Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging Shepton Mallet people with a passion for helping their community to apply to become on-call firefighters.

The service says it is looking for applicants from all walks of life, including self-employed tradespeople, stay-at-home parents, small business workers and employees of larger organisations.

It said: "We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the local communities we work in and so welcome enquiries from all."

Applicants must live or work no more than five minutes from their nearest fire station.

They must be at least 18 when they start employment, have the right to work in the UK, be able to drive by the start of employment, and have no unspent criminal convictions at that point.

The service says people can apply before they turn 18 or before they have a driving licence.

There is no maximum age limit.

Applicants also need good eyesight, a good level of strength and fitness, and a sound grasp of maths and English.

Formal qualifications are not needed, but maths and English will be tested during the application process.

On-call firefighters respond to emergency calls, carry out community work and give prevention advice to help keep people safe.

The role can fit around study, work and family commitments.

The fire service says recruits receive full and ongoing training, earn extra money and develop transferable work and life skills.

Call-outs vary by station.

Some stations attend more than 800 incidents a year, while others attend fewer than 50.

On average, on-call firefighters are paged two to three times a week for a couple of hours at a time, including during the day, evenings and weekends.

Applications can be made through the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service website.

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