The Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has launched a recruitment drive for on‑call firefighters in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, with applications open until 1 February 2026. The campaign is part of a county‑wide effort to address part‑time staffing levels the service has described as “fragile” and to bolster local response resilience.
On‑call (retained) firefighters are part‑time local staff who must live or work within five minutes of their local on‑call station — for Carlton that is Manor Road — and respond to incidents when paged. Applicants are required to hold Level 2 qualifications in maths and English (GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent) and to meet physical standards, including a bleep (fitness) test (reported minimum around Level 8.8), a ladder climb and claustrophobia checks. Successful recruits complete initial training (an intensive course or modular weekends) followed by an 18–24 month development period to reach ‘competent’ status.
The drive follows a period in late 2025 when on‑call availability fell at some county stations (Southwell was reported as low as about 49%), limiting the service’s ability to keep appliances ready. NFRS says hiring more on‑call staff in Carlton should improve turnout rates and reduce response times for secondary appliances, strengthening cover for Gedling — where the Greater Carlton neighbourhood plan and a reported regeneration programme are driving new housing and local growth.
Recruits receive an annual retainer (an availability payment) plus hourly call‑out and attendance payments for incidents and training. Pay for retained staff rose under the 2025 NJC pay settlement (a 3.2% uplift effective 1 July 2025), as reported by the Fire Brigades Union; retained payments vary by role and competence level and are typically in the low thousands of pounds per year, with additional hourly call‑out/disturbance payments.
For full details and to apply, see Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s on‑call recruitment page.
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