News What does the


job involve? ON-CALL firefighters are paid to be available for 999 “shouts” dur- ing pre-arranged periods. Unlike full-time officers, they


are not on work shifts and can continue their everyday lives, as long as they remain within five minutes of their designated sta- tion. The fire service will then contact themby pager if an emer- gency arises. Most have other jobs and pro-


vide cover outside their regular working hours. The fire service normally requires a commitment of at least 50 hours a week, with most contracts averaging about 60 hours. On-call officerswill be tasked to


fight fires, help at road accidents and get involved in other rescue operations. They will also main- tain, test and clean equipment, and help raise awareness of fire and road safety at local events. A spokesman for Kent Fire and


Rescue Service said: “On-call fire- fighters are a vital part of today’s fire and rescue service.” For more information, visit the


jobs page at www.kent.fire- uk.org.


downsmail.co.uk


Teacher by day, Leanne is a firefighter by night


LEANNE Beeston is a college lec- turer who happens to drive a 12- tonne fire truck in her spare time. When she is not in the classroom


or marking assignments, she is in the thick of fires, cutting casualties from road crash wreckage or a range of other rescue operations. As one of the county’s on-call


firefighters, the 28-year-old not only holds down a dramatic sec- ond job, but also trains to keep her physical abilities and life-saving skills at the top of their game. “I love it” said Leanne, who


joined up six years ago. “Itwas al- ways something I wanted to do, and learning to drive the fire en- gine has been one of my biggest challenges. “When I tell people what I do,


they’re surprised, butmy dadwas a firefighter, andmost kidswant to be a firefighter. Iwas nodifferent.” Tovil-based Kent Fire and Res-


cue Service (KFRS) says officers like Leanne are a vital part of a modern 999 response, providing


safety cover for 90%of theUK. Unlike their full-time colleagues,


on-call firefighters are calledout to emergencies via pager. This form of firefighting isusedtoprotect the communities of Larkfield, Head- corn, LenhamandMarden,where KFRS is currently running a re- cruitment drive. Leanne, who teaches animal


management at Hadlow College and covers Larkfield Fire Station, said: “It’s a great job that fits around other commitments and family. I spend my days teaching and nights on-call. “Youcan still have friends round


when you’re on-call, they just knowthat at somepoint youmight have to disappear on a shout. “Being on-call can be frustrating,


because you don’t always get called out as much as you expect. But there are busy periods when we are called out several times a night. It doesn’t happen that often, and I’ve only been late to my day job once because Iwas attending a shout.My employers have always been very supportive.” Applicants are put through a se-


ries of tests to ensure they have the fitness and aptitude for the role. Leanne said: “I go to the gym


and run but I’m not a fanatic. Wearing breathing apparatus and lugging hose is hardwork, but you don’t have to be superwoman.”


6


Maidstone Weald January 2019


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