Devon has a shortfall of about 100 retained firefighters

There is a shortfall of about 100 retained staff in the county.

Of those, the service needs to recruit 50 women to meet targets set by the government.

Flexible working arrangements is one of the measures being considered to entice more recruits into the retained service.

In line with national standards, retained firefighters in Devon sign up for what can effectively be a round-the-clock commitment.

You have got to have family-friendly, flexible working hours within any job Gail Banks, Devon Fire and Rescue Service women's liaison officer

They are on standby for between 126 and 168 hours a week.

But fire service leaders believe that by reducing that, they could encourage more people to join up.

At present, women make up only 3% of the total uniformed service in the county, but by now it should be double that, with further increases over the next two years.

Flexible hours

A lack of women firefighters is not an uncommon problem in the South West, with Cornwall Fire Service also struggling with the shortfall in the past.

Women's liaison officer Gail Banks, who has been a firefighter for eight years, said a move by the service to make working arrangements more flexible could be the answer.

"You have got to have family-friendly, flexible working hours within any job," she said.