Oxfordshire fire service seeks new recruits to help tackle diverse community needs
Senior officer highlights local challenges and essential qualities needed from recruits
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is working to recruit new full-time firefighters who can rise to the unique challenges presented across the county.
It currently has 222 wholetime firefighters in based at six fire stations across the county; 206 are male and 16 female.
Crews have attended over 5,000 emergency callouts over the last year.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Matt Chapman emphasises the qualities necessary for the role.
"What our brilliant crews have in common is self-reliance, confidence, respect, enthusiasm, team spirit and a willingness to be ready for anything when alerted to an emergency," he said.
Effective communication skills are also important as firefighters engage with diverse groups, including the elderly, young adults, and children.
"Being a firefighter isn't just riding on the fire engine and attending fires, although that is a critical part of what we do. Our firefighters are involved in helping the community in a wide range of activities like safe and well visits and schools talks," Matt explained.
He also noted that the county is a highly varied area to cover and recruits must be prepared to face several different emergencies.
Matt said: "Oxfordshire presents a range of different scenarios, from the historic buildings in the city centre, through to some of our rural communities where we still have risks and challenges.
"We have major road networks, huge science hubs that are critical parts of the world's global infrastructure. And that's why it's so important that we get the right people, because our responsibility is to look after everybody in the community."
The service will be hosting two online Q&A sessions tomorrow aimed at providing a deeper understanding of what the role entails for anyone interested in joining the force.