West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue are recruiting on-call firefighters in Otley, Ilkley and Silsden - here's how to apply

The recruitment drive is looking to fill positions in Otley, Ilkley and Silsden stations.

Potential candidates need to be over 18, live or work within a 2.5km radius of their chosen fire station and commit to being on call for a certain amount of hours per week.

There are no restrictions on either weight or height, but candidates are required to have a good level of strength and fitness.

WYFRS hopes that people who have more flexible working practices as a result of the pandemic will now be able to consider a firefighter role.

The on-call hours can be covered during a normal working day, as long as the candidate has the flexibility to leave work at a moment’s notice.

Bradford District Commander, Benjy Bush, said: "We are looking for individuals who want to give something to the community but will also get an awful lot back in return.

"It is an exciting and rewarding career that helps to bring out the very best in people.”

Once accepted, on-call firefighters have two options to complete their initial phase of training.

There is a 15-week training course held at the WYFRS headquarters in Birkenshaw, Bradford, or a modular training option which can be completed within six to 18 months.

WYFRS is also appealing to local businesses to support employees who want train as an on-call firefighter by allowing flexible working practices.

“This is a chance to go from ordinary to extraordinary and a role that is suited to more people than they may realise,” District Commander Bush added.

"We have firefighters from various backgrounds who work on the on-call system and we welcome underrepresented groups into the service. We’re committed to ensuring that our workforce is representative of the communities we serve.”

To ensure potential candidates are within the strict time or distance allowed to serve the individual stations, WYFRS will undertake several dry runs to the station using different routes at different times of the day.

Something as simple as a delayed traffic light can be the difference between a would-be firefighter hitting or missing a response time and being accepted on to the training programme.

District Commander Bush said: “If you are unsure whether you are within the catchment area then contact the local fire station for guidance.

“We do find that we have recruitment issues from time to time in very specific pockets and this can be due to the demographics of the area, levels of employment etc, but on-call firefighters are crucial members of our team who serve alongside full-time firefighters and receive exactly the same level of training and support.”

How to apply

Anyone interested in applying can find out more about the job and the application process here.

For the full list of requirements click here.