Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is now accepting applications for the November 2025 cohort of On-call firefighters.
On-call firefighters are an essential part of RBFRS. Although these individuals are not based on fire stations, they usually live or work within 6-8 minutes of their local on-call fire station and are ready to respond to any emergency when required.
Anyone, from any background or walk of life can apply to be an On-call Firefighter, so long as they live or work within:
- 8 minutes of Lambourn Fire Station;
- 6 minutes of Mortimer Fire Station;
- 6 minutes of Hungerford Fire Station;
- 6 minutes of Maidenhead Fire Station;
- or 6 minutes of Crowthorne Fire Station.
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.
Matt Riley, On-Call Station Manager and Hub Officer at RBFRS, said: “We are excited to be recruiting our next cohort of On-call firefighters. Serving the people of Berkshire is at the heart of everything we do, and we need more On-call firefighters with the passion and drive to help those in their time of need.
“We’re looking for people, particularly in the local Lambourn area, who want to make a difference in their communities in a unique and fulfilling career.
“We will be hosting some special On-call ‘Have a Go’ events in the near future, so we would encourage people that haven’t considered the fire and rescue service as a career before to visit our website and find out more.”
Successful applicants must ensure that they are available to attend each stage of the recruitment process, in which the anticipated key dates can be seen here on our website.
RBFRS welcomes applications from people of any background and there is no ‘stereotypical firefighter’. Applications are assessed solely on merit and to the same standards.
To find out more and apply, please visit our On-call Firefighters Career page.