FEMALE firefighters are in demand as part of a new recruitment drive.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) is looking to bring more women into its ranks.

Chief fire officer Ben Ansell said: “Women make excellent firefighters and I’m convinced that there are plenty who would be interested in a rewarding career with DWFRS.”

The service will start recruiting later this year and, in the meantime it will run ‘positive action activities’ to encourage women and those from under-represented groups to apply.

The service has 48 uniformed female firefighters, a figure that Mr Ansell says is still not high enough.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Dorset and Wiltshire welcomed the chief officer’s remarks.

Regional secretary Karen Adams said: “As a service we need to reflect our communities and that means recruiting more women into our profession. I would urge women to forget the outdated stereotype of our job and consider making the fire and rescue service a career of choice. Being a firefighter is the best job in the world and its open to everyone”

It comes as the service approaches it first anniversary on Saturday, one year after Dorset and Wiltshire’s fire and rescue services officially combined on April 1.

The fire authority is also looking to slash its elected membership from 30 to 18, while retaining equal representation across the councils it covers.

Chairman Rebecca Knox said members were all very proud of the change.

“It is really important that our primary authorities have a say on the direction to reduce the authority’s number so between now and September we will consult with them and their views will be fully considered before a final decision is made in the autumn.”

Ms Adams said the FBU would be looking at the plans very carefully.

“It is vitally important that the public in Dorset and Wiltshire have a proper say in the running of their fire and rescue service and can hold us accountable,” she said.

“The public value their fire and rescue service and they have a right to demand genuine local accountability of the politicians charged with running it.”

She added: “We want assurances that the reduction in fire authority members will not impact on the public’s ability to hold our service to account.”