In More Ways Than One... Six years ago, The Scottish Deli manager Jane Saba from Dunkeld stepped into the role of retained firefighter to protect her community.
Jane says that being part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) gives her the feel-good factor and that others looking for a rewarding job should consider following in her footsteps.
Dunkeld is in rural Perthshire and the community fire station is looking to recruit more retained firefighters to serve on the frontline.
Jane said: "I moved to Dunkeld ten years ago and firefighting was never on my radar, but being fortunate to live in this stunning part of the country within a close knit & welcoming community, I got to know the crew at the station. One of them put the thought in my head that I could become a retained firefighter.
"That conversation got me thinking about how I could manage the deli in order to do both jobs. I wasn't sure at first, but the answer is yes you can manage your time around it."
Retained firefighters carry an emergency pager and, like Jane, often balance primary employment with responding to emergencies, as well as safety and prevention work that involves visiting schools and installing smoke detectors in homes.
Jane added: "Working with SFRS keeps me fit and on my toes and it allows me to get more involved with the community. The retained fire service gives you a sense of belonging as well as providing you with highly skilled training across so many disciplines which in turn builds your overall confidence and ability.
"When the pager goes off your adrenaline starts to rush because you're never quite sure what you're going to be faced with and that’s when all the training & focus kicks in - that’s what I love about this job.
"Although it wasn't something that I'd ever thought about before, this role really was the tonic that I needed!"
Dunkeld Fire Station holds Drill Nights on Wednesdays between 7pm and 9pm, please come along if you would like an informal chat about the role, alternatively you can contact Watch Commander Matt McLay at: matthew.mclay@firescotland.gov.uk or 07971 138179.
For more on what it takes to become a retained firefighter visit: www.firescotland.gov.uk/work-with-us/retainedfirefighters.aspx
For current opportunities visit: www.myjobscotland.gov.uk/emergencyservices/scottish-fire-and-rescue-service/jobs