Control Staff

The Fire Control Suite forms part of the main Headquarters building and is situated in Leigh Road in Eastleigh with easy access to M3 Junction 13 and M27 Junction 4.

The main function of the control room is the receipt of emergency calls from members of the public and other organisations. Control staff will mobilise resources to those incidents and service any additional requirements they may have whilst maintaining fire cover across the county. In addition Control staff have responsibility for a range of administrative tasks appropriate to a Fire Service Control Room

The county of Hampshire covers approximately 378,000 hectares and has a population of around 1,600,000. Fire cover is provided by 52 fire stations. The number of emergency calls attended each year by HFRS is in the region of 23,500. Because some incidents generate more than one call the actual number of emergency calls handled will be nearer 40,000. Types of calls vary but will include fires, special service calls such as road traffic accidents, animal rescues, persons stuck in lifts etc. Find out more about when you dial 999.

Fire Control is crewed by four watches made up of both male and female members. Each watch has a Fire Control Officer, two Senior Control Operators and five Qualified Control Operators/Control Operators.

Control staff work an average of 42 hours per week and the duties include days, nights, weekends and Bank Holidays (including Christmas Day). Although breaks are programmed during the course of a duty, you will remain available for recall to the Control at all times of your duty. A staff restaurant is available during office hours and kitchen facilities are available for the preparation of meals if required.

The duty shift pattern is two day shifts, followed by two night shifts followed by four rota leave days. Day duties commence at 0800 and finish at 1730 and night duties start at 1730 and finish at 0800.

On appointment you will receive three weeks initial training on day duties. At the end of this period if you have reached the required standard you will be assigned to one of the watches as a supernumerary member for a probationary period of up to six months. You will then work towards a NVQ Level 3 in Control Operations.

On commencement as a Firefighter (Control) you would be entitled to 32 days annual leave, rising to 35 days after five years continuous service. This includes one day in lieu of each public holiday some of which you will be expected to work and others you will be on rota for.