The country’s police and fire services are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit new staff as fewer and fewer young people have a driving licence. Having a Type B driving licence (that enables its holder to drive a car) is a prerequisite to being able to apply for a job as a police officer or fire fighter. With many young people waiting longer before they learn how to drive, the driving licence rule is deterring an every-growing group of young people from applying for a job with the emergency services.
Driving licence forms a barrier to recruitment of new police officers and fire fighters
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Those wishing to embark on a career with the police or the fire service must fulfill certain criteria before they can even start their training. One such criteria is that the applicant be in possession of a driving licence that enables them to drive a car.
The Chairman of the Flemish Fire Service Association Hans Clarysse told VRT News that “This forms a barrier, because many would-be recruits haven’t taken their driving test straight after finishing secondary school. New fire fighters have to take selection tests. It would help if they were given time to take their driving test either while they were doing or just after they had done the selection tests”.
No one can deny that a driving licence is essential to be able to work in the fire service. “Not only to be able to get to work if you are called up, but also in case the driver of a small vehicle is absent or something happens to them during a call-out”.
There must also always be someone among a team of fire fighters that has a Type C driving licence that enables them to drive the fire engine. The Type C licence can obtained once a fire fighter is already working in the service and lessons and the cost of sitting the test are paid for by the fire service.
Financial assistance?
But couldn’t the police and fire service help with the cost potential recruits face when paying for lessons and the Type B driving licence test as well?
"As regards the police this would be a more logical step, but at the fire service the turnover turnover of staff is much too great. It isn’t much use pumping money into a candidate that will leave after a year or so”, Mr Clarysse said.
Mr Clarysse believes that it would be better to look again at the conditions imposed on new applicants.