Date: 26th January, 2017
Ludgershall and Amesbury Fire Stations are hosting on-call firefighter recruitment open days in the coming weeks, looking for the latest batch of eager residents who are ready to help protect their local communities during an emergency.
On-call firefighters are ordinary people doing extraordinary work – they are men and women who may have other jobs or responsibilities, who make themselves available for emergency call-outs depending on their other commitments.
Ludgershall Fire Station are hosting their recruitment open day on 28th January and Amesbury are holding theirs on 4th February, both from 10am to 1pm.
Usually contracted for between 48 and 120 hours per week, on-call firefighters must:
- be at least 18 years old when joining;
- have a good standard of physical fitness;
- and have the right to work in the UK.
District Commander, Louis Minchella, said: “Our retained firefighters play a vital role in the protection of their local communities. Some already work in the building or allied trades, whilst others are shop assistants, farmers, office and factory workers or managers, but what they all have in common is self-reliance, confidence, respect, enthusiasm, team spirit and a willingness to be ready for anything when they are alerted to an emergency.”
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.
Some 60% of firefighters in Dorset and Wiltshire work on an on-call basis, making them hugely important to both the Service and the communities that they serve.
To find out more about what it takes to become at on-call firefighter for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, please visit our website www.dwfire.org.uk