On Call Firefighter - West District

• Suffolk County Council, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
• Location: West District - Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Clare, Elmswell, Haverhill, Ixworth, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Stowmarket, Sudbury and Wickhambrook
• 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:

Brandon, Bury St Edmunds, Clare, Elmswell, Haverhill, Ixworth, Mildenhall, Newmarket, Stowmarket, Sudbury and Wickhambrook.

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 [email protected].

How to apply

Step 1: Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word).

Step 2: Start your online application using “Apply Now”. 

Please note, a CV/Resume or supporting statement is not required as part of the application process. Instead, you will be asked to complete a series of questions and statements as part of the online application form, including responses to the following:

1. Please describe what skills and experience you can bring to the service and how do these relate to the role? (250 words max) 
2. Please tell us what Equality, Diversity and Inclusion means to you and why you think they are essential to our service? (250 words max) 
3. Please tell us how you demonstrate the personal values and behaviours aligned to our corporate WE ASPIRE values. Please provide an example (s). (250 words max)

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at [email protected] or 03456 014412.  You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.  

Closing date: 11.30pm, 30 September 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.