Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

Shanghai's first recruitment of paid firefighters has sparked the interest of local job seekers, as more than 7,000 people have applied for the 300 vacancies available, today's Youth Daily reported. The recruitment is open to all local males between the age of 18-27 and taller than 165 centimeters.
The competition is particularly fierce in suburban areas such as Minhang, Baoshan, Zhabei and Fengxian districts, where more than 400 applicants have signed up in each district, according to Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau.  A large percentage of the applicants are retired veterans.
The bureau plans to increase the paid firefighters to 2,000 as of 2007, when it expects to add 30 fire stations citywide.
To expand its fire-fighting network, Shanghai held its first public recruitment this month to fill the vacancies.
The recruits will receive the same military training as other firefighters currently in service and will be on duty for 24 hours each day as well.  They will earn monthly salary of 2,000 yuan (US$242), but 1,600 yuan for the first three months while they are on probation.  Their peers currently on duty are police staff and don't earn a salary.
Since the first recruitment seems to be a success, the fire control bureau has decided to carry out this year's second recruitment for another 300 positions ahead of schedule.