AN open evening is being held tomorrow at Great Missenden to encourage people to consider becoming on-call firefighters.

On-call firefighters, officially known as Retained Duty System firefighters, are paid staff who do the same job as full-time firefighters. The difference is that on-call staff are not based in a fire station - instead, they are on standby waiting to be called out.

Station Manager Paul Scanes said: "On-call firefighters are a vital part of today’s fire and rescue service. They provide an efficient, cost-effective service that gives emergency cover to more than 90 per cent of the UK.

"We are hoping that people who haven’t previously considered applying will stop and ask themselves whether they can, in fact, provide cover at critical times of the day or night."

Like their full-time colleagues, on-call firefighters are trained and equipped to deal with a wide range of incidents and situations. These include fires, road traffic collisions and protecting the community through fire safety work.

There are benefits for employers who release staff to be on-call firefighters too. The employee will be professionally trained to deal with emergencies, and a firefighter on the staff could help save lives and property in the event of an emergency. Staff can also be trained for further qualifications such as health and safety and first aid, which could help the business as well.

The event will run from 7pm to 9pm tomorrow, Wednesday March 5, at Great Missenden Fire Station.

For more information go to www.bucksfire.gov.uk