On-call firefighters at Barnard Castle Fire Station.
County Durham residents who want to make a real difference in the community are being urged to become on-call firefighters.
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) has launched a major recruitment drive for on-call firefighters - and no experience is necessary as intensive training will be provided.
More than half of the service’s operational workforce is made up of on-call firefighters who play a crucial role in protecting their communities by being available for around 60 to 80 hours a week to attend incidents ranging from house fires to road traffic collisions.
The role is paid and open to individuals over the age of 17 years and six months.
Applicants must also live or work five minutes away from an on-call fire station so that they can respond to emergencies when alerted by their pager.
On-call firefighters can be anything from factory workers, cooks and farmers to carers, full-time parents or students.
They are doing everyday jobs until the call comes and they become professional firefighters.
As well as attending incidents, on-call firefighters attend weekly drill nights at their fire station to practice their skills.
They are paid a retaining fee every six months and receive an hourly rate of pay for carrying out activities including hydrant inspections and community safety work.
In the last financial year (2024-2025), on-call firefighters earned around £8,000 a year on average. This is dependent on their on-call hours and how many incidents they attend.
Watch Manager and RDS Support Officer Wayne Thompson said: “On-call firefighters are a crucial part of CDDFRS and we are looking for new recruits to take on the role to help us protect the communities we live and work in.
“Our current on-call firefighters come from all walks of life and bring with them experience and skills that are a real asset to our Service.
“The job requires dedication, commitment and personal resilience, but is immensely rewarding.
“Our on-call roles are flexible, allowing you to contribute meaningfully whilst balancing personal commitments.
“If you live or work within five minutes of a fire station, enjoy working as part of a team and want a job that you can be proud of, we’d love to hear from you!”
The Service is looking for on-call firefighters for 13 of its fire stations, with a particular need at Durham, High Handenhold, Stanhope, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle, Crook and Sedgefield.
For more details and to apply visit: https://www.ddfire.gov.uk/call-firefighters-applications-now-open
