Date: 15th June, 2017
A recruitment event is being held next month at Swanage fire station to encourage local people to become on-call firefighters.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service needs new recruits to provide fire cover for the town and its surrounding area. 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 and, between them, each fire station team will provide cover for weekdays, evenings, nights and weekends.
Anyone interested in joining the Swanage crew can visit the fire station in Kings Road from 7pm on Wednesday 5 July.
Station Commander Phil Burridge 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 see the equipment we use.”
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 but can’t attend your local event, you can get more information from www.dwfire.org.uk/on-call-firefighters