DESPITE the loss of one of its two engines the problem of a shortage of fire fighters in an on-going problem in Tenbury.

A shortage of retained firemen and women is a problem throughout Hereford and Worcester with Tenbury just one of more than 20 stations recruiting for officers.

In rural areas like Tenbury fire fighters are employed on a retained basis.

This means than instead of being based at a station as is the case in most cities and towns they work on an on-call basis.

It means that the fire fighter has to be able to get to the fire station within five minutes of being called. Whilst they can have other work it is a requirement that the fireman or woman can drop whatever they are doing immediately to respond to an incident.

Fire fighters are provided with training and get basic pay that it topped up with on call payments then they are required.

There are different levels of cover that an on-call firefighter can provide, ranging from 40 hours per week up to 120 hours per week.

However, despite having the number of fire engines cut from two to one recruiting a sufficient number of fire fighters remains a constant challenge in Tenbury and at many other rural stations.

The main problem is that for many people fire-fighting is undertaken alongside another job and is therefore dependent upon the primary employer having the flexibility to be able to allow the worker to be available at a moment’s notice.

Fire chiefs say that benefits to an employer include having workers that have special training and know how to operate as part of a team. It also helps to provide a vital public service.

There is no age limit on a fire fighter who can be any age and either male or female. However, the person needs to have a good level of physical fitness and to pass a recruitment process.

More information about being a fire fighter in Tenbury can be gained by calling 01905 368343.