Could you help protect your community by joining Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service as an on-call firefighter?
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service (WFRS) is asking all Warwickshire residents to consider whether they could become an on-call firefighter.
On-call firefighters dedicate an agreed number of flexible hours each week where they are available to attend incidents. They are paid a set wage for being available and an additional wage for any hours worked attending call-outs or training. They play a fundamental role in ensuring WFRS can provide fire cover in all areas, respond to emergencies quickly and keep communities safe.
To be eligible to become an on-call firefighter, potential recruits must either live or work within five minutes of an on-call fire station. There is also the opportunity for those who are self-employed or working remotely to do their jobs from one of the fire stations, in which instance they would be eligible despite living further away, including outside of Warwickshire.
While the job can be challenging, it also offers many benefits: on-call firefighters are given the same training as wholetime firefighters and learn many new, transferable skills; they meet lots of new people and become part of a welcoming, close-knit team; and, most importantly, get to give back to their community in one of most meaningful ways possible.
Martin Swinden, Station Manager within Response Support at Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service, said:
“On-call firefighters are an essential part of our service and we’d be in real trouble without them. Recruitment for on-call firefighters can sometimes be tricky, particularly in rural areas, so we’re asking our communities to support us by sharing information about this position as well as having a good think about whether it’s something they could get involved with. It’s a big thing to take on and it’s not without its challenges, but it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do.”
Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service at Warwickshire County Council, said:
“In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a shift to much higher levels of remote and hybrid working. This can go hand-in-hand with becoming an on-call firefighter, allowing applicants to combine an office job with an opportunity to get directly involved in their local community and help others. We hope people will take a bit of time to learn more about this opportunity and find out if it could be right for them.”