Drive to recruit firefighters living near station

More than 90% of on-call firefighters in East Sussex do their firefighting work alongside a day job

A fire service is attempting to recruit new on-call firefighters who live within five minutes of a fire station.

An on-call firefighter is a local resident who responds to fire and rescue situations and emergencies on a part-time basis.

These incidents could range from fires, crashes, flooding, animal rescues, home safety visits and more, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) said.

“When the call comes in, they drop what they are doing and become part of the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service team,” an ESFRS spokesman said.

“It's an important commitment, but an immensely rewarding way to serve the community, keep the public safe and earn an extra income.”

'Flexibility'

More than 90% of on-call firefighters in East Sussex do their firefighting work alongside a day job.

Paul Littlemore, an on-call firefighter and truck mechanic, said: “What I like about being an on-call firefighter is that it gives me enough flexibility that I can put enough time into my own business, while providing enough time for the fire service."

Denice Henry, crew manager at Burwash Fire Station, said living close to a fire station was essential.

“When your alerter goes off, you’ll need to respond and get to the station and will go out on an incident,” she said.

On-call firefighters undergo full training and receive an annual retaining fee of up to £3,450, plus an hourly rate of up to £15.75.