But after the party is over, when you have left the safety of the Training Centre and the camaraderie of your Squad mates, in the darkest hour before dawn on your first day, you are worrying. What will it be like? Will they like me? What if I forget everything? What if I get scared inside a job and panic?

Dont worry, every one of the millions of Professional Firefighters around the World have felt the same. Most people make it, some easily some chose a torturous and difficult route of petulance, disrespect and sour grapes.

Well dont worry; here are a few tips to ease the path of progress in your first few months at the Fire Station.

First Day

Make sure you know the route to work, the likely hold ups and other ups and downs of the journey, whether this be by road, rail or on foot. Always aim to be at the Station an hour before your shift starts, this will show willing and allow you to get used to the surroundings before you are pounced upon by your new colleagues.

Make sure you have everything you need, even if you think you wont need it, like Undress Uniform, Cap, spare clothing, you never know what may unfold on your first day or what was planned for the day, you are the newest member to the Watch, it had been running a long time before you got there so dont expect the world to stop while you get on.

Look smart, make sure your uniform is clean and neat and your hair is tidy, there is a trend now in the Fire Service to allow hair to be worn in a whole manner of styles, keep it if you must, the politicians who employed you may like it, but those of us who have been around 10, 20 or 30 years, the ones you have to work with night and day, probably dont appreciate the latest 'Beckhamesque' style that you saw in last weeks Now Magazine and just 'had to have'. Ladies, if you wear your hair long, remember to tie it up neatly like females in every other Service have to, I still never saw a WPC or Wren with long hair flowing over her uniform.

Remember everyone who comes in, plus the on duty Watch, will try to bust your balls over something or the other, please take it in the friendly spirit it is meant. The worst start I ever knew was the recruit who spat out their dummy on the first day.

Once you are on duty, please ask if there is anything you are unsure of, we have all been there and remember the difficulties of the new world we entered. Questions are natural and expected, no one ever died for asking for a little advice. Take time on the first morning to familiarise yourself with the appliances at your Station. Many Training School vehicles are older than the Operational fleet. The stowage and layout might be different to that which you are used to.

Please try to be confident with the Watch without being cocky. Most people there will have been doing the job a long time. If you are younger they may have been doing the job since you were a kid or before you were born, if you are older, you may have been a manager in B&Q, with 40 Staff for the past fifteen years, but you are in the Fire Service now, and whether you are 18 or 38, today you are the new Boy or Girl.

Always keep your eyes and ear open when you are learning something and being advised and your mouth shut if there is nothing constructive forming on your tongue by way of a reply. People will be keen to hear all about you, they may have a laugh and a joke about what you did before. If you conquered Everest last year and someone makes light of it, it isn't meant as an insult. It is Fire Station Humour and you are being 'tested' the less you react to the 'testing' period, the shorter it will last. This is a fact that has been tried and tried a million times since Horses drew Fire Engines to fires.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

Someone once said

The Uniform is free on this job, but when you wear it, it comes with a history, tradition, pride and a reputation that it is up to you, to carry into the future

Welcome to the Best job in the World, if you enjoy it half as much as I have it will be worthwhile. Good luck...

Article written by Steve Dudeney, Assistant Divisional Officer, London Fire Brigade