What is an Emergency Call Handler?

We can offer you a satisfying, exciting and varied career as an Emergency Call Handler. The role involves more than answering emergency calls and sending fire engines to incidents. Staff working in Combine Fire Control take an active part in resolving incidents by the use of specialised call handling techniques.

Emergency Call Handlers will send fire engines, officers and other resources to incidents using a computerised command and control system, linked to all fire stations in both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. Calls to fires are just a small part of the work though, with staff taking calls to all types of emergencies, which could be any type of major or minor incident - road, rail or air crashes, floods, chemical spills, or people trapped in lifts or other confined spaces. They may also need to be able to give life-saving advice over the telephone to people who might be frightened, distressed and panicked.

Many other roles are performed by Fire Control - for example liaison between fire officers and other internal support groups, and contact with other agencies and local authorities.

For more information about being an Emergency Call Handler, please download our information pack.