Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service

Service Headquarters

The Knowle

Clyst St George

Exeter

EX3 0NW

01392 872 200 (24 hours)

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service is the largest non-metropolitan fire and rescue service in the country. With 85 stations numerically it is the 2nd largest in England and employs 2300 officers and staff many of which work in the Plymouth area.

They also have the greatest number of fire appliances outside of London and are able to deal with the after effects of terrorism, flooding, major traffic incidents and public decontamination together with the safety management of collapsed structures.

Fire & Rescue Service officers don’t just put out fires and rescue people from road traffic accidents and other emergencies but also carry out Plymouth  home safety checks and work with local businesses and  hotels in Plymouth  to ensure their employees and customers are kept safe.

Another interesting part of the job is the investigation of how a fire started in the first place and whether the cause of a fire was accidental or an act of arson. Their reports are vital for insurance claims and what they say will determine if an insurance company is liable for the damage caused. If you are a victim of fire and need to find out what emergency Plymouth accommodation costs then our Plymouth hotels section would be a good place to look for somewhere to stay in Plymouth area now.

Plymouth Fire Service work with partners to influence young drivers to try and prevent them becoming the next accident to be seen on Plymouth streets. Countless lives and heartache of Plymouth families has been saved by their efforts to influence and educate young drivers.

They engage people in around Plymouth with diversionary activities to reduce anti social behaviour and crime. It is the priority of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service to prevent further incidents through this type of work in Plymouth and is succeeding in reducing the number of operational incidents.

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Ceremonial Unit has been in operation for 25 years. It is a group of musicians who love music and marching and their task is to promote the service in a number of different ways.

Within the Unit the musicians are not only serving firefighters and support staff  but also people with a musical background from the general community of  Plymouth Devon and Somerset.

Members don’t have to fight fires or be one of the support staff but would be expected to perform at a number of venues fetes in Plymouth area, carnivals and Plymouth concerts and others throughout Devon and Somerset. They also attend the Annual Firefighters Memorial Service in London and go to Belgium as part of the Remembrance Parades in Ypres on November 11th each year.

The unit also has a town twinning arrangement in France and has taken part in Military Tattoo's in Luxembourg and Concerts in the City of Bruges in Belgium.

If you would like to join then new members are always sought after. If you play an instrument or are willing to learn then membership is open to you providing you are over the age of 16 and you live and work in Plymouth Devon or Somerset.

Trainee fire fighters in Plymouth fire service earn at the start of their career £21,157 going up to £53,934 for a top paid area manager. Getting a job in Plymouth as a fireman or firewoman in Plymouth seems to be an attractive proposition by numbers of applicants each year. 

During each year  fire stations in Plymouth hold open days where members of the public can see what it’s like to be a firefighter in a todays fire and rescue service.

Usually appliances are made available in Plymouth for a close up look at the equipment on a Plymouth Fire engine.

You can get to know the Plymouth local firefighters who work at the station near you. It can be a good way to decide whether you would like a job in the service and to find out if you could be suited to a career in Plymouth Fire Service stations.

Any proceeds normally go to the FireFighters Charity a leading provider of services in order to enhance quality of life for serving and retired fire service personnel and their families during their time of need. You can find when the next Plymouth Fire service open day is by looking at our events pages.

There is Fire Cadet Unit which gives young people aged between 11 and 17 the opportunity to work with the fire and rescue service equipment but unfortunately there is no unit in Plymouth with the nearest being in Frome.

For Plymouth youngsters (aged 14-16 years) and interested in the fire service there is the Firebreak programme. The code of conduct is based on the high standards of self-discipline worked to in the fire and rescue service which encourages personal development and gives students a fire and rescue themed educational programme designed to complement and enhance the school curriculum.

Courses in the Plymouth Fire Brigade are based at fire stations local to the participating schools and students are required to be available on a day-release basis for the duration of one complete school term.

The sorts of skills they will be expected partake in are:

Using  firefighting water hoses, search and rescue, climbing fire service ladders, operating fire pumps, health and safety, water safety, survival and lifesaving, fire safety in the home, use of lines and knots to carry out initiative tasks. As they advance their activities include, basic life support, caving, road safety and roadcraft, kayaking and raft building, high ropes course and paintballing.

Even if a job in Plymouth Fire Service is not the motive the experience gained by working with them will surely give them an advantage when they are finally looking for their chosen Plymouth jobs