FIRE CONTROL OPERATOR
| Posting date: | 30 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | £28,865- £36,937 per annum (once competent) |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 17 February 2026 |
| Location: | Reading, Berkshire |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | 26/10 |
Summary
The Thames Valley Fire Control Service (TVFCS) is a collaboration between Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, Oxfordshire County Council and Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority. We are inviting applicants for the role of a Fire Control Operator to join the team. This is a vital position within TVFCS.
You will be supporting callers with a wide range of incidents as calls to fires are only a small part of our job. As a Fire Control Operator, you will:
• Receive and handle 999 emergency calls
• Gather and process critical information from callers
• Support callers during a wide range of incidents, including fires, road traffic collisions, chemical spills, flooding, and rescues
You will evaluate the situation, decide on the best course of action and mobilise resources in line with the incident using our command-and-control system to communicate to the fire appliances, stations and officers passing on the information gathered from members of the public or other agencies.
Ask yourself the following:
• Are you genuinely interested in people?
• Are you someone that others see as dependable?
• Can you get on with people from different cultures and backgrounds?
• Can you work as part of a close-knit team, and be able to react quickly when given direction from other team members?
• Are you able to work calmly, respond positively and work effectively when under pressure?
• Can you think on your feet and solve problems, multi- task and communicate quickly and clearly?
• Are you someone who can cope with routine, as well as changing demands?
• Do you have the sensitivity to deal with members of the public when they are distressed, confused and unsure of where they are?
• Are you committed to maintaining and developing your skills?
• Can you take responsibility for representing the Service when you are at work and when you are not?
• Are you prepared to work days, nights, evenings, weekends, and public holidays, including Christmas Day?
• Do you have a confident telephone manner and good IT skills?
Essential requirements include:
• GCSEs in English and Mathematics (A–C or equivalent)
The key focus of this role (knowledge, skills and experience)
• Effective and confident written and oral communications
• Able to work calmy under pressure
• Able to prioritise tasks appropriately
• Effective communicator with strong telephone and IT skills
• Flexible attitude and able to work, days, nights, weekend and public holidays
Initial selection assessments for accuracy and speed in typing will be on-line during week commencing 23 February 2026.
Successful candidates will then be invited to complete further typing tests / teamwork assessment on-site and to visit the Control room at 09:30hrs on 2 March 2026.
If successful after full completion of all the above, interviews will take place between 13 to 20 March 2026.
Medicals will be carried out after successful interview – dates TBC.
Anticipated first start date: End of April 2026 (dates to be confirmed).
You will be supporting callers with a wide range of incidents as calls to fires are only a small part of our job. As a Fire Control Operator, you will:
• Receive and handle 999 emergency calls
• Gather and process critical information from callers
• Support callers during a wide range of incidents, including fires, road traffic collisions, chemical spills, flooding, and rescues
You will evaluate the situation, decide on the best course of action and mobilise resources in line with the incident using our command-and-control system to communicate to the fire appliances, stations and officers passing on the information gathered from members of the public or other agencies.
Ask yourself the following:
• Are you genuinely interested in people?
• Are you someone that others see as dependable?
• Can you get on with people from different cultures and backgrounds?
• Can you work as part of a close-knit team, and be able to react quickly when given direction from other team members?
• Are you able to work calmly, respond positively and work effectively when under pressure?
• Can you think on your feet and solve problems, multi- task and communicate quickly and clearly?
• Are you someone who can cope with routine, as well as changing demands?
• Do you have the sensitivity to deal with members of the public when they are distressed, confused and unsure of where they are?
• Are you committed to maintaining and developing your skills?
• Can you take responsibility for representing the Service when you are at work and when you are not?
• Are you prepared to work days, nights, evenings, weekends, and public holidays, including Christmas Day?
• Do you have a confident telephone manner and good IT skills?
Essential requirements include:
• GCSEs in English and Mathematics (A–C or equivalent)
The key focus of this role (knowledge, skills and experience)
• Effective and confident written and oral communications
• Able to work calmy under pressure
• Able to prioritise tasks appropriately
• Effective communicator with strong telephone and IT skills
• Flexible attitude and able to work, days, nights, weekend and public holidays
Initial selection assessments for accuracy and speed in typing will be on-line during week commencing 23 February 2026.
Successful candidates will then be invited to complete further typing tests / teamwork assessment on-site and to visit the Control room at 09:30hrs on 2 March 2026.
If successful after full completion of all the above, interviews will take place between 13 to 20 March 2026.
Medicals will be carried out after successful interview – dates TBC.
Anticipated first start date: End of April 2026 (dates to be confirmed).
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.