John Donnelly, a 55-year-old on-call firefighter based in Hardley, Hampshire, embodies the evolving role of part-time emergency responders in rural and suburban areas. Donnelly, who joined the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service in June 2019, balances his firefighting duties with a career as an IT technician. Originally from Middlesbrough, he first attempted to join the fire service as a full-time firefighter at age 19 but did not succeed, a setback he now regards as a matter of timing and maturity.

Hardley, a suburb near Southampton, operates as an on-call fire station, where firefighters respond to a diverse range of incidents rather than working fixed shifts. Since joining, Donnelly has engaged in a broad spectrum of emergencies typical to the region, including house fires, road traffic collisions, and notably, a significant number of wildfires. This year alone, his team has addressed approximately 40 incidents involving fires in open countryside.

The local terrain includes parts of the New Forest, an area prone to frequent gorse fires, many of which are caused by careless human activity and, occasionally, arson. Donnelly recalls encountering a particularly rapid and dangerous fire that escalated within seconds, highlighting the unpredictable challenges firefighters face, especially during hot summer months when protective gear can increase the risk of overheating. To counter this, crews sometimes remove their outer flame-retardant jackets, a practice that can leave them more vulnerable if flames suddenly intensify.

Beyond wildfire and structural firefighting, the Hardley crew’s responsibilities extend to various other rescue operations. These include water rescues often involving motorists caught at fords, responses to automatic fire alarms—often false alerts initiated during system tests—and assisting other emergency services with tasks such as entry during ambulance callouts. The crew also performs specialized interventions like ring-cutting, most commonly removing wedding bands from swollen fingers, but occasionally involving more sensitive medical situations, as Donnelly notes.

Donnelly’s experience underscores the varied and demanding nature of on-call firefighting, particularly in semi-rural areas where crews cover wide territories with limited personnel. He expresses enthusiasm for his role and regrets not joining the service sooner, reflecting a growing recognition of the vital contribution on-call firefighters make to community safety alongside their full-time counterparts.