On-call firefighters

Are on-call firefighters paid?

Yes – our on-call firefighters are paid employees. Income varies per on-call firefighter depending on where they are in the development programme, how many hours they provide ‘on-call’ cover, if they attend any incidents.

Can I do this around my other commitments?

Yes! Many of our on-call firefighters have primary commitments such as full-time or part-time employment, self-employment, being a student, a stay-at-home parent or even unemployed – so being an on-call firefighter is for to anyone.

Some of our on-call firefighters also have an agreement with their employer which enables them to leave work should they be alerted to attend an incident.

Your availability will be discussed during Stage 2 of the application process with the Station Manager of your fire station and the relevant On-call Support Officer.

How often will I be called out?

Being ‘on-call’ is unpredictable so it’s hard to say exactly how many times a week you’d get called out as it varies depending on a range of factors. Some of our fire stations are busier than others depending on their location.

In the summer, the Fire Service may be dealing with grass fires if it has been hot and dry. Alternatively, if there has been a long period of rain, the Fire Service may be dealing with flooding and rescuing incidents. No two calls are ever the same.

What is an on-call firefighter?

An on-call firefighter is someone who has a primary job but also provides emergency support when required.

What is it like being ‘on-call’? do you need to stay at home or near to home as possible?

You have to stay near the station as much as possible. This could be at home or even a local restaurant, but you need to be in a position to up and leave at any time.

Do on-call firefighters do anything different from full-time firefighters?

They don’t do anything differently from full-time firefighters, the only difference is that are not based at the station for set shifts and they usually have a primary job. Some fit their on-call hours around this, but some employers allow staff to respond to incidents from work.

How often do they work?

On-call firefighters provide cover when at home or work for a minimum of 50 hours a week which can be made up of full days or part of the day/night that fits around your primary employment. You’d also attend the station weekly for training. There is no set maximum of hours but we need you to maintain a healthy work/life balance and also consider your primary employment.

How will I know when to respond to an incident?

When an emergency occurs, on-call firefighters will be notified by an alerter and will need to make their way to the fire station quickly.

Do on-call firefighters get paid?

Yes, you receive a basic ‘retainer’ fee dependant on the number of hours cover you provide and then a positive hourly rate for attending incidents, community work and training.

How much do on-call firefighters get paid?

It depends on how many incidents you attend so it’s hard to predict but may be anything between £300 and £1,000 a month.

What benefits do you get as an on-call firefighter?

As an on-call firefighter, the biggest benefit is making a difference to peoples lives and helping the community. However, there are a number of other benefits that our on-call firefighters receive:

• Opportunities to progress
• Maternity and paternity leave
• You are entitled to four weeks annual leave a year, rising to five after five years’ service
• Free gym access
• Option to join Blue Light Card which gives discounts at a range of retailers and venues
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme which is a 24/7 helpline to assist with personal or professional problems

Is training provided?

Yes – full training is provided.

Is there any training for responding to incidents with blue lights or sirens?

Once you are competent there may be an opportunity to be trained on blue lights if your station needs more drivers.

How long does the training take?

The initial training is completed over 20 weeks on station in 2 hour sessions. You then complete further modules, initially for 2-3 weeks but there is a further 4 weeks of training in your first 3 years.

Will I be able to drive a fire engine?

We do encourage our operational firefighters, both wholetime and on-call, to learn to drive a fire engine (HGV) in the early stages of their career if that is something that they wish to pursue and we will support them through this process. There are different stages of learning to drive a fire engine such as driving it from A – B as a normal vehicle, or driving it on blue lights as an emergency response. Our firefighters are fully supported through this if they want to and with agreement from their station manager.

What progression paths are there/can on-call firefighters get promoted?

Once your development is completed, you can start working towards being in charge at an incident (Incident Commander) or becoming one of the managers (Crew Manager or Watch Manager).

Can I choose which station I work from?

On-call firefighters need to live or work close to an on-call fire station so they are able to respond quickly to emergencies. See list of on-call stations on main webpage.

Do I need any qualifications to apply?

If you don’t already have an English and Maths qualification you will need to complete our online tests. Your Maths and English will be assessed as part of the application process although you won’t be disadvantaged if you don’t already hold the qualifications.

Is a fitness criteria or training required to join the job?

To join you need to participate in a bleep test and we maintain fitness with the Chester treadmill test, which is a brisk paced walking test, which involved a set speed with an increase in incline every few minutes.

Is there an age limit?

You will need to be aged 18 or over (no upper age limit), and will need to pass an eye sight test and a medical screening.

Are there any health requirements that could stop someone from becoming a firefighter?

You are required to complete a medical and your medical history will be taken into account. If you would like to discuss this further you can contact your local on-call support officer.

Do I need permission from my employer to work as an on-call firefighter?

Many of our on-call firefighters fit in their firefighter duties around their primary jobs. Others make arrangements with their employer to leave work should they need to attend an emergency.

If you are employed, we suggest having a conversation with your employer about being allowed to leave work.

How close to a fire station do I need to be?

You need to live or work close to a fire station. You are responding to an emergency so you need to consider how long it would take to get there.

What are the working hours? Minimum/maximum?

We ask that you cover a minimum of 50 hours a week. There is no set maximum but we need you to maintain a healthy work/life balance and also consider your primary employment.

Do you have to be physically fit to become a firefighter?

Yes, you need to maintain your fitness too as we have regular fitness tests.

Will I get paid holiday?

Yes, you will be entitled to 4 weeks holiday a year which rises to 5 after 5 years of service.

Do you need to have a full UK driving license?

No, but you will need to be able to get to a station quickly when required.

How tall do you need to be to become a firefighter?

There is no minimum or maximum height within the Fire and Rescue Service.

I have a disability/medical condition. Can I still become a firefighter?

Yes. A disability is defined by the act as anyone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his/her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. You will be asked if you have a disability as part of the recruitment process and to give details of the type of adjustments you may require in order to take part in the selection process and to fulfill the role of a firefighter, should you be successful. Each case will be considered on an individual basis and, if reasonable adjustments can be made to enable you to take part in the selection process and to fulfill the role of a firefighter, then your application will proceed.

I am dyslexic. Will I be able to cope with the online tests?

Dyslexia is classed as a disability and you will be asked if you have a disability as part of the recruitment process. When you get to the timed online tests you will be asked if you suffer with dyslexia and you should answer "yes". You will then be given additional time to undertake the assessments. You will be required to provide evidence of your dyslexia.

I wear glasses/ have had laser eye surgery. Can I apply?

Yes. Firefighters require good vision in both eyes and part of the recruitment process will include an eye test. However you will need to meet the standards of vision which requires a minimum uncorrected vision (i.e. without glasses) of 6/18 in the better eye and 6/24 in the worse eye and corrected vision (i.e. with glasses), should be 6/9 binocularly, and a minimum of 6/12 in the worse eye. You should also have an upper hypermetropic limit of +3.00. You will be required to provide us with evidence of your current eyesight standard during the recruitment process so, if you have any concerns, we suggest that you have an up to date eye test to check your own standard of vision before applying.

Will being an on-call firefighter open the doors to a full-time firefighting role?

There are occasions when we will advertise for temporary and casual contracts for full-time firefighters and these will be open internally for existing on-call firefighters to apply. Successful recruitment to these roles is generally broadened if on-call firefighters have continued their development and have specialist skills such as blue light driving.

There are also occasions when we will transfer in full-time firefighters. These could be transfers from other fire and rescue services or from our on-call members of staff.

When we run full time firefighter campaigns that are open for anyone to apply, on-call firefighters will go through the exact same recruitment process as everyone else. However, it is hoped that their fitness levels and their knowledge around cultural expectations of the role should be beneficial during the recruitment process. Should they be successful it may be that they only need to complete certain elements of the full-time firefighter training course if they are already competent in their on-call role.

• National Firefighter Ability Tests: Preparation and Practice Booklet
• National Firefighter Questionnaire: Preparation and Practice Booklet
• SFRS Fitness Standards - New Recruit Information
• I've always wanted to be a retained firefighter video
• Preparatory Fitness Booklet
• Core Code of Ethics
• Interview Preparation
• Women in the Fire Service UK
• SFRS On-Call Firefighter Information Guide