by Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

Fire stations across Kent are calling for extra recruits to become on-call firefighters.

Larkfield, Marden, Borough Green and Cranbrook stations are among 21 across the county who are recruiting for firefighters.

To become one, you need to be available for an agreed number of hours and during that time are able to carry on your normal, but are paid to be on call.

But if you are called you need to be able to drop what you are doing and get to the station within five minutes. The contracted hours KFRS will offer will be based on what the station needs to deal with the risk in the area.

Applicants need to be over 18, physically fit, with good levels of reading and writing and candidates must live within five minutes of the station. Full training is provided. Anyone interested can find details of the stations, hours needed, recruitment criteria and a film showing the fitness tests on www.kentfirejobs.info

Sean Bone-Knell, assistant director at KFRS said: "There is sometimes a bit of a stereotype of who can be an on-call firefighter and we want to challenge that. This could be a great job for all kinds of people. So if anyone is looking for extra shifts, or perhaps an additional challenge over and above the day job, then this could be for them.

"Over the last couple of years we have made major changes to the service."

The other stations involved are: Ashford, Charing, Cliffe, Deal, Dover, Eastchurch, Edenbridge, Grain, Herne Bay, Hoo, New Romney, Ramsgate, Sevenoaks, Sheppey, Tonbridge, Westerham and Whitstable.