NIFRS Launches Recruitment Drive For On-Call Firefighters

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has announced that it is recruiting On-Call Firefighters across 12 stations in Northern Ireland.

The stations include Ballycastle, Ballynahinch, Comber, Crossmaglen, Donaghadee, Dromore (Co. Tyrone), Irvinestown, Keady, Newtownhamilton, Newtownstewart, Portadown and Portstewart. Enthusiastic, flexible and committed people who live or work within a five-minute radius of these Fire Stations to step forward and become On-Call Firefighters within their community.

On-Call Firefighters, also known as part-time Firefighters, play an essential role in protecting their local community by promptly responding to emergency incidents such as fires, road traffic collisions and specialised service calls. They are also vital in offering vital safety guidance to their community members.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Brian Stanfield said:

"Our On-Call Firefighters are the backbone of our Fire & Rescue Service; we simply could not operate or deliver the service we provide without them. They provide emergency Fire & Rescue Services to their local communities 24/7, 365 days a year.

"This is a really exciting time to be joining NIFRS as we will soon be moving to our new Learning & Development College in Cookstown, a first-class training facility were our On-Call Firefighters will train and develop.

"On-Call Firefighters must be able to quickly respond to emergencies by making their way to the Fire Station within 5 minutes when alerted by pager, where they will meet the rest of their crew. Being a Firefighter isn’t a job, it’s a vocation. It’s a demanding and rewarding role and you will be working in the heart of the community in keeping them safe.

"I would also like to call on the local employers, who play an equally important role in the success of our On-Call Firefighter system, by allowing their employees to become On-Call Firefighters. Having an employee on site that has developed a wide range of skills and experience in an emergency situation can also be a great benefit to any employer. As an organisation, we greatly appreciate the support of local employers all over Northern Ireland in helping us provide the best possible Fire & Rescue Service.

"On-Call Firefighters are paid a retaining fee, emergency call-out payments and a payment to attend a weekly drill night, which is 2 hours per week in the evening. Our On-Call Firefighters are trained to the highest standards and take part in 12 days of training each year to ensure we have the most highly skilled Firefighters to help protect our local communities."

An open evening will be held at each station for interested candidates to find out more about the role of an On-Call Firefighter. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 3 June 2024.