7 February 2007

People could be missing out on rewarding opportunities to serve the community as part-time firefighters because they simply don’t realise how flexible the hours can be.

That’s the message from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, which is currently recruiting men and women across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to RDS (retained duty system) crews at most of its 20 fire stations.

“People often think that commitments such as having to do the school run rule them out of the chance of doing something like this,” said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Andy Hickmott, Director of Personnel.

“In fact nothing could be further from the truth. Having someone on call for five or six hours during the day can sometimes make all the difference.”

RDS firefighters are paid staff who do the same job as full-time firefighters. Many of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s 199 retained duty firefighters combine this work with their day job.

Like their full-time colleagues, they are trained and equipped to deal with a wide range of incidents and situations. These include fires, road traffic collisions and protecting the community through fire safety work.  

The difference is that RDS staff are not based in a fire station – instead, they are on standby waiting to be called out. They may be at home, working for themselves or working for a company that allows them to leave work to attend an emergency call.

Their on-call time can be a combination of daytime, evening and weekend hours. They are paid for being on call and called out, and are entitled to paid holidays, sick pay and membership of a pension scheme.

There are benefits for employers who release staff to be RDS firefighters too. The employee will be professionally trained to deal with emergencies, and an RDS firefighter on the staff could help save lives and property in the event of an emergency. Staff can also be trained for further qualifications such as health and safety and first aid, which could help the business as well.

To be a retained firefighter you need to be at least 18 years old, physically fit and live and/or work close to the fire station. Just as important are qualities like common sense, commitment, enthusiasm and the ability to work as a member of a team. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service is committed to giving equal opportunities to everybody regardless of their colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.

If you would like to find out more about working as an RDS firefighter with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, or if you are an employer who would be interested in supporting us by allowing your employees to participate, you can request an information pack by ringing 01296 744670 or sending an email to rdsrecruitment@bucksfire.gov.uk

RDS crews are attached to the following fire stations: Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Bletchley, Brill, Broughton, Buckingham, Chesham, Great Holm, Great Missenden, Haddenham, High Wycombe, Marlow, Olney, Princes Risborough, Stokenchurch, Waddesdon and Winslow.

Frequently asked questions

Information for employers