TEN new on-call firefighters have been welcomed into Essex County Fire and Rescue Service after completing their basic training course in Witham.

The new recruits all live or work within five minutes of an on-call fire station and will respond to incidents when paged. They will be heading to Great Baddow, South Woodham Ferrers, Shoebury, Ingatestone, Tiptree, Halstead, Rochford and Brightlingsea fire Stations.

The team completed their two-week intensive training course on Friday 20 February and will continue their training at their home stations.

Firefighter Rich Kirchel, who works as the Marketing and PR Lead for Adult Community Learning, will be joining South Woodham Ferrers Fire Station.

He said: “When I saw the banner outside the station, it made me wonder whether I could take on the role myself. I was looking for something more active to do in my spare time, while also giving back to a community I care deeply about. And, of course, my son is obsessed with fire engines – so I’m definitely making him very proud.”

Portia Thompson is heading to Ingatestone Fire Station and works in a doctors surgery during the day.

She said: “I decided to join because I wanted to do something that felt genuinely rewarding. I was looking for a role where I could challenge myself, learn new skills and make a real difference to people’s lives.

“Being a firefighter isn’t just about responding to emergencies, it’s about being there for your community when it matters most. Knowing that the work we do can help keep people safe and provide reassurance in difficult moments makes it incredibly worthwhile.”

More than three quarters of fire stations in Essex are staffed by on-call firefighters. They all live or work within five minutes of the fire station and are paged when there is an incident. This means they can go about their daily business working or spending time in their community while helping to keep the fire station available when needed.

As well as responding to incidents, on-call firefighters also carry out home fire safety visits, attend community events and visit community hubs like schools and care homes to give safety advice.

If you live or work within five minutes of an on-call fire station, you could be paid to protect your community as an on-call firefighter.

Find out more by searching “Join Essex Fire”.