
V. Diulus told Eltai that more than 100 future firefighters graduate from the school every year, and it is planned that 140 rescue workers will graduate by 2025.
“The training lasts for half a year. The department will order as much as it needs, and we will prepare as much as it needs,” said the school’s deputy director.
There are two main criteria for selecting future firefighters: the first part is an aptitude test consisting of 40 questions in Lithuanian, political science, history and logic, and the second part is a physical fitness test – physical fitness tasks such as 100-meter running or jumping.
“This is a future official who will take an oath to Lithuania. When the Battle of Zalgiris took place, he must know that there was a constitution”, V. Diuluis listed the requirements.
Candidates must be citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, secondary education is sufficient
“These are people who want to work in a team and are not afraid to get dirty. They should not be afraid of cold, heat, dirty water. We invite those who are not afraid to get dirty. We have a training base that is not inferior to other European countries. Teaching is based on practical training, they hardly sit in a classroom. They learn how to use equipment and machinery and work clothes they already find in the workplace. They test the equipment in safe conditions, then we conduct group courses in difficult conditions, then they go to practice at their future workplace, where they hone their skills, make friends with colleagues, return to us and pass the exam, then they are full-fledged firefighters”, – the school tells about the peculiarities of the training of future fire lieutenants.
The six-month training is free, dormitories are also provided free of charge, and the trainee allowance is up to 200 euros. However, after graduating from firefighter education, you need to work in the office for four years.
The selection for the firefighter modular professional training program was held at the Firefighters School from July 22 to 25. On July 25, after the selection committee meeting, 35 winners were announced.
The vocational training program will start on September 2 and last for six months, targeting people with secondary education.

The number of rescue operations continues to increase

According to PAGD Deputy Director M. Kanapickas, Lithuanian firefighters not only have to put out fires, but also carry out rescue work.
“Lithuania is on a par with developed Western European countries in terms of firefighting. The number of rescue operations in the country is increasing, while the number of fires is decreasing,” said M. Kanapickas.
According to PAGD, 4,000 cases were reported in Lithuania in the seven months of this year (January-July). There were 639 fires, 49 people died, including 2 children, and 101 residents were injured. Compared to the same period last year, 5,000 fires were extinguished. 249 fires, 59 residents died, this year there are fewer fires (-11.6%) and fewer deaths (-16.9%).
In addition to extinguishing fires, firefighters also carried out more than 10,000 firefighting and rescue operations. Last year, 7,000 people carried out 482 rescue operations in seven months, a 34% increase this year.
During this period, 4,000 firefighters and rescue workers provided assistance to residents 811 times, including 2,000 people. Job 561 – Technical assistance: clearing fallen trees and branches from snow or wind, rescuing trapped cars, etc.
“The demand for these works has increased especially due to the storms in late July. On July 29 alone, firefighters were dispatched more than 900 times to clear roads, vehicles, buildings, and other downed trees, fallen branches, and other impacts from the storm. This is the highest number of technical support requests received in a single day in 20 years,” said the firefighter.
The Fire and Rescue Department has a total of 3,000 employees. 536 officer positions, 288 of which are vacant, accounting for only 8% of the vacant official positions.
Currently, the biggest shortages are in the Klaipeda Fire Department (10%) and the Vilnius Fire Department (9.5%).
There are 3,025 statutory officers on duty, of which 238 are vacancies, accounting for 7.86%.
A firefighter who graduates from fire and rescue school and starts working will earn €1,160 before tax and €926 after tax, after applying the tax-free income amount.
Add in pay for working on holidays, overtime or in hazardous conditions and a firefighter’s salary would be over €1,000.
Firefighters who gathered on a picket outside the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) in Vilnius in May said that funds allocated for their professional representation were insufficient and that there was a severe shortage of firefighters in the country.
According to opinion polls, the Lithuanian public trusts firefighters the most, a trend that has continued for several years. Firefighters are more trusted than police officers.
More than 90.1% of the population trusts firefighters and rescue workers, while only 1.3% do not trust them, according to the respondents.

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