As Covid restrictions lift, businesses are being asked to consider whether their future business model could accommodate On-Call firefighters.
With the latest Office for National Statistics survey of businesses reporting that 26% of working adults are still working exclusively from home, many employers are looking at how they operate in the future.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are now inviting business owners to find out more about their staff being On-Call firefighters in their communities.
Julia Whitfield, Watch Manager for recruitment, explains: "During the Covid pandemic, we have seen a better availability of On-Call crews as many firefighters have been furloughed or on reduced hours in their primary employment, meaning they have had more availability to support the fire service.
"But it has also presented new opportunities for people who continue to work from home - often based in more rural locations, rather than in a town or city-centre office. Being an On-Call firefighter has now opened up to a much larger pool of potential workers, and we're keen to talk to employers about this."
On-Call firefighters who work from home are often more satisfied with their working life, and more likely to stay with their primary employer as a result of their shifts.
People interested in becoming On-Call firefighters need to live or work within five minutes of a fire station and be over 18.
On-Call firefighters carry pagers. When the pager sounds, they need to get to the fire station promptly and within 5 minutes of being alerted, from their home or a place of work. Shifts can be flexible and are available around other commitments and responsibilities.
Details of what it involves, including pay, training and how to apply can be found at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/lfr or you can contact the recruitment team by phone on 0800 3580 204 or by emailing RecruitmentFire@lincoln.fire-uk.org