Call for new firefighters

The weekend’s flash flooding saw most of Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service resources in use over the course of Saturday.

At one point, the majority of the Service’s 35-strong fleet of fire engines were at incidents and nearly 150 firefighters were dealing with floods to roads, homes and businesses.

Mark Gaskarth, Area Manager for Wiltshire, said that the public had been well served by their firefighters, most of whom are on the retained duty system rather than being wholetime. “Retained firefighters live and work in their local community, so they know the geography, they know the people. Being a firefighter is often not their only job, it’s something they do in addition to their other commitments, yet they are prepared to be on call for whenever their help is needed.”

He added: “When there is a crisis, people turn to the Fire & Rescue Service for help, and we are extremely fortunate in having such a dedicated workforce ready to turn out and help their local communities. We always need more retained firefighters across Wiltshire and Swindon to provide the 24-hour cover that we need - anyone who lives or works near the fire station has the potential to become a firefighter, subject to passing the entry tests.”

Being a retained firefighter is a great way of giving something back to the community, and candidates can offer whatever cover best suits their circumstances. If you work in a town but live elsewhere, you could be on call during daytime work hours if your employer is happy. Day cover could be offered by mums or dads at home during school hours, or evenings and weekends could suit people who work out of town but live locally.

For more information about retained firefighting opportunities throughout Wiltshire and Swindon, telephone 01380 731144 or visit www.wiltsfire.gov.uk

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