Date: 2nd September, 2019
Firefighters in Chippenham are giving you the chance to ‘have a go’ at becoming an on-call firefighter at an event taking place this weekend. Fire crews will be at Chippenham Fire Station from 10am to 2pm on Saturday 7th September to encourage local people to become on-call firefighters.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service needs new on-call recruits to provide fire cover at locations across Dorset and Wiltshire, but particularly in Chippenham, Corsham, Malmesbury, Melksham and Calne. 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.
On-Call Support Officer Paul Vickery, who is organising the event, said: “The easiest way to see if being a firefighter is for you is to come along, have a chat with the crew and try your hand at different things. There will be opportunity to cut up a car, try on breathing apparatus, climb a ladder and do the national firefighter selection test for carrying 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 your local 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.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are committed to equality of opportunity and diversity in employment and welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We particularly welcome applications from women and those from an ethnic minority, as they are currently under-represented within Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.
As well as being available to chat about being an on-call firefighter, they will also be offering fire safety advice and accepting requests for Safe & Well visits. If you are unable to attend this event, you can find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter at www.dwfire.org.uk/be-one-of-us