On-call Firefighters

On-call (retained) firefighters are an essential part of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Although these individuals are not based on fire stations, they usually live or work within 6-8 minutes (as detailed below) of their local on-call fire station and are ready to respond to any emergency when required.

As part of the role, On-call firefighters receive an annual wage plus additional payments for attending drill nights, training and any incidents. On average, On-call firefighters provide between 40 and 120 hours cover per week to help serve their local community. The most important attributes of an on-call firefighter are self-motivation, compassion, commitment and teamwork.

The Behavioural Competency Framework allows us to easily identify the behaviours that drive successful performance and enables us to deliver an effective service. The behaviours detailed within the job profile will be assessed throughout the selection process.

Read more about the benefits of being an On-call Firefighter and the On-call pay scales at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

• You must live or work within a 6-8 minute radius of your local retained station.
• Be aged 18 and over.
• Be a team player.
• Be able to attend a Monday night drill night once a week.
• Be passionate about serving your community.

Throughout the year we hold a number of Have a Go events to help prepare candidates, where you can come to a fire station and try out some of the physical and written entry tests that potential firefighters need to pass (Firefighter Selection Tests) and to meet some of the local firefighters who are already in the role. The Firefighter Selection Tests are held during weekends at four times during the year.

Dates of Have a Go events and the Firefighter Selection Tests can be found on our events calendar. Please get in touch with your local station to find out more.  

As part of the recruitment process to become an On-call (retained) Firefighter at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, candidates must complete an application and go through a selection process. To find out more, please visit the On-call Firefighting page.

Hungerford

To apply, individuals must live or work within 6 minutes of the station.

Church Street, Hungerford,
England, RG17 0JG, United Kingdom

Lambourn

To apply, individuals must live or work within 8 minutes of the station.

Newbury Street, Lambourn, England, RG17 8YR, United Kingdom

Maidenhead

To apply, individuals must live or work within 6 minutes of the station.

Bridge Road, Maidenhead,
England, SL6 8PG, United Kingdom

Mortimer

To apply, individuals must live or work within 6 minutes of the station.

West End Road, Mortimer,
England, RG7 3TE , United Kingdom

Crowthorne

To apply, individuals must live or work within 6 minutes of the station.

High Street, Crowthorne,
England, RG45 7AP, United Kingdom

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At Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, we want you to bring your whole self to work.

Equality, diversity and inclusion are more than just words for us. That’s why we are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels included and respected, and where no one is unfairly discriminated against. All applications are considered on merit alone. We are a Disability Confident Leader – if you meet the essential criteria of the role, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Simply: Our community is varied and diverse. Our workforce should be too.

At Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, everyone is welcome.To find out more, visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion pages.