Page contents
- What is an On-Call Firefighter?
- Eligibility
- Do you live near to an On-Call Fire station?
- Visit a station
- Your working week
- Training
- Why not you?
What is an On-Call Firefighter?
Working as a firefighter in an on-call capacity requires dedicated people who give above and beyond their normal work day to protect their local community. You may have other commitments or full-time employment outside of the fire service but able respond to emergency calls within your local area as and when required.
You will have a varied role in supporting your community by;
- Delivering community fire safety- visiting schools, youth clubs and other organisations offering advice to the local community
- Responding to fires, road, rail or air collisions, widespread flooding and emergencies that may involve hazardous materials.
- Other duties including fire hydrant inspections, equipment maintenance and testing and general station routines.
When responding to emergencies you will receive a retaining fee, turnout fee and additional hourly rate payments. The range of duties and opportunities to earn more continue to expand.
Eligibility
In addition to the eligibility to join Surrey Fire and Rescue Service criteria you must also
- Be able respond within four to seven minutes of an alarm, on foot or by vehicle at normal road speeds to your local On-Call Fire Station
- You must be available to respond for 54 hours a week. You can find out more about this under the 'Your working week' section.
- You must be 18 years old to join the service
- You must possess a valid manual driving license.
Do you live near to an On-Call Fire station?
It is vital that you live with the 'turn in time' of the On-Call fire station you wish to join. Use the links below to find out.
| Map Location | Address | Turn in time | Training evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chobham map | Bagshot Road, Chobham | 4 minutes | Thursday 7pm to 10pm |
| Cranleigh map | Dewlands Lane, Cranleigh | 4 minutes | Thursday 7pm to 10pm |
| Dunsfold map | Binhams Meadow, Dunsfold | 7 minutes | Tuesday 7pm to 10pm |
| Godalming map | Bridge Road, Godalming | 4 minutes | Tuesday 7pm to 10pm |
| Gomshall map | Goose Green, Gomshall | 7 minutes | Tuesday 7pm to 10pm |
| Guildford map | Ladymead, Guildford | 4 minutes | Tuesday 7pm to 10pm |
| Haslemere map | West Street, Haslemere | 4 minutes | Tuesday 6.30pm to 9.30pm |
| Lingfield map | Saxby's Lane, Lingfield | 7 minutes | Monday 7pm to 10pm |
| Oxted map | Potters Sandpit, Oxted | 4 minutes | Thursday 7.30pm to 10.30pm |
| Walton map | Hersham Road, Walton-on-Thames | 4 minutes | Thursday 7pm to 10pm |
Visit a station
We strongly recommend that you join your local fire station at one of their training evenings. There is no obligation to join, just turn up and have a chat to the firefighters as this will provide us with an opportunity to;
- meet you and show you round the station
- speak to the crew
- get a better understanding of what is involved in the role.
Station information and details of training evenings can be found in the table above.
Your working week
There is no typical working week for an on-call firefighter, but you must be available to respond for 54 hours a week. During this time it is essential that you remain within four to eight minutes (this is specific to each station) of your On-Call fire station should you be required to respond to an emergency.
Whilst being available as an On-Call firefighter you can go about your normal life at home or work or play, but if you get an emergency call requesting your assistance, you will be expected to drop what you are doing and get to the station within a specified time, at normal road speeds.
Whilst there is a minimum hours required you decide what hours you can provide cover for and when you are available, you will be notified of an emergency via your pager and will need to make your way to the station.
As we are unable to predict when you will be called out you need to be flexible. Ideally you will be able to provide cover on a regular basis either from your home or place of work. You may be a 'part-time' or shift worker who could provide regular daytime cover when required, as well as night.
Training
There is no difference in the expectation or the standards of training if you would join us in a on call capacity, but we recognise that delivery of training may need to be administered differently to appreciate your other commitments. Training continues throughout your career as a firefighter and we are committed to helping you grow and achieve.
The initial training involved to become an On-Call Firefighter is split in to the follow areas:
- core skills training
- breathing apparatus training
- road traffic collision training.
Training will begin by learning about the community and the risks surrounding your Station and showing competence in those areas learnt at the Training Centre. After initial training, you will be required to attend one three hour drill night per week to develop specialist skillsets.
*The above maybe subject to change at any time*
Why not you?
We would love to hear from you if you have what we need to be an On-Call Firefighter. If you think you could be the next leader in your community, simply create an account and apply. See our recruitment page to apply to become an On-Call firefighter.
