Fire & Rescue Service. Ordinary people, extraordinary career.

Being an On-Call Firefighter

For Firefighters, saving lives and protecting communities is all in a day's work. Whilst the majority work full-time for the Fire & Rescue Service, 30% of our fire crews have jobs elsewhere and are 'On-Call' with their local Fire Station.

On-Call Firefighters provide emergency cover to over 90% of the UK. There are over 14,000 of them in England who are responsible for protecting our small towns and rural communities. They make up an invaluable part of the team.

They are paid volunteers who, just like full-time Firefighters, are trained to deal with many situations. The only difference is they aren't based at a Fire Station – they head there when needed in an emergency.

Coming from all walks of life, they are ordinary men and women that do an extraordinary job for the Fire & Rescue Service and are integral to keeping their local Fire Station crewed and protecting the local community.

How it works

On-Call Firefighters carry an alerter. They let the Fire Station know when they're available so they can respond immediately to emergency calls at any time. Many have an arrangement with their employer, so they can be On-Call for the Fire & Rescue Service whilst still remaining a valued employee. Others choose to devote only evenings and/or weekends to being On-Call.

Being on call

The On-Call Firefighters have to live or work within about five minutes of the local Fire Station in order to respond to call outs quickly. They are called out on average two or three times a week but the commitment varies around the country and between different Fire Stations.

Their duties can include:

• Responding to emergency calls – this could be anything from tackling a chemical spill to extinguishing a burning building.
• Delivering fire safety advice to businesses, schools and people more vulnerable to fire.
• Engaging with young people to reduce anti-social behaviour and fire-setting.
• Reducing risks and hazards in the community by identifying health and safety issues.

Personal Benefits

• You'll receive an annual fee and call-out fees – most On-Call Firefighters earn between £5,000 and £7,000 per year.
• You'll get first aid and trauma care training.
• You'll get risk assessment and health and safety training.
• You'll have the ability to build important links with your community.
• You'll have the opportunity to gain educational and vocational qualifications.

If you'd like to know more about being an On-Call Firefighter and what it means to be On-Call, download a PDF by clicking on the relevant image.