If you live or work within five minutes of an on-call fire station in Kent and Medway, you could make real difference in your community as an on-call firefighter for Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS), just like Craig.

Craig is an on-call firefighter at Tonbridge fire station, and he fits his shifts around his full-time day job. He’s been responding to emergencies in his local area as part of the crew for 37 years now, having initially been inspired to join by his brother and uncle who enjoyed on-call and wholetime firefighter roles.

Craig said: “There’s always been that family link and they were singing the praises of Kent Fire and Rescue Service, so I wanted to give it a go, and here I am still doing it now – I love what I do. 

“I have my full-time role which is a 9am-5pm desk job, and then being an on-call firefighter gives me variety and an opportunity to give something back to the community. It’s very rewarding.”

Craig has progressed in the role to become crew manager, taking on greater responsibility on the incident ground and supporting other colleagues in the on-call section at Tonbridge fire station. 

He added: “The best part of the job for me is the teamwork. I work remotely at my full-time job, so this gives me the chance to interact with my crew and members of the public.

“When you leave an incident knowing you’ve really helped someone and left them in a better position than they were previously, there’s no feeling like it.”

KFRS Area Manager Nick Scott, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for people who want to make a difference in their community. It’s a role that can fit alongside a full-time job or around family life, allowing you to work flexibly with a set number of hours a week, with a mixture of daytime, weekend, and evening shifts. If you want to be there for the people in your neighbourhood in times of need, this could be the fulfilling role you’re after.”

On-call firefighter applications are now open for the following stations, and the closing date is Sunday, 11 August:

•    Swanley
•    Swanscombe
•    Ash-cum-ridley
•    Borough Green
•    Sevenoaks
•    Westerham
•    Edenbridge
•    Tonbridge
•    Paddock Wood
•    Tunbridge Wells
•    Southborough