Apply to be a firefighter at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) has opened its latest wholetime firefighter recruitment campaign and is encouraging anyone who has considered firefighting as a career to find out more.

Recruitment opened on Tuesday 18 October and will remain open until 18 December. It is expected it will then reopen in early 2023. 

The recruitment campaign continues to celebrate the role of a modern-day firefighter and highlights the key role they play in their community, challenging outdated stereotypes and myths.

It also tells the stories of some of the current firefighters in Essex and gives an insight into who they are and how they have challenged stereotypes or worked to become the firefighter they are today.

Karen Nicoll, who has been in the fire service for over 20 years, said: 

"I qualified as a PE teacher in 2000 but I felt like it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted more of an active job and to be part of a team, plus I still wanted the flexibility to continue with my love of sports. 

"One of the things I love about the fire service is that it is constantly evolving along with the communities we serve. We are continually looking at new opportunities to help keep Essex a safe place to live, work and travel. 

"To anyone that wonders about applying to join our fire service; it is not an easy quick process, but there is a wonderful reward of a fantastic valuable career at the end of it. 

"So ask questions, keep trying, look at all the options and make the most of all the amazing support on offer. And lastly, enjoy the challenge so you get the most from the experience."

ECFRS Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive Rick Hylton said:

"Our Service is full of highly trained and skilled firefighters, who we are proud to showcase as part of our recruitment campaign. 

"All of our firefighters are united by one common mission – the commitment to making Essex a safe place to live work and travel, and we are looking for outstanding people who are dedicated to working as a team to achieve this.

"If that sounds like you, I really urge you to find out more and apply."

Next steps

If you’re interested in applying to become a firefighter and want to know more, visit join.essex-fire.gov.uk/wholetime

There, you'll find lots of information on fitness, the application process and the link to apply. 

ECFRS will also be holding a limited number of virtual Q&A events - as soon as the dates are confirmed they will be added to the Service's social media accounts.