XN000022-1974-03-09 — Page 2

Saturday, March 9, 1974

FAIR RESPONSE TO FIRE SERVICES RECRUITMENT DRIVE

Recent Press advertisements for Assistant Station Officers

attracted a total of 80 applicants, a Fire Services spokesman revealed

today.

Of this number, approximately 60 have been initially accepted

for further interviews and testa.

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"This is a fair response "the spokesman said, "but we would

naturally have liked to see it greater." Normally, about 15-20 per cent

of applicants were finally accepted.

He said the department had plans to more or less double in size

over the next few years and it was essential that sufficient Assistant

Station Officers were recruited to fill present vacancies as well as those

which would arise in future when new stations were built.

"Because of this expansion prospects for qualified young men

joining this department are very good," he said.

On the subject of Rank and File recruitment, the spokesman said

there was a present deficiency of 11 per cent, but this would fall to seven

per cent in April when 157 vacancies were filled.

"However," he added, "our need for Rank and File officers is going

to grow and recruitment must be maintained at a high level if plans to

expand hire to go ahead. In this connection, the current review of firemen's

salaries by the Pay Investigation Unit is eagerly awaited."

The spokesman pointed out that a large number of Fire Services

officers began their careers with the department as firemen or ambulancemen.

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