Date: 30th May, 2018
Calne fire station is hosting a ‘have a go’ evening next week to encourage local people to become on-call firefighters.
On-call firefighters make themselves available to respond to a pager when a 999 call is made. Contracted hours can vary, but personnel usually make themselves available for between 48 and 120 hours per week to help provide cover for weekdays, evenings, nights and weekends.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service now needs new on-call recruits to provide fire cover for Calne and the surrounding area.
Potential recruits are invited to visit the fire station in Station Road on Wednesday 6 June between 7pm and 9pm. Watch Manager Tom Burns said: “The easiest way to see if being a firefighter is for you is to visit us, have a chat with the crew and try your hand at different things. We’re inviting anyone interested in being an on-call firefighter in Calne 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 able to help people.”
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 an on-call firefighter in Calne but can’t attend this event, you can call into the station on any Monday evening or visit www.dwfire.org.uk/calne