Sherborne Fire Station is manned by on-call firefighters who have other jobs or commitments but drop everything to respond to emergency calls. The firefighters talk about their role, the impact on their families and why they do it.
It's ten o'clock on a Thursday morning and all over Sherborne pagers are alerting the town's on-call firefighters that crews must respond to a 999 emergency. The firefighters have five minutes to reach the fire station in Coldharbour and despatch the first fire engine.
Station Commander Simon Gillett has been a firefighter in Sherborne for 25 years. He tells The Sherborne Podcast about the demands made on his crews and the commitment they make to be on-call firefighters.
The firefighters spend one evening a week checking and maintaining equipment, and holding training drills to keep their skills up to date.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service are recruiting. They are looking for people willing to commit up to 120 hours a week to the brigade and for employers who are willing to allow their staff to respond to emergencies during the day. The firefighters commit to be on standby in the evenings and overnight.
If you want to know more about becoming an on-call firefighter go to https://www.dwfire.org.uk/working-for-us/on-call-firefighters
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