On Call Firefighter - North District

Suffolk County Council; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Uniform provided

Blue Light card

Firefighters Charity support

National training schemes

Job summary

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are recruiting On-Call Firefighters to join our emergency response service to deal with fires, road traffic collisions and a wide range of emergencies. On-Call Firefighters are a vital part of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service.

They provide an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover across the county. In Suffolk, on-call Firefighters make up 66% of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service workforce and are generally located in rural communities, small

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old (no upper age limit).
• Live or work within 5–8 minutes of a fire station in Suffolk.
• Hold a full UK driving licence and access to personal transport.
• Have a reasonable level of personal fitness.
• Have permission to be released from your main employment to attend emergency incidents.
• Can operate at heights and confined spaces.
• Keep calm under pressure.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Can develop your skills and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Respond to fires, road traffic collisions and other emergencies across the county.
• Provide reliable emergency cover as part of the on-call team.
• Attend incidents when paged and carry out duties in line with firefighting procedures.

Skills

Teamwork

Physical fitness

Calm under pressure

Job description

• Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
• Location: North District - Aldeburgh, Beccles, Bungay, Eye, Halesworth, Leiston, Lowestoft North, Lowestoft South, Reydon, Southwold, Saxmundham, Stradbroke, Wrentham
• Salary: Annual salary / retainer fee, plus an hourly rate and disturbance fee for attending incidents and training
• Hours: On Call hours
• Contract: Permanent

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are recruiting On-Call Firefighters to join our emergency response service to deal with fires, road traffic collisions and a wide range of emergencies.

On-Call Firefighters are a vital part of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. They provide an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover across the county. In Suffolk, on-call Firefighters make up 66% of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service workforce and are generally located in rural communities, small towns and villages.

Minimum requirements

• Minimum 18 years old (there is no upper age limit).
• Live or work within 5 to 8 minutes of a fire station in Suffolk.
• Hold a full UK driving license and access to personal transport.
• Have a reasonable level of personal fitness.
• Have permission to be released from your main employment to attend emergency incidents (if you will be attending calls whilst at work).
• Can operate at heights and confined spaces.
• Keep calm under pressure.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Can develop your skills and work independently.

Hours of work and pay

You would be contracted to work a set number of hours based on your availability, during which, you would need to keep a pager with you. You would agree which hours you cover; it could be days, nights, weekends or a combination of these.

To find out more, please read our guide to what an On-Call Firefighter is paid (Word).

Benefits of being an On-Call Firefighter

• The satisfaction and respect that comes with providing such a crucial service.
• Membership of a competitive Firefighters’ Pension scheme.
• Issued with a uniform and personal protective equipment.
• Eligibility for a Blue Light card.
• A lifetime of support from the Firefighters Charity for you and your loves ones.
• Access to national training schemes facilitated by the Fire Service College, Women in the Fire Service and the Asian Fire Service Association.
• An annual cost-of-living increase.
• Training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• Diverse and active staff networks.

Additional benefits include shopping vouchers and discounts, public transport discounts, tax-free bike schemes, a health, wellbeing and lifestyle support scheme, plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website.

Stations available

Aldeburgh, Beccles, Bungay, Eye, Halesworth, Leiston, Lowestoft North, Lowestoft South, Reydon, Southwold, Saxmundham, Stradbroke, Wrentham.

You will state in your application which station you are applying for. Please note that the cover required will be subject to station need and will form part of the shortlisting process.

Find out more about the fire stations in Suffolk and find your nearest station.

For more information

Please read our On-Call Firefighter information pack and visit our On-Call Firefighter site.

For any further questions, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [e-mail].

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 30 September 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.