How to become an on-call firefighter and earn £2,200+ extra per year

-Credit: (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)
-Credit: (Image: Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)


On-call firefighters are essential for the nation's fire services to continue to respond to emergencies all around the country, so what does it take to become one?

They are often people who work other full-time roles and agree on a flexible work pattern where they may be able to leave work to respond to an emergency. They receive these emergency call-outs from their personal pager while on duty.

Many of the on-call firefighters out there agree on certain hours they can work to balance full-time work and childcare commitments. The entry requirements according to Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service are:

  • You must be aged 18 or over on the date that your training begins

  • You must live or work within a five-minute drive (at normal road speed) of your local fire station. If you have any queries about this, get in touch with your local fire station and they will be able to work out if you live close enough

  • You must be able to attend training, which may involve taking time off work and attending our Service Development Centre on evenings and weekends

  • You must be able to offer at least 84 hours of fire cover each week. If you don't feel like you can offer this cover, but, for example, you are available during weekdays (our time of greatest need) then get in touch with your local fire station or contact our HR team

  • You must be able to attend the weekly training night at the station on the allocated night each week

  • Have a good level of aerobic fitness and strength to enable you to undertake firefighting duties

  • Able to pass medical and eyesight examinations to ensure you are fit to undertake firefighting duties

Additionally, the trainees will also be required to complete 4 modules and will be assessed over a 12-month period before progressing to further development. These modules include basic skills, breathing apparatus, extrication and pumping.

So what is the pay like for an on-call firefighter? Well, there is a £2,224 retainer fee per annum, plus £10.15 per hour in attendance of a call and a £3.90 disturbance fee. These rates increase as you progress up the ladder.

Once you apply you will go through a series of processes including an online application form, suitability sift with watch manager, fitness test, job-related tests and written assessments, ladder climb test, ladder lift test, emergency carry test, equipment assembly test, enclosed space test, hose running test, then an interview by two or three staff members, more fitness and medical tests, and finally DBS and reference test, then you are on the course.

The average number of callouts for an on-call firefighter is about two or three times a week for about an hour, with some incidents lasting as little as 20 minutes.

For more information on how to become an on-call fire fighter follow this link: https://www.notts-fire.gov.uk/careers/on-call-firefighters/.