Our volunteers
We are proud to have volunteers
Our volunteers bring skills, time and experience to our organisation which can be of great benefit to both Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the public. In return our volunteers enjoy the opportunity to make a difference to people in their local area, develop new skills, meet people from different backgrounds, make friends, and have their contribution and achievements recognised.
The spirit of volunteering with KFRS
At Kent Fire and Rescue Service, we’re fortunate to have the support and commitment of our volunteers.
Dedication, motivation, collaboration and compassion sum up the spirit of volunteering at KFRS.
They lie at the very heart of our volunteers, and are reflected in everything they do in their role as part of the wider KFRS family.
Our volunteers take on a range of important roles within KFRS, including supporting our teams with tasks, such as research and organising resources, and customer-facing responsibilities.
Their invaluable contributions help to ensure we deliver a high quality service to all of our customers, in a variety of situations and scenarios.
Our volunteers are dedicated
Every member of the volunteer team is proud to embrace the responsibility that comes with volunteering for Kent Fire and Rescue Service.
It goes hand-in-hand with each volunteer’s professionalism and dedication as we work alongside the staff and crews of the service.
We strive to be the best we can, with a commitment to our (KFRS) customers as we help to save and protect lives.
Our volunteers are motivated
The voluntary work we do is meaningful and worthwhile. We not only give our time, energy and skills, but provide flexible help and support which enables KFRS to respond quickly.
We are not only motivated ourselves, but strive to motivate our families, friends and communities to stay safe and well by promoting KFRS safety messages.
Our motivated team of volunteers allows KFRS to do more for our customers.
Our volunteers are compassionate
As volunteers we communicate clearly, displaying compassion, understanding and sensitivity both as individuals and as part of KFRS.
We demonstrate this every time we support and protect our customers and colleagues.
We make sure everyone is understood and included, when we communicate and work together.
Our volunteers are collaborative
Our strength is working together, with each other, our customers, partner organisations and decision makers.
By working together we help to save lives and keep our homes, businesses and roads safe.
The volunteer experience
Our volunteers are proud to be part of KFRS, and their dedication is demonstrated every time they support and protect our customers and colleagues.
But, don’t just take our word from it, hear from the volunteers themselves about why they are passionate and motivated to help people in the Kent and Medway communities.
Our volunteer roles
Find out about the different roles we have for volunteers
To see if we are currently recruiting for volunteers and to apply, please go to the role(s) that interest you. Any vacancies will be indicated by the words ‘Recruiting now’ and a link to the application form.
Roles in the team
Volunteer Response Team (VRT) Member
- Expenses will be paid
- Hours – We ask our team members to commit to being regularly available for six shifts per week (with a reasonable percentage of attendance when requested). Three shifts are available per day (day, evening and overnight). It is likely that you will be called to attend an incident on approximately two or three occasions per month.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
This volunteer role provides valuable customer support and assistance to crews at operational incidents. This support enables Operational and Customer Safety colleagues to continue with their core duties. The role is to work alongside other agencies providing practical and emotional support. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who are confident when interacting with customers, compassionate and have the time to attend incidents where required. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer Support - Events
- Expenses will be paid
- 8 hours per month commitment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
This volunteer role provides valuable support for our events, education and safe and well teams in a variety of ways, from attendance at internal events like our annual awards ceremony or fire station open days and external events like community fairs to delivering safety campaign messages at pop-up events/roadshows across the county in places like shopping centres or school fetes, where necessary. Full training and instructions will always be provided for all activities. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who are good communicators and enjoy engaging with members of the public. Are you passionate about promoting safety advice in an informative, fun way? Do you have good communication skills and confidence when interacting with others? Volunteers will not carry out any operational fire safety duties. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer Support – Resources
- Expenses will be paid
- Hours – Approximately 4 hours per week commitment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
This volunteer role is responsible for managing and maintaining resources at key locations, and ensuring they are available for volunteers to take to community events when required. Key activities will involve replenishing resources, reporting any defects and occasionally collecting and delivering resources across the site. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who are organised with good attention to detail. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer Support - Business
We are not currently recruiting to this role
- Expenses will be paid
- 8 hours per month commitment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
Volunteers will provide valuable support for the Building Safety Team, providing information and reassurance to our customers following a fire at locations throughout Kent and Medway. They may also meet customers at community events, or liaise with them by phone prior to audit visits by the team. These are just some of the different activities associated with this role. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who can confidently engage business owners in a friendly manner and provide accurate information in line with guidance from the team. A basic understanding of health and safety regulations is required. Previous customer service or call handling experience would be desirable for some of the activities. Volunteers will not carry out any operational fire safety duties. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer Support - Research
We are not currently recruiting to this role
- Expenses will be paid
- 6 to 8 hours per month commitment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
This role provides support for our Customer Experience and Behaviour Change team who carry out research to help us improve what we do to keep our customers safe. The research will include in-house projects as well as those involving people from the Kent and Medway community. You will be able to take part in a number of activities, such as approaching customers and gathering information at events, via telephone, post or email, or helping with the administration and collection of responses to surveys. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who are good communicators and enjoy engaging with members of the public, KFRS and other partner organisations. Are you passionate about promoting customer safety through research that has been undertaken and information gathered? Do you have good verbal, numeracy and computer skills? An interest in behavioural science and/or market research would also be beneficial for this role. Volunteers will not carry out any operational fire safety duties. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer Support - Safety
We are not currently recruiting to this role
- Expenses will be paid
- 8 to 10 hours per month commitment
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway. Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are. If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
This volunteer role provides valuable support for our Safe & Well Officers, Events Officers and Education Officers in a variety of ways, from attendance at events to accompanying officers on visits where necessary. There may also be opportunities to deliver volunteer-led engagement events on behalf of KFRS, when you could be promoting our safe and well visits in various locations to help generate referrals, or visiting customers to obtain missing contact details so that visits can be booked. These are just some of the many activities associated with this role. Please see our role description for full details. We need people who are good communicators and possess energy and confidence when interacting with members of the public. Are you passionate about promoting customer safety? Can you adapt easily to busy and changing environments? Do you have good verbal, numeracy and general computer skills? Experience of working or volunteering with young people would be desirable for some activities too. Volunteers will not carry out any operational fire safety duties. Successful applicants will be required to complete a DBS check.
Volunteer FAQs
What role will I be doing?
There’s a variety of volunteer roles available, and each one helps to ensure KFRS continues to deliver a high quality service to our customers. You can find more information about our volunteer roles above in the 'Our volunteering roles' section.
What skills or qualifications do I need?
For any volunteering role, there will be some skills that are required. Take a look through our role descriptions above to see if you have the desired skill set. Most importantly, anyone applying for our volunteer roles needs to be motivated, compassionate, dedicated and committed to collaborative working.
How much time do I need to volunteer?
The minimum number of hours for a volunteer to support Kent Fire and Rescue Service is 6 hours per month but some roles may require a few more.
Can anyone volunteer?
Volunteers need to 16 years old, or over, and have the desired skills for a particular role. Not all activities will be suitable for volunteers aged 16 but we have lots of opportunities which are.
How often do you recruit for volunteers?
We are planning recruitment campaigns twice a year - currently January and June.
Is training provided?
Yes, training and support will be provided.
Can volunteers become firefighters?
Volunteers are welcome to apply for the role of a firefighter, providing KFRS is recruiting. Volunteers will need to go through the same application process as someone who isn’t a volunteer.
Do I need to live in Kent?
No, you do not need to live in Kent, but considering the location of the role, it would an advantage to know the Kent and Medway area. Travel expenses will be paid from the nearest fire station to you that is in the Kent area.
Would I be reimbursed for travel expenses?
Yes, any authorised travel undertaken whilst volunteering for Kent Fire and Rescue will be reimbursed. Travel expenses will be paid from the nearest fire station to you that is in the Kent area.
How do I apply?
Kent Fire and Rescue Service volunteers give their time, skills and knowledge to help create a safer future for Kent and Medway.
Together we are all one team and, with our volunteers acting as our ambassadors, we’re helping to make a difference to people’s lives – whoever they are.
If you enjoy contributing, being there for other people and want to be part of something that matters, consider volunteering with KFRS.
To apply:
- You will need to be at least 16 years old to volunteer, although for some roles you may need to be at least 18 years old.
- Please visit our roles page for information about the roles we are recruiting for. If there’s a role that suits your skill set, then please apply.
- If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an informal interview, where it will be your opportunity to talk us through your skills and experience to support your application, get to know us and ask us any questions you might have
- In preparation for your interview, please take the time to look through this KFRS volunteer page and also explore the essence of being a volunteer with us.
- If you are successful in becoming a volunteer, you will be asked to provide two references and a DBS check will be carried out.
- On receipt of satisfactory references, you will then be asked to attend induction and training sessions.
- If you are unsuccessful following your interview, we will provide you with full feedback about the outcome.
We have a fantastic variety of volunteering roles at KFRS.
You can find out more about the current roles we are recruiting for above in the 'Our volunteering roles' section.
Where can I find the application form?
The application form will be available on line but only when recruitment is open for that role.
I’d like to find out more, who can I contact?
If you have any other questions please contact volunteering@kent.fire-uk.org