Overview

At some point in our lives we will probably all have to call upon the emergency services for help.

The three most commonly used emergency services in the UK are the police, fire service and emergency medical service. Other services available include mountain rescue, cave rescue, coastguard and lifeboat. 

One of the main reasons why people choose a career in the emergency services is the opportunity to make a real difference to other people’s lives.

Police officers are attracted by the prospect of helping to rid the streets of crime and the fear of crime.

Firefighters will rescue people from fires, accidents and natural disasters.

Emergency Medical Services help save peoples lives either through the ambulance service or the emergency department at a hospital. 

The Coastguard, also called Her Majesty's Coastguard (HMCG) and RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) work together to prevent the loss of life at sea and on the coast.

Mountain and cave rescue teams save lives above and below the ground, they are called out through the police via the 999 system to assist the  police, fire and ambulance. They also work with the Air Ambulance and HM Coastguard helicopters as well as the search and rescue dog associations.  They are mostly volunteers.

The range of job opportunities open to you in the emergency services is vast, there are plenty of opportunities for progression but you will need drive and commitment and will need to be flexible to work shifts and longer hours as and when required.

Employment is usually on a local basis, take a look at the links below to find out more about job opportunities in Norfolk and Suffolk.