South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is looking for Monmouthshire residents to take up on-call firefighter mantle

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) and its Monmouthshire fire stations are looking for individuals, who care about their community and are up for a challenge to join their local station by becoming on-call firefighters.

As an On-Call Firefighter, individuals carry out the same operational roles as a wholetime (full time) firefighter. Whether responding from home or from work, those individuals on duty must be 5 minutes of the station to respond to an emergency incident.

However, there is a lot more to the role of an On-Call Firefighter than just putting out fires. The role also includes interacting with the public such as school visits and carrying out fire safety checks in the homes of the most vulnerable living in Monmouthshire.

The training that SWFRS firefighters receive such as trauma care, means that local employers will also benefit from this extra skillset through allowing staff to take on this secondary employment role.

Liz Sharpe, an on-call firefighter for Monmouth Station said, “The thing I enjoy most about being an on-call fire fighter is the excitement of not knowing where you’re going, who you’re going to see and of course what you’re going to do.

“This job isn’t for the faint hearted but it’s highly skilled and extremely rewarding. Today’s firefighters are not only putting out fires, we are multi-skilled and are trained in many areas including road traffic collisions, trauma care and education to name a few.

“I would encourage anyone to join our team at Monmouth and become an on-call firefighter because if you want to learn new skills, be part of a team, help and support your local community or are looking for a new career path, then come along to the station and we can show you firsthand what the job entails. I have three jobs including being an on-call firefighter and I’m also a single mum of three! If it can work for me then it can work for you too.”

If residents, who are over 18 and are interested in becoming an on-call firefighter and want to know more, they should visit their local station – there are five in Monmouthshire; Abergavenny, Monmouth, Usk, Chepstow and Caldicot – who will be able to give you more information.

For wider SWFRS recruitment information, visit www.southwales-fire.gov.uk