Posted: Monday 1 February 2021, 09:52
Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is delighted to welcome the latest group of On-Call Firefighters to join the Service.
This week 9 new trainees have begun training at the Service’s joint police and fire training centre in Ripley. A combination of practical and theoretical training, delivered by the Service’s dedicated operational training team, with input from subject matter experts from across the Service, will prepare them for the challenges faced by a modern On-Call Firefighter, serving and protecting the communities of Derbyshire.
Welcoming the latest On-Call recruits to the Service, Derbyshire’s Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive Gavin Tomlinson said: “Becoming an On-Call Firefighter is a big commitment that sees trainees go on to serve the community they live or work in. Most On-Call Firefighters have other primary employment which means they’re giving up their personal time, or have an agreement with their employer, to be available to respond to a pager at a moment’s notice, to all manner of emergency incidents within their local community.
“Over the course, trainees will gain new skills as they learn how to respond professionally to a range of emergencies. It will be challenging and exciting for our latest trainees as they learn how to work effectively as a team in challenging situations, making new lifelong friends as they go.
“I look forward to following their progress throughout training, and seeing them pass out as competent On-Call Firefighters, ready to serve and protect their community.”
What is an On-Call Firefighter?
On-Call Firefighters are members of the community who are paid to respond to emergencies during the hours they have booked themselves available. They do not staff the fire station 24 hours a day like full-time Firefighters on the whole-time duty system, but still play a vital role in protecting our communities.
While many On-Call Firefighters have primary full-time employment outside of the fire service with an agreement from their employer to leave work to attend an emergency call, others are self-employed, or work part-time from home
On-Call Firefighters must reach the fire station within the allocated time – usually within 5 minutes of receiving a pager message – and must be able to regularly attend weekly training sessions.
If you’re interested in becoming an On-Call Firefighter visit our website to find out more on the selection process, fitness, and salary, or click here to apply.
You can also follow the current On-Call trainee’s progress on our social media @DerbyshireFRS.