Firefighter (Control) – Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighter (Control) – Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

FIREFIGHTER (CONTROL)

Appointment Type: Permanent

Salary: £29,962 (Development) – £38,340 (Competent) per annum (linked to training, development and competency).

Hours: Full Time – 42 hours per week (shift work)

Location: Potterne Support Offices, Wiltshire. There may be a requirement to work from other locations on occasion.

The closing date for applications is midnight on Sunday 8 November 2026.

We are looking for passionate and dedicated Firefighters (Control), to join our team based in our Service Control Centre in Potterne.

This is no ordinary role. You’ll be the calm, reassuring voice at the other end of the line when someone is potentially facing the worst day of their life. From coordinating fire crews to mobilising emergency resources, every call you take and every decision you make will help protect lives, homes, and communities.

The Service Control Centre is crewed 24 hours per day, 365 days of the year, achieved by four watches on a rotating shift pattern averaging 42 hours per week.

The pattern includes:

• Two consecutive day shifts (08:00 – 18:00)
• Followed by two consecutive night shifts (18:00 – 08:00)
• Followed by four days off

Therefore, applicants must be able to work on days, nights, weekends and public holidays.

Successful applicants will receive full and comprehensive training which will require dedication and a willingness to learn.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, an organisation that is passionate about changing and saving lives. Our Fire Control staff are absolutely vital in helping to make our communities safer. Without them, we couldn’t do it.

We are proud to offer a wide range of employee benefits . From the security of the Local Government Pension Scheme, a generous annual leave allowance, a variety of family friendly policies including 39 weeks’ full pay during maternity leave (subject to qualifying criteria) to our dedicated health & well-being services.

As a Firefighter (Control) you will:

• Take emergency calls from the public
• Liaise with partner agencies, including police, ambulance and local authorities
• Provide guidance and support to the caller, which in some cases may be distressing
• Work as part of a team to provide support to operational colleagues at incidents

You must:

• Be competent in the use of Microsoft Office and other software
• Have 4 GCSE passes – Grade A*-C / 9-4, including English and Mathematics; or equivalent Level 2 qualification; or higher-level relevant qualification; or have at least six months of relevant experience of working in an emergency service/military environment
• Be a minimum of 17 and a half years of age at point of application; however, if successful, you will need to be 18 years old at the point of appointment
• Be able to provide a commitment to the shift working pattern
• Be competent in the use of Microsoft Office and other software packages, with good keyboard skills

What makes you our ideal Firefighter (Control):

• Able to communicate confidently and clearly with both internal and external customers, demonstrating a positive and professional attitude with the ability to establish a rapport with callers
• Able to commit to the requirements of the development programme with a high degree of self-motivation
• Resilient when dealing with distressed callers in emergency life or death situations
• Able to manipulate datasets and databases
• Able to display professionalism in line with working as part of a uniformed service, consistently operating to high standards and supporting operational excellence

Salary: £28,865 (Development) - £36,937 (Competent) per annum (linked to training, development and competency)

Contract type: Full Time

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