Date: 18th July, 2016
Two ‘have a go’ events are being held at Corsham fire station next week to encourage local people to become on-call firefighters.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service needs new recruits to provide fire cover for Corsham and its surrounding villages. On-call firefighters make themselves available to respond to a pager when a 999 call is made, and cover is needed at all times.
Contracted hours can vary, but on-call personnel usually make themselves available for between 48 and 120 hours per week. Between them, each fire station team will provide cover for weekdays, evenings, nights and weekends.
The ‘have a go’ events are being held as follows:
- Sunday 24 July between 10am and 12noon, and;
- Monday 25 July between 7pm and 9pm.
Potential recruits are welcome to visit the fire station in Beechfield Road, Corsham to meet the crew and try out some of the equipment carried on a fire engine.
Watch Manager Mark Unwin, station commander for Corsham, said: “The easiest way to see if being a firefighter is for you is to visit the fire station, have a chat with the crew and try your hand at different things. We’re inviting potential recruits to come along, take a look around, and try out some of the equipment.”
He added: “On-call firefighters receive the same training and development as wholetime colleagues, and we can be called to all manner of emergencies, including fires, road traffic collisions, animal rescues and flooding. The pay does vary, depending on how much cover you give, but it is fantastically rewarding to be a part of your community and to be in a position to help people.”
In order to be on-call, you will need to be able to respond to the fire station in around five minutes once your pager goes off. This can be from home or work, and employers can benefit from a firefighter’s training – such as first aid, manual handling, a greater understanding of health & safety in the workplace, and enhanced team spirit.
If you are interested in being a firefighter in Corsham but can’t attend either of these events, you can call into the station on any Wednesday evening, visit www.dwfire.org.uk/corsham or follow them on Twitter @Corsham_Fire