A RECRUITMENT drive is underway by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue (DSFR) for more retained firefighters to join its Williton Fire Station.

DSFR is looking for people aged 18 years or older with a good level of strength and fitness who can offer regular weekly availability.

A spokesperson said: “No previous experience is required, full training is provided.

“And remember, this is not a voluntary position.

“You will be paid for your time and availability.”

Williton’s fire crews had a busy year in 2025, attending 249 emergency calls across the 12 months, an average of nearly five incidents a week.

Calls included domestic fires, carbon monoxide incidents, chimney and heathland fires, car crashes and fires, flooding, forced entry to assist ambulance crews, and more.

The spokesperson said: “Every call is different, but everybody matters to somebody, and we are proud to be there when needed.

“As a station, we have also faced challenges with tough incidents, hard decisions, and the difficult moments when familiar faces hang up their helmets for the last time.

“The fire service is constantly changing, and so are we.”

The spokesperson said the firefighters owed ‘a huge thank you’ to everybody who had and continued to support them through the year.

They said: “We have faced long nights, early mornings, missed meals, missed moments with friends and family, and we could not do it without the people around us who keep cheering us on.

“To our loved ones for understanding when we dash out in the middle of dinner, to our local community for always supporting us, and to the employers and businesses who allow on-call firefighters to leave work at a moment’s notice, thank you.”

Anybody interested in becoming an on-call firefighter can attend the station’s Thursday drill nights from 7 pm to 9 pm and meet the crews and ask any questions.