Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service have launched a search to find their next batch of on-call firefighters.

Budding firefighters must be aged 18 or over on the date that training begins and live within a five-minute drive of their local station.

They must also be able to offer at least 30 hours of fire cover each week and have a good level of aerobic fitness and strength.

Sam Mills, station manager at Ashfield Fire Station, said the role was perfect for someone looking to do something with purpose and substance.

Sam Mills, Station manager at Ashfield Fire Station, began life as an on-call firefighter.

placeholder image — Sam Mills, Station manager at Ashfield Fire Station, began life as an on-call firefighter.

“It is an exciting opportunity,” he said. “For me I became an on-call firefighter because I wanted to help people. I was in a period of my life where I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life.

“The on-call role provided me with a little bit of purpose, it gave me a chance. If you need a purpose and want to do something with substance then the fire and rescue service can give you a chance to do something fantastic.

“It is also an excellent way of getting in the fire service, feeling our culture and being part of a winning team. We really are one of the best fire and rescue services in the UK.”

Sam, who has been with the Notts Fire and Rescue Service for ten years, was also keen to stress the importance that is now attached to on-call firefighters within the service.

The new fire appliance at Ashfield Fire Station.

“We have a commitment to ensuring on-call firefighters receive the exact same training and upskilling and investment, financially and by time, in their development,” he said.

“There’s been a misconception in the past that on-call firefighters are not the same quality as the whole time and I would challenge that immediately with anybody. I come from on-call and am very passionate about it.

“Some of the very best firefighters I know are on-call firefighters and I think it's fantastic that, as an organisation, we show that commitment to our workforce.

“A firefighter is a firefighter so the skillsets have complete parity. The only thing we really care about is resolving the incident and putting the communities first. From our point of view there is absolutely no difference at all between on-call and whole-time.”

To register your interest visit https://www.notts-fire.gov.uk/careers/on-call-firefighters/#RegisterYourInterest