Job Description
- Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
- Location: North District – Aldeburgh, Beccles, Bungay, Eye, Halesworth, Leiston, Lowestoft North, Lowestoft South, Reydon, Southwold, Saxmundham, Stradbroke and Wrentham
- Salary: Annual salary/retainer fee, plus an hourly rate and disturbance fee for attending incidents and training
- Hours: On Call hours
- Contract: Permanent
How would you like a job that earns you extra money and fits around your work and family commitments?
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service are recruiting
On-Call Firefighters to join our emergency response service to deal with fires, road traffic collisions and a wide range of emergencies.
On-Call Firefighters are a vital part of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. They provide an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover across the county. In Suffolk, on-call Firefighters make up 66% of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service workforce and are generally located in rural communities, small towns and villages.
Minimum requirements:
- Minimum 18 years old (there is no upper age limit).
- Live or work within 5 to 8 minutes of a fire station in Suffolk.
- Hold a full UK driving license and access to personal transport.
- Have a reasonable level of personal fitness.
- Have permission to be released from your main employment to attend emergency incidents (if you will be attending calls whilst at work).
- Can operate at heights and confined spaces.
- Keep calm under pressure.
- Ability to work well in a team.
- Can develop your skills and work independently.
Hours of work and pay
You would be contracted to work a set number of hours based on your availability, during which, you would need to keep a pager with you. You would agree which hours you cover; it could be days, nights, weekends or a combination of these.
To find out more, please read
our guide to what an On-Call Firefighter is paid (Word) .
Benefits of being an On-Call Firefighter:
- The satisfaction and respect that comes with providing such a crucial service.
- Membership of a competitive Firefighters’ Pension scheme.
- Issued with a uniform and personal protective equipment.
- Eligibility for a Blue Light card .
- A lifetime of support from the Firefighters Charity for you and your loves ones.
- Access to national training schemes facilitated by the Fire Service College, Women in the Fire Service and the Asian Fire Service Association.
- An annual cost-of-living increase.
- Training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
- Diverse and active staff networks.
Additional benefits include shopping vouchers and discounts, public transport discounts, tax-free bike schemes, a health, wellbeing and lifestyle support scheme, plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our
Suffolk County Council careers website .
Stations available:
Aldeburgh, Beccles, Bungay, Eye, Halesworth, Leiston, Lowestoft North, Lowestoft South, Southwold, Saxmundham, Stradbroke, Wrentham.
You will state in your application which station you are applying for. Please note that the cover required will be subject to station need and will form part of the shortlisting process.
Find out more about the
fire stations in Suffolk and find your nearest station .
For more information
Please read our
On-Call Firefighter information pack and visit our
On-Call Firefighter site .
For any further questions, please contact our
Recruitment Team by emailing
SFRS.Recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk .
How To Apply
Step 1: Read the
Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word) .
Step 2: Complete the
Supporting Statement Form (Word) which includes 3 questions (other formats will not be accepted).
Step 3: Start your online application using “Apply Now” and
upload your supporting statement on the final page.
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format. If you would like an adjustment to this process due to a disability, please contact us at
03456 014412 or
recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk
Closing date: 11:30pm, 31 January 2026
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.
About Us
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
- up to 40 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata)
- membership of a competitive Firefighters' Pension scheme or Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- eli gibility for a Blue Light card
- a lifetime of support from the Fire Firefighters Charity for you and your loved one s
- family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave and pay
- travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
- an annual cost-of-living pay increase
- access to national training schemes facilitated by the Fire Service College, Women in the Fire Service and the Asian Fire Service Association
- training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
- a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
- diverse and active staff networks
- flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .
