Control

A member of Fire Control staff

We are not currently recruiting Fire Control staff.

Avon Fire & Rescue Service's Fire Control, based at Lansdown, handles all of our area's emergency calls.

Fire Control staff have a vital role and are trained to deal with any 999 call that they might receive, from a house fire to a serious road traffic collision or cliff rescue. 

Staff at work in the Control room From their knowledge of the Avon area, Control staff help callers identify their exact location, provide fire safety advice to people who might be trapped inside a burning building and continue to reassure callers until the moment firefighters rescue them. They are also trained in dealing with other incidents, including chemical, radiological, biological and nuclear incidents.

When Control staff receive a call they assess the situation the caller is in and then mobilise fire appliances to the incident. Fire Control staff are then responsible for the needs of the firefighters by dispatching further resources as required, arranging relief crews, liaising with other agencies and providing important operational information for the duration of each incident.

Fire Control is staffed 24 hours a day. There are 30 Control staff working a four watch shift system that comprises of two nine hour days and two 15 hour nights over an eight day cycle. 

Each watch consists of one Fire Control Officer, one Senior Fire Control Operator, two Leading Fire Control Operators and three to four Fire Control Operators.
Fire Control is managed by Principal Fire Control Officer Robert Smith.

Latest vacancies at Avon Fire & Rescue Service

 

Incidents

Hoax Calls Cost Lives
Hoax Calls Cost Lives
Hoax calls endanger lives, as our crews may not be available to deal with a real emergency. If you make hoax calls your telephone number can be traced and cut off. Hoax calls can lead to a fine and criminal record