On-call firefighters are a vital part of today’s Fire and Rescue Service. They provide emergency cover to more than 90% of the UK. In County Durham and Darlington, they make up approximately 53% of the operational workforce. County Durham and Darlington is served by a total of 15 fire stations, 13 of which include On-call firefighters.
When they are called to an emergency, they could be dealing with any type of major or minor incident, such as road, rail or air collisions, floods, chemical spills and rescuing people trapped in lifts or other confined spaces.
Firefighters take part in activities such as giving talks to schools, visiting community groups, fitting smoke alarms in homes and advising homeowners on protecting their properties from fire risks etc. Firefighters therefore use a range of communication skills and have regular contact with all groups within the community.