Emergency services

This page has been designed to give a starting point for those looking into careers in the areas in the emergency services.

What are the emergency services?

Most people can easily name the three emergency services – ambulance, fire and police – but they have a lesser-known relation: emergency planning.

The ambulance, police and fire and rescue services tend to work separately, while emergency planners liaise with all three active services and co-ordinate their actions in the event of an emergency. 

There is a level of risk associated with some front-line roles but this may be out-weighed by the satisfaction of knowing that you’re protecting people. In addition, you can expect a good salary, excellent benefits and plenty of opportunities for career progression (Target jobs).

  • AGCAS Industry Insights - Armed Forces and Emergency Services (pdf 153kb)
  • Prospects
    Prospects is a graduate careers website with job profiles, including firefighter, paramedic, Police officer.
  • Ambulance Service Association
    The ASA website has a careers and education section with FAQ's.
  • NHS Career
  • Institute of fire engineers
    The Institution of Fire Engineers now has approaching 10,000 members in 20 countries who represent a complete cross-section of the fire engineering discipline. There is a section with information about what is involved in fire engineering.
  • Role of the Fire Service
    This unofficial site is designed to give an insight into the UK fire service. It has a section about what's involved being a firefighter and an in-depth recruitment section.
  • UK Police service
    This website gives and overview of the police service in the UK and has information about becoming a police officer, a police community support officer as well as details of other roles within the police force.

How do I get into it?

As well as the links above, the following may be of use.

Ambulance Service

Fire Service

Police

  • According to the Home Office, as at 31 March 2012, there are 43 police forces in England and Wales employing over 236,000 personnel. This includes over 134,000 police officers, 67,000 police staff and over 14,000 Community Support Officers. Numbers are in decline due to budget cuts. Detailed figures on police service strength can be found on the Home Office website.
  • Ministry of Defence Police
    The main role of the MoD Police is to apply constabulary powers and civil police training to combat the principal risks of crime and disorder faced by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Find out more about working for the MoD Police.
  • Police.com
    The police.com site contains information on a number of different careers in the police force.
  • Skills for Justice
    This is the sector skills council for justice, which includes; courts, policing and law enforcement, prisons, probation, prosecution and voluntary sector. You will find information about different areas of the sector and case studies of people already in the role. There is also information on industry trends and advice and guidance organisations who you can contact to discuss your career options.

Finding a job or employer in this sector

Vacancy information for the emergency services can either be found on their official websites or in the local and national press.

Ambulance service

  • London Ambulance Service
    The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the largest free emergency ambulance service in the world. See their careers and recruitment pages.
  • Scottish Ambulance Service
    As the frontline of the NHS in Scotland, we provide an emergency ambulance service to a population of over 5 million people serving all of the nation’s mainland and island communities.
  • Welsh Ambulance Service
    The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust was established on April 1, 1998 and has 2,500 staff providing ambulance and related services to the 2.9 million residents of Wales. See their recruitment pages.

Fire service

  • East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
    The ESFRS has a careers and vacancies section with information about becoming a firefighter.
  • West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
    The West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service works to make our community a safer place to live, work and enjoy. See their recruitment pages for more information on how to become a firefighter in West Sussex.

Paramedics

Police

  • Police
    This national police recruitment website details what it is like to work as a police officer as well as giving details on how to apply.
  • G4S Policing Solutions
  • Police Jobs
  • Sussex Police
    The Sussex Police website provides details regarding local recruitment into the police force.

Public sector

  • Opportunities
    This is a public sector recruitment and career development website. 

Other recruiters
Some recruitment is undertaken for these kinds of skilled professional roles by the Army or the Royal Air Force and less commonly by large industrial companies.

Further Information and useful links

Fire service

  • Chief Fire Officers Association (CACFOA)
    The Chief Fire Officers' Association is the foremost official organisation for principal fire officers in the UK.
  • Fire Service
    An unofficial site designed to give all visitors an insight into the work the Fire Service do throughout the UK each and every day.
  • Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE)
    The institution is the international qualifying organisation and learned society for fire engineering and fire safety professionals.

Paramedics

Police

Key points

  • Most people can easily name the three emergency services – ambulance, fire and police.
  • There is a level of risk associated with some front-line roles but this may be out-weighed by the satisfaction of knowing that you’re protecting people.