SAN FIRE kicked off its July recruitment drive - it's first summer batch, welcoming interested individuals to it's Vespucci Training Facility, formerly the agencies headquarters for a day to meet the Marshals and various bureaus and units that make up the agency. Food was also provided by the local business to Vespucci, Vex-Mex.
The fair, organised by the Recruitment bureau and promoted by Public Relations was hailed a great success as members of the local community flocked to enjoy an afternoon in the sun as they met with the many Deputy Fire Marshals that make up the ranks of department with their many stories of their career and some of their canine companions in the form of AD Canines Inferno and Artemis.
Prospective applicants were encouraged to sign up at the event, with recruitment bureau Marshals offering a helping hand as well as all attendees receiving one of the SAN FIRE teddy bears sold by the LS Fire Foundation in aid of the Los Santos Fire Department.
"The San Fire Recruitment Bureau is very pleased by the success of the Career Fair. The event exceeded our best expectations. Firstly, it drew a lot of interest from our dedicated Deputy Fire Marshals, who seamlessly worked as a team to inform and engage with members of the public. Secondly, we experienced a record turnout from our community, which attended in large numbers and showed a genuine interest in the work we do. Thirdly, we are very thankful to Vex-Mex Restaurante for the catering service they provided.
The Career Fair also contributed to advertising our Department’s Recruitment Drive. So far, we have already received seven applications, and we expect more to come.
Overall, it was a very productive and enjoyable experience, which we hope to repeat in the future." - San Fire's Recruitment bureau said in a statement to Public Relations.
While the event was the brainchild and fruits of labour of the Recruitment bureau, State Fire Marshal Liam Madison made an appearance to speak with attendees and during the event Division Chiefs Vincenzo Calvani of Field Operations and Lena Yeon of Administrative Affairs were invited to talk to attendees to offer words of welcome, advice and support, with Chief Calvani drawing attention to the 100th anniversary, or centennial of the Office of The State Fire Marshal;
"Good evening everyone, I am Vincenzo Calvani, the Division Chief of Field Operations of the San Andreas Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. In basic terms, I oversee the day-to-day field operations of all our incredible Deputy Fire Marshals.
First of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you for joining us this evening. It is a very important occasion for us, as this year marks the one hundredth anniversary since the Office of the State Fire Marshal was first created. “A hundred years of legacy and vision,†as our commemorative centennial logo states.
Secondly, I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Ella Adams and Aoife Reilly for organizing this Career Fair, the City Government for approving the event, Vex-Mex Restaurante for providing excellent food and drinks. Last but not least, all the Deputy Fire Marshals and Civilian Staff for staffing all the stands. It truly has been a team effort.
To all our prospective applicants, I am not quite sure how much you know about San Fire, but I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about us and what we are up to on a day-to-day basis. Before I get into that, however, allow me to clarify: we are not the “sprinkler police,†as some people have nicknamed us. Joking aside, we are in fact a State-wide law enforcement agency, tasked with mainly enforcing the Fire Code, although we will act if we witness someone committing a crime.
Deputy Fire Marshals perform many tasks on a regular basis. These include business inspections to ensure they comply with the Fire Code. Arson investigations to find out the culprit, execution of warrants to apprehend someone or seize evidence, conducting firewatch patrols to mitigate the chance of wildfires. As well as attending events to assist with fireworks, and engaging with the community we serve.
If law enforcement, fire investigation, and prevention appeal to you, you may have found your future career. We pride ourselves on being a tight-knit team and looking out for each other. We are not just work colleagues, but a close family."
Division Chief Vincenzo Calvani took the stage to welcome attendees
The floor was then handed to SAN FIRE veteran, Division Chief Lena Yeon who shed some light on the recruitment process for prospective applicants. Giving a short explanation and what would be in store for them with each step and even after graduation;
"Good evening everyone, I am Lena Yeon, the Division Chief of Administrative Affairs of the San Andreas Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. As Chief of Administrative Affairs, I oversee the Recruitment, Training and Public Relations Bureaus.
Since I have your attention, I would like to take a moment to talk to you about our recruitment and training process. The first step is to visit our website and create an account. Once you've done that, head over to our Recruitment Office to complete an application. The application window is open from July 13th to July 21st. Make sure to be thorough and double-check that you have filled out all sections correctly.
Moving on to step three, you'll be invited to an interview at our Rockford Hills Headquarters. During this interview, we will ask you a series of questions to evaluate your suitability for the position and understand the unique qualities you can bring to our Department.
Step four: you are sent a written exam on July 22nd to assess your law enforcement knowledge. Don’t worry; we provide you with the study material beforehand! You will have forty-eight hours to complete it. Step five entails attending the LEO Academy Training, which is scheduled for July 25th. Finally, step six involves joining us for the graduation ceremony on July 26th.
But remember, this is just the beginning! Upon completion of these initial steps, you will enter the trainee phase. During this period, you will acquire the necessary skills to become a fully-fledged Deputy Fire Marshal. This involves attending various courses, conducting business inspections, issuing formal warnings, and investigating fires. If you have any doubts or additional questions, please don't hesitate to approach any of our Marshals. Thank you all for your attention. I hope you thoroughly enjoy the remainder of your time here with us today!"
No doubt Thursday's event was a success, not just for SAN FIRE recruitment. But, for SAN FIRE overall as the department works to engage more with the community it operates within. We hope everyone enjoyed the evening and found it helpful and enlightening for those seeking a prosperous career with the agency - Thank you to our local partners in the Los Santos Sheriffs Department, Los Santos Police Department, Los Santos Fire Department and State partners of San Andreas State Parks and University of Los Santos San Andreas for supporting! Good luck to all those prospective applicants for July's Marshal academy!
See the full event photography gallery
