Learn more about on-call firefighting

Yes! Many on-call firefighters have primary commitments such as full-time or part-time employment, self-employment, studies, and parenting. Becoming an on-call firefighter could be for anyone

On-call firefighters need to have an agreement with their employer which enables them to leave work should they be alerted to attend an incident. Many on-call firefighters fit in their firefighter duties around their primary jobs. Others make arrangements with their employer to leave work when they need to attend an emergency. If you are employed, we suggest having a conversation with your employer about your interest in becoming an on-call firefighter. You may like to refer them to our Guide for Employers.

Your availability will be discussed during the application process with the Station Manager of your fire station.

You will need to meet the required entry standards of your fire and rescue service. You can learn more about general expectations by exploring the resources in On-Call Firefighting: Eligibility and Benefits, but you’ll need to reach out to your local station to learn more about their specific requirements.

Whilst the minimum age of an on-call firefighter is 18 years old, there is no maximum age limit.

While having a full UK driving licence is desirable, whichever mode of transport you choose, you must be able to meet the response time to your fire station.

There is no minimum or maximum height to join the fire and rescue service.

Yes, a minimum level of fitness is required, as is maintenance of your fitness; this is regularly tested. However, it’s important to know that this fitness can be improved and your current level of fitness should not be a barrier to registering your interest.

To become an on-call firefighter, you’ll need to participate in a bleep test. We also maintain fitness using the Chester treadmill test; this is a brisk-paced walk at a set speed, with the incline increased every few minutes.

It’s true that you are required to complete a medical, and that your medical history will be taken into account, but you should contact your local fire and rescue service if you have specific concerns.

The Disability Equality Act 2010 defines that a person has a disability for the Act if he or she has a physical or mental impairment, and the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (S6(1)).

You will be asked if you have a disability as part of the recruitment process. If you do, you can provide details of the type of adjustments you may require taking part in the selection process, and to fulfil 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 fulfil the role of a firefighter, your application can proceed.

If you have any disability which will require adjustments, such as additional time for online tests, you should detail this during the recruitment process. When you get to the timed online tests, you will be asked if you have dyslexia, and you should answer ‘yes’. You will then be given additional time to undertake the assessments.

Firefighters require good vision in both eyes, the recruitment process includes an eye test. The vision standards required to become an on-call firefighter are a minimum uncorrected vision (without glasses) of 6/18 in the better eye and 6/24 in the worse eye. The corrected vision (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. If you have any concerns, we suggest that you have an up-to-date eye test to check that you meet these standards before applying.

For safety reasons, only soft contact lenses are acceptable.

On-call firefighters provide cover when at home or work, which can be made up of full days or part of the day or night that fits around their primary commitments. Please contact your local fire and rescue service for further details.

They also attend the station weekly for training.

Working hours will be dependent on your contract and vary from service to service, with many having no set required hours. In any case, we need you to maintain a healthy work/life balance, and also consider your primary employment.

Being ‘on-call’ is unpredictable by definition, so it’s hard to say exactly how many times a week you would get called out. Some fire stations are busier than others depending on their location.

The nature of calls is seasonal too. In the summer, the fire service may deal with grass fires during hot, dry weather. Alternatively, if there has been a long period of rain, the fire service may need to attend flooding and rescuing incidents. No two calls are ever the same.

As an on-call firefighter, you could be called out more than once a day, once a week, or anywhere in between.

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

Yes, during your coverage period you must stay near the station. Whether it’s at home, work, or even a local restaurant, you should be able to up and leave at any time.

This varies between stations, however the expectation is usually that you will arrive at the station within a matter of minutes of receiving the alert.

On-call firefighters need to live or work close to an on-call fire station, so they are able to respond quickly to emergencies.

Yes, on-call firefighters are paid employees, and your income will be based on where you are in the development programme, how many hours you cover, whether you attend any incidents, conduct community work and training.

Yes, generally you will be entitled to 4 weeks holiday a year which rises to five weeks after five years of service, but this varies from service to service. Please visit your local fire and rescue service website for more information.

Yes, from the start of your employment, you will be auto enrolled to a firefighter’s pension scheme, which the service will also contribute to.

Yes – full training is provided.

They don’t do anything differently to full-time firefighters when it comes to responding to incidents; the only differences is that they 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.

All operational firefighters, both full-time and on-call, are encouraged to learn to drive a fire engine (HGV) in the early stages of their career if they want to and are supported through this process. There are different elements to learning to drive a fire engine, so specialist training is required.

Once in the fire and rescue service there are lots of opportunities for progression within the operational role as well as non-operational roles. You can start working towards overseeing an incident as an Incident Commander or progressing to a Crew or Watch Manager. To learn more about career opportunities in the Fire and Rescue Service, please visit NFCC’s Interactive Career Pathways, where we are constantly adding new information.