THE “NEED MORE” AWARENESS WEEK RUNS FROM 2ND MARCH AND WILL HIGHLIGHT ON-CALL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE FIRE SERVICE, WHILE BUSTING MYTHS ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.
The campaign is supported by a national website – www.oncallfire.uk – which encourages people to get in touch with their local fire service at any time of the year to find out about opportunities.
An on-call firefighter is someone who is paid to respond to a range of fire and rescue service jobs; these range from emergency calls, working at open days, carrying out work with their local communities and acting as an ambassador for the fire service.
On-call firefighters come from every walk of life, including homemakers, shopkeepers, builders, farmers, office workers and directors of companies, together with people who are not currently employed.
Full training is provided on an ongoing basis, therefore previous experience is not needed. An on-call firefighter could be called out two or three times a week, for a few hours at a time.
The on-call hours are based around people’s availability and other commitments. To be an on-call firefighter you must :
- – Have a strong desire to support the local community.
- – Be enthusiastic about working as part of a team.
- – Have a reasonable level of personal fitness.
- – Live and/or work close to a local fire station.
Glenn Askew NFCC on-call lead and Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said:
“On-call firefighters are a crucial part of fire services and their communities. We want to make sure that fire services reflect the communities they serve. So, if being a firefighter sounds exciting and you have the skills we need, get in touch.
In return you will have flexible employment to fit around your commitments, world class training, be part of a fantastic team and the chance to help your local community.”
To find out more about becoming a firefighter and to get in touch with your local fire and rescue service visit www.oncallfire.uk
The website also gives advice to employers about how having on-call firefighters within their business can bring advantages. These include health and safety and medical response training, as well as developing situational awareness, leadership skills and the ability to work under pressure.