Hungerford and Lambourn need retained firefighters

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is currently recruiting for retained firefighters at Hungerford and Lambourn fire stations
Retained firefighter at Lambourn Fire Station in Newbury Street, Ben Hilliam, said: “I decided to become a retained firefighter because I wanted to make a real difference within my own local community.
“You never know what you might get called out to - it could be dealing with a house fire or rescuing someone from a road traffic collision - but, whatever the incident, our job is to help people when they need it the most.”
Retained firefighters need to be active, practically-minded and enjoy working in a variety of roles. However, unlike wholetime firefighters, retained firefighters are not based on a fire station but instead often have other employment and respond to call-outs via a pager.
For this reason, retained firefighters must live or work within six minutes of the fire station.
Retained firefighters receive comprehensive ongoing training throughout their career; they are paid a basic retainer, plus additional fees for call outs, training and other duties such as equipment maintenance.
On average, they are called out two or three times a week for a couple of hours.
If they are not available all the time, they can choose to be on call for only part of the day or week.
Applicants don’t need any paper qualifications but must be at least 18-years-old, have a good level of all-round fitness and be able to communicate effectively.
The role is open to men and women from all backgrounds and would probably suit those best who are self-employed or work for a community-minded employer who can release them for firefighting duties from time to time.
It is also an ideal opportunity for anyone with some spare time, such as a parent who needs a flexible approach to working hours while their children are at school.
To apply to become a retained firefighter, visit www.rbfrs.co.uk and click on vacancies or email recruitment@rbfrs.co.uk