The annual cost of fires in the UK
The percentage of homes fitted with smoke alarms in the UK
Of all firefighters in the UK are on-call
As a wholetime firefighter you will be employed full time by your Service, working on a shift pattern which calls for working days, nights, evenings, weekends and public holidays.
The majority of firefighters that protect the UK serve on a part-time basis according to their availability.
Regardless of the work you might do as a firefighter, the course will give you new friends, new confidence and new skills that will benefit you and those around you.
By going the extra mile and giving your time and commitment you'll not only benefit your own self-esteem, but you'll gain the respect of those around you and you'll be rewarded each time you are called to help.
There is a well-structured firefighter career path. All Services run the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS) allowing you to plan and track career development.
We've been out and about talking to people who have some involvement with the fire service, from Chief Fire Officers to serving firefighters, from employers to members of your communities and below you can see what they have to say about firefighters and what being part of this amazing service means to them.
Real life experience
On-call firefighters talk about their experiences.
Oxfordshire County Council Fire & Rescue Service
Simon Furlong, Chief Fire Officer, Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service says “Give it a go!”.
Come for the challenge, stay for the people
As a firefighter you'll get the very best training with the latest equipment, overcome new challenges and make friends for life along the way.
In 2013-14 dwellings with no smoke alarm accounted for 38% of deaths in home fires in Great Britain, and nearly one fifth of deaths occurred where no smoke alarm worked.
In 2013-14 more than a third of fire deaths in non-domestic buildings were caused by smokers’ materials or cigarette lighters.
The main cause of accidental fires in dwellings remains the misuse of equipment or appliances, with 13,300 cases recorded in 2013-14.
In 2013-14, Fire and Rescue Services in Great Britain responded to 23,100 road vehicle fires.
