Be the difference in your community and become an on-call firefighter

If you ever wanted to become a firefighter when you were younger but your career took a different path, then this may be the opportunity for you to have the best of both worlds.

We’re currently recruiting on-call firefighters to come and join the service and make a difference in our communities. The role of an on-call firefighter is exactly the same as that of a wholetime firefighter but with one difference – on-call firefighters aren’t based at the fire station all the time and only respond when there is an emergency.

Across the county, we have a number of on-call fire stations where on-call firefighters respond from when an emergency occurs. We spoke to two on-call firefighters from Hanley about their experiences working in the city centre.

Maria Cole joined us six years ago because she wanted to make a difference. She said: “I always wanted to be in a helping profession but my career went in a different direction. One day, I had a leaflet about being an on-call firefighter through the door and just thought I’ll give it a go.

“And it’s been amazing. Being in a role like this where you can help the community, work alongside some great people, it’s one of the best decisions I ever made.

Maria, who is a full-time student, added: “I recently qualified as a counsellor so I’ve got transferable skills from both professions when I feel I can make a difference. And I can continue my studies by day and be a firefighter by night – so it’s the best of both worlds.”

Ben Watson, who is a sous chef, recently joined the service as an on-call firefighter. He said: “When I was younger, I’d always wanted to be a firefighter. It was in the back of my mind to just become a firefighter and help the community.”

“I’ll be on-call on my days off, evenings and weekend so I can do something I’ve always wanted to do while having another job. The time we give cover to being on-call fits round other commitments like work or childcare, so we can continue doing what we do and be a firefighter.”

On-call firefighters respond to a range of emergencies that can happen at any time during the day or night and are notified by an alerter when they’re needed. When their alerter goes off, they have approximately five minutes to get from wherever they are to the station, kitted up and on the truck ready to respond.

Maria said: “Calls can happen at any time and no two calls are ever the same. It could be a house fire one call or a collision the next, but each time we attend an incident, it’s so rewarding because you’re helping people and we’re doing what we can to make a situation better.

“And the crew is like having another family. The trust and support you build between you is so important and such a nice thing to have.

“You have to have each other’s back when you’re at a job and rely on each other to make sure you’re all safe, you’re keeping others safe and doing the best you can for those who need your help.”

Ben said: “Although I’ve only been an on-call firefighter for six months, I’ve had a great deal of support from the rest of the crew. It’s been such a welcoming environment and I feel like I’ve been here for ages.

“They help me with my development and support me with training – it’s a real team ethos.”

On-call firefighters are given the same training as wholetime firefighters and when they join the service, they go through a rigorous training process which involves a number of different aspects such as working at heights, breathing apparatus, road traffic collisions and first aid.

Maria said: “When we’re out at incidents, we’re seen as firefighters. We receive the same training as wholetime firefighters as we attend the same incidents. The only difference is that on-call firefighters aren’t based at the station so we’re only called out when we’re needed.”

So if you’re feeling inspired about becoming an on-call firefighter, Maria and Ben have some words of advice.

Maria said: “If you’re thinking about it, give it a go. As long as you’re able to communicate well with others, why not give it a try. It’s such a rewarding and varied role.

Anyone can apply to become an on-call firefighter, as long as they’re over 18 and all applicants will go through the same recruitment and training process.

To find out more about the role and to apply, visit our website: On-call firefighter recruitment (staffordshirefire.gov.uk)