Some common questions we get asked are answered below. To get more information, why not visit your local fire station?
We warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and life experiences, provided you meet the requirements of our aptitude tests, which are outlined on our firefighter requirements page. Please note that serving Police Officers are not eligible to apply due to the legal conflict between police powers of arrest and the responsibilities of a firefighter.
You must be 18 years old by the time you start your role as a firefighter. However, you’re welcome to begin the application process from the age of 17, as long as you’ll have turned 18 by your official start date.
There’s no upper age limit to becoming a firefighter. What matters most is your ability to meet the role’s physical demands. All firefighters must be able to pass the annual fitness assessments, so maintaining a good level of fitness is essential throughout your career.
If you think you may have colour vision deficiency (such as colour blindness), we recommend getting a formal assessment before submitting your application. The minimum accepted standard is the Farnsworth D-15 test, and we also carry out functional colour vision tests during the medical stage if any difficulties are identified. All candidates must also pass the Ishihara test.
Visual Acuity:
Clear testing protocols (e.g. Snellen chart distance, lighting conditions) will be followed to ensure accuracy.
Throughout your firefighting career, you’ll have incredible opportunities to grow, lead, and specialise. Whether you’re aiming for promotion, exploring roles in community prevention, protection, or fire safety, or earning instructor qualifications in specialist skills.
Every step forward is a chance to expand your impact and take your career to the next level.
At Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, we’re committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. If you live with any form of neurodiversity such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, or similar; we can support you with tailored adjustments to help you shine.
If you require any of these adjustments, please let our Recruitment Team know as early as possible so we can make the necessary arrangements.
Need something different? We’re happy to have a conversation about any additional support you may need, reach out to our Recruitment Team.
Living close to your fire station is a great start but being an on-call firefighter also means being ready to attend essential training courses across the county and beyond. While you might be able to run to your local station, you’ll need reliable transport to get to and from training locations.
Most of our courses take place at our Wattisham Training Centre, but sessions can also be held at various sites across Suffolk and occasionally further afield.
You’ll be expected to bring your fire kit with you, so having access to a car is essential to ensure you’re fully prepared and ready to go.
Your first step is to get in touch with the Watch Manager at your local fire station. They’ll be your go-to person for guidance on preparing for the aptitude tests, understanding the recruitment process, and getting ready for your Approved to Ride course. You’ll also discuss your availability and the hours you can commit to being on call.
We understand visiting a fire station for the first time can feel daunting. Don’t worry! The crew will be your future colleagues and are always happy to support you through the process.
📅 To arrange a visit, contact the Recruitment Team first. They’ll help coordinate a suitable time with the Watch Manager.
Aptitude Day includes a series of physical and practical tests designed to assess your fitness, strength, coordination, and ability to follow instructions. You can find out more details about aptitude assessments here: Firefighter Requirements.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Recruitment Team as we’re here to help!
Once you arrive for your day shift, you’ll kick things off by carrying out essential checks on breathing apparatus and key equipment making sure everything is ready to go at a moment’s notice.
From there, you’ll dive into community fire safety work and general admin tasks. This could include installing smoke alarms, conducting home fire safety visits, or checking in on high-risk premises to help keep our communities safe.
And of course, at any point during the day, you could be called out to respond to an emergency because no two shifts are ever the same.
Wholetime Firefighters receive an annual salary that reflects their rank and level of competency.
You can find out more about pay here: Pay settlement 2024 | Fire Brigades Union
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service operates two distinct shift systems across its wholetime fire stations:
This system follows a rotating pattern of:
Each station using this system is divided into four watches: White, Red, Blue, and Green.
Stations operating the 24-hour shift system:
This system involves one watch working Monday to Friday during daytime hours, with no shifts on weekends or public holidays.
Stations operating the day-crewed system:
You can find out more about our fire stations here: Fire stations in Suffolk
As part of the application process, you’ll be asked a series of questions. Your responses will be assessed against the NFCC Leadership Framework. To learn more click here.
To be an effective on-call firefighter, you’ll typically need to live or work within 5 to 8 minutes of your local fire station. The exact response time can vary by location, so it’s important to speak directly with the Watch Manager at your station and they’ll let you know the average turnout time for their crew.
Why does this matter? Because when an emergency call comes in, every second counts. If your station usually mobilises within 5 minutes and you’re 8 minutes away, the fire engine could be gone before you arrive which could affect your ability to respond, progress, and stay active in the role.
Always check with your Watch Manager to confirm what’s expected at your station and make sure you’re within the right distance to respond effectively.
Because the role of an on-call firefighter is typically carried out alongside your main job, it’s important to have the support of your primary employer. Even if you don’t plan to be on call during your working hours, transparency is key especially in case you’re delayed returning from an incident.
To ensure everything is clear and agreed upon, we ask that you obtain formal consent from your employer.
👉 Click the to download an Employer Consent Form
Once complete please return to our Recruitment Team.
If your employer has any questions, share this guidance with them. They can also reach to our Recruitment Team for further questions.
Each fire station has unique needs when it comes to on-call coverage. That’s why the number of hours you’ll need to be available to respond to your alerter may vary depending on the station.
To help us manage appliance availability effectively, we ask all on-call firefighter applicants to provide their availability as part of the application process. This ensures we can match your commitment with the operational needs of your local station.
As an on-call firefighter, you’ll be rewarded for your time, commitment, and service through a structured pay system designed to reflect your availability and activity.
You’ll start on the Development Firefighter rate, which increases as you reach competency and continues to grow if you progress into roles like Crew Manager or Watch Manager.
You can find out more about pay here: Pay settlement 2024 | Fire Brigades Union
There are on-call fire stations located throughout Suffolk. These stations may be actively recruiting. Interested individuals should check opportunities in their local town or village. You can find out more about our stations here: Fire stations in Suffolk.
