Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
Enhanced Rescue Unit (ERU) Inter Service Transfer
External staff application form
About us:
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is an organisation with its sights set on the future an organisation that has firmly set itself on a new course for a better future. Our improvement journey is well underway. We are building at pace, with serious intent and enormous drive, and in doing so we are defining a new era for our Service, for the communities we serve and our workforce.
We are the most improved Fire and Rescue Service in England and one of the best performing. We are proud of our most recent HMICFRS report awarded ‘Good’ in 10 of the 11 areas whilst also being recognised in four areas for Positive Practice and two areas for Innovative Practice.
We are currently out to public consultation on our new four-year Fire Plan (Community Risk Management Plan) for the period 2025/2029 it’s a really exciting time to join GMFRS as we finalise our Fire Plan which will serve as the next chapter in our improvement journey to become an outstanding Fire and Rescue Service.
We are one of the largest Fire and Rescue Services outside London, covering an area of approximately 500 square miles and a culturally diverse population of 2.8 million people. Greater Manchester is a vibrant, dynamic and growing city-region and an incredibly exciting and rewarding place to work.
Improving organisational culture remains a top priority for us we have taken a ‘culture first’ approach and under the leadership of our CFO, GMFRS has an unrelenting commitment to fostering cultural change. We have been recognised by Stonewall as culminating in a gold award and ranking the 34th LGBTQ+ inclusive employer in their Top 100 list. Our Rainbow Staff Network also won Stonewall’s Network Group of the Year.
We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people's age, disability, Trans status and Non-binary identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.
Your Role:
Greater Manchester’s Enhanced Rescue Unit (ERU) is a highly trained team responding to complex emergencies that go beyond standard firefighting. Equipped with specialist skills and cutting-edge equipment, ERU operatives play a critical role in protecting life and property across Greater Manchester.
What We Do;
The ERU responds to a wide range of high-risk incidents, including:
Water Rescue ERU teams are Swiftwater Technician-trained and accredited by Rescue 3, ensuring fast and effective rescues in rivers, floods, and submerged environments. Working alongside Water Incident Units (WIU) in Eccles and Heywood, ERU operatives provide expert rescue capabilities.
Rope Rescue Specialists in complex rope rescue operations, ERU operatives are trained to handle high-elevation emergencies, including tower cranes, sports stadiums, historic buildings, and industrial structures.
Heavy Rescue Providing enhanced extrication capabilities at serious Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs), rail incidents, and Metrolink emergencies. Equipped with high-powered cutting tools, stabilisation gear, airbags, and specialist shoring equipment, ERU operatives make complex rescues possible.
Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) ERU teams respond to collapsed structures, carrying out tunnelling, breaking and breaching, structural shoring, and casualty extrication using cutting-edge equipment, including snake-eye cameras and reinforced breaching tools.
Confined Space Rescue Trained in restricted access operations, ERU operatives manage emergencies like trench collapses and entrapments, ensuring safe recovery.
Bariatric Rescue Using advanced USAR techniques, ERU personnel execute complex rescues requiring reinforced flooring, structural adjustments, and specialist stretchers for safe extrication.
International Search & Rescue (ISAR) -operatives possess the specialist skills required for ISAR missions and participate in annual training exercises (summer and winter) with international partners. Please note: ERS staff are not automatically enrolled in ISARa separate selection process determines deployment eligibility.
Enhanced Safety Team (EST) - At major incidents (Make Pumps 6+), ERU operatives form an Enhanced Safety Team (EST), proactively improving health and safety on the incident ground. Key responsibilities include: providing tactical and practical advice to incident commanders, carrying out a risk assessment via a 360-degree survey of the exterior of the building, monitor the integrity of the building, identify options to improve access/egress such as the removal of security bars/devices and provide illumination at access and egress points.
About you:
As an Enhanced Rescue Unit (ERU) Operative, you will follow the same duty pattern as our other fire stations, working within a four-watch system. The shift pattern consists of:
* Two day shifts (08:30 19:00)
* Two night shifts (19:00 08:30)
* Four rota days
Training & Flexibility
Working in an ERU station requires flexibility and commitment. You will need to attend specialist courses, including out-of-county and overnight training, both for your initial qualification and ongoing refresher training throughout your time in the unit.
ERU Crews receive a 3% pensionable uplift in pay.
Who Can Apply?
The Enhanced Rescue Unit welcomes applications from:
* Demonstrates competence as a permanent Wholetime Firefighter from other UK Authority Fire and Services who are willing to relocate
* Operational awareness (or competence) at a Firefighter Level.
Please Note:We are not currently accepting any On-Call or retained Firefighter applications
Essential Criteria
To be eligible for this role, candidates must:
* Be fully fit for operational duties
* Be a permanent wholetime firefighter, employed by a local authority and signed off as competent against NOS for Firefighters (Qualified or NVQ Level 3)
* Hold a full Category B driving licence (and be eligible for Cat C training) with access to own vehicle
* Currently not under any live sanctions, capability, performance, or disciplinary procedures.
* Proof of UK Fire and Rescue Service contract and up to date training records.
Mandatory Information:
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.
Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.
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Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.
For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.
Enhanced DBS Check
The role holder will be subject to an Enhanced level check by the Disclosure & Barring Service.
This post involves working with children, young people or vulnerable adults and is therefore exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. Failure to disclose information when asked within this application could result in dismissal but will not necessarily be a bar to employment with us. The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website .
Safeguarding Policy and Procedure