U.S. Fire Administration

Retention and Recruitment for the 

Volunteer Emergency Services

Challenges and Solutions

FA-310/May 2007
U.S. Fire Administration

Mission Statement

As an entity of the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA), the mission 

of the USFA is to reduce life and economic 

losses due to fire and related emergencies, 

through leadership, advocacy, coordination, 

and support. We serve the Nation 

independently, in coordination with other 

Federal agencies, and in partnership with 

fire protection and emergency service 

communities. With a commitment to 

excellence, we provide public education, 

training, technology, and data initiatives.

U.S. Fire Administration

Retention and Recruitment 

for the Volunteer 

Emergency Services

Challenges and Solutions

FA-310/May 2007
This text was revised for the NVFC and the USFA by the staff of the 

Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services (VFIS) with additional research 

by St. Joseph’s University of Pennsylvania. Peer reviewers of the final draft 

included:

Robert Drennan, MS, CFPS

Dr. Robert S. Fleming, CFO 

Daniel B. C. Gardiner, CFPS

David Jacobowitz 

William Jenaway, PhD, CFPS, CFO

Chief Scott Kerwood

Vincent McNally, PhD

Michael A. Wieder, MS

The following fire departments contributed to the success of this 

document:

Eastwood Fire District

Fisher Ferry Volunteer Fire 

Department

German Township Volunteer Fire Department

Groesbeck Volunteer Fire 

Department

Leon Springs Volunteer Fire 

Department

Montgomery Township Fire 

Department

Norristown Volunteer Fire 

Department

Orange County Emergency Services District # 1
Preface 

I

n 2004, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and The Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) worked in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to revise 

the 1998 text, Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire Service: Problems and Solutions.

The original text was based on a series of workshops bringing together volunteer fire 

service members from all the States. This edition has been enhanced with new research 

and current issues as the emergency services enter the 21st century. Many of the original 

reasons for the recruitment problems remain: lack of time, apathy, and excessive 

requirements. However, they appear to have become even greater issues with the passing 

of time.

Although the recruitment and retention challenges continue to grow, some volunteer 

organizations maintain good membership while others continue to function with reduced 

numbers. Those organizations that seek solutions and adapt to our changing personnel 

environment are successful. Individuals are still willing to give their time to volunteer 

emergency services organizations provided the following:

• The experience is rewarding and worth their time.

• The training requirements are not excessive.

• The time demands are adaptable and manageable.

• They are rewarded with a personal sense of value.

• There is good leadership minimizing conflict.

• There is ample support for the organization.

The emergency services are the most demanding of volunteer activities today. The physical 

and time demands associated with training; responding to incidents; maintaining facilities, 

apparatus, and equipment; fundraising; and administering a nonprofit corporation are 

grueling if not managed properly. In today’s hectic world, strong leadership is required to 

make the emergency services the organizations that will attract volunteers. This text will 

cover many of the problems of recruitment and retention and provide some examples of 

solutions that have worked in volunteer organizations across the Nation.

Any opinions, findings, recommendations, or conclusions found in this text do not 

necessarily reflect the views of the NVFC or DHS/USFA.

vii

C

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Field Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Retention &Recruitment challenges: Causes & Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Time Demands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Training Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Increasing Call Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Changes in the “Nature of the Business”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Changes in Sociological Conditions in Urban/Suburban Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Changes in Sociological Conditions in Rural Areas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Leadership Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Federal Legislation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Internal Conflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Higher Cost Of Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Aging Communities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Effects Of The Decline In Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

RETENTION: Challenges & Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Leadership. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Management Style. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Fireground Management versus Fire Station Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Democratic/Participative Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Seeking Membership Feedback. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Mission Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Long Range Planning, Goals, and Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Selection and Tenure of The Chief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Selection and Tenure of Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Training of the Chief and Officers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Internal Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Volunteer Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Adopting Department Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Department Image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Pride in the Uniform. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Pride in the Department And Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Training in Public. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Delivering Public Fire Safety and Prevention Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Well-maintained Gear and Apparatus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Demonstrating Financial Benefits to Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Community Newsletters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Use of Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Customer Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Working With Local Politicians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
viii contents

Other Image-enhancing Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Risks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Health Risks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Medical Examinations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Concerns of the Family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Death and Disability Coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Onduty Injury and Hospitalization Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Line-of-Duty Death and Disability Benefits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Liability Coverage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Relocation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Transferring to Other Departments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Reciprocity of Training Credentials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Diversity of People And Interests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Fire and Emergency medical services Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Females. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Minority Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Retired Firefighters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Non-Firefighting Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

“Burned Out” or Disabled Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Learning Disabled/Mentally Challenged. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Consolidation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Attitude and Motivation Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Attitude Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Motivation Research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Member Surveys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Exit Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Evaluations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Cohesiveness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Cliques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Females and Minorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Emergency Medical services and Firefighters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Handling Grievances and Problem Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Combination Departments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Encouraging Teamwork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Emotional Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Nurturing New Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Nurturing All Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Handling Specific Personal Problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Employee Assistance Programs/Member Assistance Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Substance Abuse Counseling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Assistance from Chaplains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Status Circles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Leaves of Absence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions ix

Financial Aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

The Department as a Family. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Stress Debriefings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Training Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

The Dilemma of Reducing Training Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Provide Training Schedules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Training in Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Training in Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Instructor Competency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Provision of Remedial Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Diversifying Instruction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Out-of-Town Training Weekends. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Reimbursement for Training Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Training Competitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Time Demands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Evaluating Requirements and Improving Efficiency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Narrowing Assignments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Sample Combination System Duty Shift. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Duty Shifts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

Leaves of Absence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Screening Calls and Alarm Malfunctions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Involving the Family in the Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

A New Take on Fire Department Auxiliaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Involving the Family in Department Social Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Selective Paging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Handling the Most Demanding Hours: The Weekday Hours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Supplementary Full-Time Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Thank-You Notes and Greeting Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Pictures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Press Releases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

National Volunteer Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

State Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

Local Community Recognition andHeroism Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Award Banquets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98

Graduation Ceremonies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Pats on the Back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Setting Up an Incentive System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Direct Financial Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Types of Direct Financial Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

Retirement Plans, Pension Plans, and Length of Service Award Programs. . . . . . . 103
x contents

Individual Retirement Accounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Pay Per Call or Per Hour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

“Monthly Pot”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Annual Reimbursement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Tax Exemptions and Deductions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Health Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Tuition Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Housing Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Special Low-Interest Housing Loans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

In-Season Bonus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Indirect Monetary Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Local Business Discounts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Chamber of Commerce Dollars and Gift Certificates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Health Club Memberships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Other Indirect Monetary Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

Uniform and Department Paraphernalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Other Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Equality in Incentive Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Qualifying for Benefits and Incentives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

The Fun Factor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Social Committee/Social Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Parties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Prevention Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Making Training Enjoyable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Other Ways to Have Fun. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Increased Range of Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

What to Avoid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Alcohol Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Drug Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Recruitment: Challenges & Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Citizen Corps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Needs Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Qualities and Skills to Look for in Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Character Qualities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Daytime Availability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Geographically Well-Located. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Young Firefighters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128

Cadet Training Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Previous Public Safety Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Special Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Who Should Do the Recruiting?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions xi

Recruitment Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Recruitment Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

County Versus Department, District, or City-Level Recruiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Where to Look. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133

Personal Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Door-to-Door. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Dedicated Recruitment Telephone Number. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Newcomers to Town. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

Schools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Retirement Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Civic Organizations and Churches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Fire Departments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

County Fairs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Resorts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Local Businesses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Utility Companies and County and Local Government Employees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Military Bases and Personnel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

Other Emergency Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Local Stores, Government Offices, Restaurants, and Gyms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Training the Public. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Recruiting Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Message Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Volunteering as Career Advancement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

The True Nature of the Job. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Firefighter Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Use of Various Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Television, Radio, and Print Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Videotapes and MultiMedia Shows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Brochures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Direct Mail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Posters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Signs at Stations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Advertisements on Apparatus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Informal Station Open House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Movie Theaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

World-Wide Web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Other Places to Advertise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Informational Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Volunteer Firefighter Job Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148

Screening Recruits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Who to Accept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Motivations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
xii contents

Tests and Background Checks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Driving and Criminal Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

Immigration Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Commitment Agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Followthrough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Follow Up on Initial Contacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Follow Up After Acceptance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Opportunities to Leave. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Barriers to Recruiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Exclusivity Image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Training Burden. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Residency Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Tenure Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Recruiting Special Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Females. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Hispanics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

African-Americans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Native Americans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Other Minorities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

White-Collar Workers/College Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162

Retirees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

The Annual Recruitment Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

The National 1-800-FIRE-LINE Recruitment Campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

One State’s Retention and Recruitment Dilemma: Report From Pennsylvania. . . . . . . . 170

appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Appendix A:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Retention and Recruitment Project Survey by the Public Safety 

Institute at Saint Joseph’s University

Appendix B: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

Department of Labor Statistics for Not Volunteering in 2004

Appendix C: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Department of Labor Statistics on How People Became Involved in 

Volunteering in 2004

Appendix D: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

Fire Corps
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions xiii

Appendix E:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Officer Promotional Process and Evaluation Forms

Appendix F:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Sample Fire Department Annual Report

Appendix G: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208

References

Appendix H: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Examples of Modular Training Programs

Appendix I: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Examples Received from the Field

General Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

Leon Springs Memorandum of Understanding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

Firefighters Association Bill of Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230

Orientation Package Example. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231

Application Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

Recruit Orientation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242

Firefighter Evaluation Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

List of Tables

Table 1: Retention and Recruitment Root Causes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Table 2: National Standard Training Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Table 3: Sample Award Tiers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Table 4: Sample Point System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Table 5: Sample Award Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114



INTRODUCTION

The volunteer emergency services are a long-standing tradition in the United States that often encompass families generation after generation. Unfortunately, it is also a 

tradition in danger of weakening. Many fire departments across the Nation today are

experiencing more difficulty with recruiting and retaining members than ever before.

Although there has been a decline in the number of active volunteer firefighters nationally

from a high of 897,750 in 1984, the trend has changed in the last few years. The number

of volunteers dipped to a low of 770,100 volunteers in 1989. While the number has

increased since then, the problem of recruitment and retention is still serious in many

areas. The most recent figures (2003) indicate over 800,050 volunteer firefighters, 

73 percent of the Nation’s firefighting forces.

Fire departments can no longer count on the children of current members following in 

their parent’s footsteps. Nor can they count on a continuous stream of community people 

eager to donate their time and energy to their local volunteer fire department. Adding 

to the problem, departments cannot rely on members staying active in the volunteer fire 

service for long periods of time.

In order to address recruitment and retention problems, the National Volunteer Fire Council 

(NVFC), in cooperation with the United States Fire Administration (USFA), initiated a 

study of this issue that cumulated with a national workshop on recruiting and retention in 

1993. Volunteer representatives from 16 States participated in this event, which was held 

at the USFA’s National Fire Academy (NFA) on the grounds of the National Emergency 

Training Cener (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. From this workshop came a general 

understanding of the problems with retention and recruitment nationwide, as well as many 

possible solutions to these problems. The findings were documented in the “Interim Report 

on Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire Service: Problems and Solutions” and 

in “Recruitment and Retention in the Volunteer Fire Service, Problems and Solutions, Final 

Report, December 1998.”

In 2004, the NVFC released its “Cost Savings Study and Calculator.” The figures in the 

study reinforce the need for the volunteer fire service to increase its efforts in recruitment 

and retention of members. The Cost Savings Study conducted by the Public Safety and 

Environmental Protection Institute at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 

with assistance from VFIS found that the annual national savings resulting from the 

volunteer fire service is $37.2 billion. This is an average of over $45,000 per volunteer. The 

economy of this great country is substantially strengthened by the efforts of its volunteer 

fire departments.

In 2004, the NVFC and the USFA again decided to address the issue of retention and 

recruitment due to the ongoing national problem. This endeavor includes much of the 

earlier work, a review of recent literature, and a field survey to determine current initiatives 

that are in use and working in the field. 
As indicated in the earlier research, there is no single reason for the decline in volunteers 

in most departments. However, there is a universal consensus that skilled department 

leadership is a key to resolving the problems. Retention and recruitment problems usually 

can be traced to several underlying factors: more demands on people’s time in a hectic 

modern society; more stringent training requirements; population shifts from smaller 

towns to urban centers; changes in the nature of small town industry and farming; internal 

leadership problems; and a decline in the sense of civic responsibility, among other factors. 

Although some regions are more affected than others, and the problems and solutions vary 

across regions, even within States and counties, volunteer retention and recruitment is a 

problem nationwide. Specifically, it is a local issue and must be dealt with locally.

Can the trend in declining volunteerism be reversed? Information collected reveals that 

departments that have taken steps to deal with the problems have seen a resurgence in 

volunteerism. This indicates that many of the problems can be mitigated or eliminated if 

proper attention and resources are given to them. This text will attempt to identify and 

share the ideas and practices that are successful in recruitment and retention. Departments 

that have failed to address the problems and challenges of volunteering in today’s world 

have been forced to hire career firefighters, consolidate, or even close their doors.

 introduction
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

FIELD

A core component of this project was to query the volunteer emergency service 

community on current issues that:

• make members want to volunteer;

• keep volunteers serving; and

• make volunteers leave the organization.

Surveys were conducted via online methods, at various fire and emergency medical 

services (EMS) events, and based upon various association membership queries during 

the fourth quarter of 2004. The data was compiled and analyzed by the Public Safety and 

Environmental Protection Institute of St. Joseph’s University. The findings, provided later in 

this report, found several key areas of concern that will require action to address effective 

recruitment and retention efforts in the future.
I

• Time Demands

• Training Requirements

• Increasing Call Volume

• Changes in the “Nature of the 

Business”

• Changes in Sociological Conditions 

in Urban/Suburban Areas

• Changes in Sociological Conditions 

in Rural Areas

• Leadership Problems

• Federal Legislation

• Internal Conflict

• Higher Cost of Housing

• Aging Communities

• Effects of the Decline in Volunteers
THE RETENTION & 

RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES:

Causes & Effects
 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

I

t is important to determine the causes of the recruitment and retention problem in the 

volunteer fire service. Once causes are identified, it is much easier to develop solutions.

Several factors underlie today’s retention and recruitment problem in the volunteer fire 

service. It is a complex and multifaceted problem. Although stringent training standards, 

leadership problems, and time constraints caused by increased family responsibilities--

particularly in two-career families and single-parent households--seem to be the most 

common causes, there are many other factors contributing to the turnover that volunteer 

departments are currently facing. The problems most frequently cited by the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics for 2003 are:

Lack of time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 .7%

Health/Medical problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .7%

Family responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .5%

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 .%

No longer required/relevant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .8%

Wasn’t interested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .%

Moved, transportation, expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .%

No one asked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .%

Burnout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .4%

No longer member of organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  .7% 

The following data are from the St. Joseph’s University Study in 2004

What makes Your members leave Your organization?*

No time to volunteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .% 

Conflicts in organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 .8%

Organizational leadership created adverse atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 .7%

Too much training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 .%

Attitude of existing personnel to newcomers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .%

Criticism received from officers/older members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 .0%

Lack of camaraderie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 .5%

* Many respondents indicated more than one reason for leaving the organization

The causes of the problems are similar in all 50 States. No single region of the country is 

dealing with problems that are significantly different than those found in other regions. 

There are some differences, however, in problems faced by urban versus rural communities. 

These differences stem from the sociological differences in the urban versus rural 

communities, which will be discussed later.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

TABLE  . Retention and Recruitment Root Causes

Sources Of Problems Contributing Factors

Time Demands • the two-income family and working multiple jobs

• increased training time demands

• higher emergency call volume

• additional demands within department (fundraising, 

administrative)

Training Requirements • higher training standards and new Federal requirements

• more time demands

• greater public expectation of fire department’s response 

capabilities (broader range of services such as EMS, 

Hazmat, technical rescue, etc.)

• additional training demands to provide broader range of 

services

• recertification demands

Increasing Call Volume • fire department assuming wider response roles (EMS, 

Hazmat, technical rescue.

• increasing emergency medical call volume

• increase in number of automatic fire alarms

Changes In The “Nature Of The Business” • abuse of emergency services by the public

• less of an emphasis on social aspects of volunteering

Changes In Sociological Conditions 

(In Urban And Suburban Areas)

• transience

• loss of community feeling

• less community pride

• less of an interest or time for volunteering

• two-income family and time demands

• “me” generation

Changes In Sociological Conditions 

(In Rural Areas)

• employers less willing to let employees off to run calls

• time demand

• “me” generation

Leadership Problems • poor leadership and lack of coordination

• authoritative management style

• failure to manage change

Federal Legislation And Regulations • Fair Labor Standards Act interpretation

• “2 in, 2 out” ruling requiring four firefighters on scene 

befor entering hazardous environment

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) live-fire burn 

limitations

Increasing Use Of Combination 

Departments

• disagreements among chiefs or other department 

leaders

• friction between volunteer and career members

Higher Cost Of Housing (In Affluent 

Communities)

• volunteers cannot afford to live in the community they 

serve

Aging Communities • greater number of older people today

• lack of economic growth and jobs in some towns

Internal Conflict • disagreements among departmental leaders

• friction between volunteer and career members
8 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

On a regional level, the northeast has seen the greatest decline in volunteers because it 

has traditionally been protected by volunteers more than other regions. Four States (New 

York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey) that have historically been served by large 

numbers of volunteers have all experienced a major volunteer decline.

TABLE  . National Standard Training Modules

Training Module 

Average Length of 

Class in Hours

Approximate Time 

to Complete for 

Volunteers* 

Firefighter

• Firefighter I

• Firefighter II

• Instructor

• Officer I

• Officer II

• Officer III

• Officer IV

100 hours

100 hours

45 hours

40-60 hours

40-60 hours

40 hours

40 hours

4 months

4 months

1 month

1 month

1 month

1 month

1 month

Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

• First Responder

• EMT--Basic

• EMT--Intermediate

• EMT--Paramedic

48 hours

136 hours

125-300 hours

350-1,500 hours

2.5 months

4-6 months

4-6 months

6 months-1 year

Hazardous Materials

• Awareness

• Operations

• Technician

25 hours

40 hours

40-80 hours

2 weeks

1 month

1 month

Other Courses

• Vehicle Operation

• Pumps/Hydraulics

• Aircraft Rescue

• Vehicle Extrication

• Silo Rescue

• Farm Machinery Extrication

• Water Rescue

20 hours

60 hours

50 hours

25-50 hours

35 hours

25 hours

16 hours

2 weeks

2 months

1.5 months

2 weeks

1 month

2 weeks

1 months

*When taken several nights per week and/or on weekends
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

TIME

Volunteering in the fire service is one of the most time-demanding volunteer activities today. Time demands come from many sources: emergency calls, training, meetings, 

maintenance of the stations and equipment, and fundraising to name a few. Most 

departments require members to contribute a minimum amount of time each month into 

each of these areas. Each area is vital to the operation of the department. Members in the 

departments typically contribute 20 to 100 hours per month or more.

Historically, since 1648 when New York Governor Peter Stuyvesant organized a group 

of volunteers to provide fire protection, inspect chimneys, and raise money to purchase 

ladders and buckets, volunteers have faced time demands of running calls and running 

their department. Why have time demands become such a big issue? There is no simple 

answer. Many factors, with origins both inside and outside of the fire service, have 

combined to make time demands one of the most critical problems facing the volunteer 

fire service today. These factors are discussed below.

The Two-Income Family--The surge in the number of two-income families since the early 

1970s has meant that people have very little time to volunteer. Time is spent at work, with 

the children, and maintaining the house. Spare time is an anomaly today. The little time 

people do find to volunteer is often too little to allow them to become active in the fire 

service. Those who do volunteer in the emergency services today often discover that the 

time requirements, particularly the startup demands associated with initial training, are too 

great.

Increased Training Time Demands --Training time requirements have risen steadily. In 

many departments until the mid-1960s, new firefighters were given minimal training 

(usually under 30 hours) before they were allowed to ride fire apparatus. In some cases, 

members were given a uniform and protective clothing the night they joined and could be 

seen fighting fire the same night. They learned on the job. Today, this is not acceptable.

Higher Emergency Call Volume --Many volunteer fire departments have seen their volume 

of emergency calls increase between 25 and 75 percent since the early 1980s especially 

if the organization is providing any medical services. This has dramatically increased time 

demands on volunteers.

Increased Demands Within Departments --The volume of work that an individual 

volunteer must handle today is greater than in past years because there are fewer members, 

leaving the remaining members to assume more responsibilities in all areas (from going to 

more fire/EMS calls to administration functions of the department). In addition, there are 
0 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

greater demands of paperwork in today’s emergency service. Fire chiefs must ensure that 

everything from emergency responses to training is documented. A State or local report 

must be completed for each response. The paperwork today is also more detailed than 

in the past because of legal needs to provide more comprehensive documentation. There 

is fear that incomplete documentation could leave a department vulnerable to civil and 

criminal actions.

TRAINING

Today, most fire departments require volunteers to complete a basic firefighting class of over 100 hours before being able to fight fires (see Table 2). Departments that provide 

emergency medical care may require members to certify as an emergency medical first 

responder, which is another 75 to 120 hours of training. Firefighters also must attend 

federally mandated annual hazardous materials training, which can range from 10 to 25 

hours. Although recertification is not as time-demanding as the initial training, it is another 

demand that volunteers must fit into their busy schedules.

Increased training requirements have had a major effect on retention and recruitment. Onthe-job training is no longer permitted as a substitute for formal training and certification. 

The time when a volunteer can start to go on calls and do other “exciting” duties is 

delayed, and their initial enthusiasm may be lost. Also some volunteers are not good at 

taking written tests and may quit rather than face one, fail, and have to leave. Formal 

training, however, has made both the volunteer and career fire service more professional 

and effective. 

Increased training requirements have been particularly traumatic for older members who 

have no certifications and are no longer allowed to run certain calls. Some who once 

volunteered to simply join in and pull hose or drive the apparatus are no longer allowed to 

do so. 

The root issues that have caused training requirements to increase are discussed below.

Higher Training Standards --Training for both volunteer and career firefighters has grown 

more formal and comprehensive. National consensus training standards created by fire 

service committees functioning under the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 

have increased both classroom and practical requirements. The standards are designed to 

increase safety awareness and establish minimum competencies at various training levels. 

The majority of States have adopted these standards. In addition, the U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT) established standards for emergency medical training that have been 

adopted by all 50 States. These standards have increased training time demands substantially.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

Federal Requirements --The Federal government has enacted training requirements 

for volunteers through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and 

EPA. OSHA requirements apply to volunteers only in certain States and are generally met 

through basic firefighting courses. EPA requirements apply to all volunteers. The EPA 

mandates that all volunteers take annual hazardous materials training. In addition, State 

EPAs have limited the burning of old structures in certain areas of the country that further 

restricts the opportunity for live burn training. 

Broader Range of Services --The consensus of fire chiefs from across the country is that 

the public’s expectations of the fire department are greater today than in years past. The 

public expects the fire department to provide assistance for emergencies that include 

fires, fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, broken water pipes, natural gas leaks, medical 

emergencies, vehicle accidents, hazardous materials spills, mysterious odors, structural 

collapse, extrications, water rescue, and even bomb threats or terrorist incidents. When the 

public calls for assistance in any of these situations, the fire department must be ready to 

respond. To respond to the public’s expectations, firefighters must attend a wider variety of 

training courses.

Recertification Demands --Recertification requirements vary among the States, but 

generally range from annually to every 5 years. Time requirements for recertification 

usually are approximately one-quarter the length of the original class. All States have 

medical recertification requirements. The National Registry of Emergency Medical 

Technicians minimum requirements are 24 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) per 

year on specified subjects. In addition, some States have their own standards that may be 

different; for example, Pennsylvania requires 18 CEUs on any subject. It is important for 

each department to know the specific requirements that apply to it.

Information on EMS training requirements for each State can be found at 

http://www.emsresponder.com/survey/
 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

INCREASING

During the same time in which the number of volunteers has declined, the volunteer fire service has had to contend with an increase in the volume of emergency calls due 

to the lack of education on when to call 9-1-1. The NFPA reports that fire department call 

volumes increase at varying rates depending on the community. This means that volunteer 

fire departments have to do more with fewer people, and that the overall demands on 

individual volunteers have increased. Major causes of the increasing call volume are 

discussed below.

Increasing Emergency Medical Call Volume --Emergency medical calls have created the 

greatest increase in call volumes for fire departments. Years ago, most fire departments 

did not respond to EMS calls. Currently, more departments are becoming involved with 

providing medical service. This may only be at a first responder level; but regardless of the 

level, increases the response load considerably.

The best means to reach a person in medical crisis quickly is for units to respond from 

fire stations located throughout a community. The public has grown to expect this rapid 

response capability from fire departments. Popularization of EMS by the media and various 

television programs has led some people to call for help for problems that do not fit the 

traditional definition of an emergency, such as general sicknesses. In addition, some people 

use the EMS system for medical advice, and some persons use it to access primary care or 

because they cannot afford transportation to the hospital.

Increase in the Number of 

Automatic Alarms --As previously 

noted, the volume of automatic 

alarms has grown steadily, 

particularly in areas with commercial 

buildings that often have alarm 

systems. Fire departments have also 

experienced a sharp increase in 

call volume due to alarm system 

malfunctions. Many volunteers are 

growing tired of the time demands 

associated with responding to these 

malfunction false alarms. Some 

departments enact polices that, after a set number of malfunctions in a given time period, 

the occupants are charged the response costs and/or fined to reduce the unnecessary use of 

volunteer resources. In addition, medical alert alarms are adding to unnecessary emergency 

responses.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

Greater Reliance by the Public on Fire Department’s Services --The public has not only grown 

to expect a wider range of services from the fire department, but also has grown to rely more 

heavily on the fire department. A greater reliance translates into more calls. For example, in years 

past when someone broke an arm he/she would have a relative or neighbor drive him/her 

to the hospital. Today, people often call for an ambulance instead. The public also is aware of 

the greater knowledge and professionalism of firefighters. As a result, people may call the fire 

department to check an electrical concern instead of calling an electrician. Or they may call an 

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for advice about how to treat an injury instead of calling 

a doctor or going to the hospital. This greater reliance on the fire department has contributed to 

the increase in call volume.

Many long-time members of the emergency services will say that the fire service today 

“just isn’t what it used to be.” Fire departments have gone through many changes over 

the years to adapt to new requirements and demands. As noted above, emergency service 

providers are required to take more training, and the public is calling more and demanding 

a broader range of services. These requirements have built to the point that many veteran 

volunteer firefighters say that volunteering just is not fun anymore. The situation is 

exacerbated by the following two factors.

C

Abuse of the Emergency Services by the Public --Many volunteers say they have tried to adapt to the increased demands, but the breaking point comes when they feel abused 

by the public. “Abuse of 9-1-1 and our services by the public today has driven volunteers 

right out the door,” said one fire chief. For example, some homeowners and businesses 

fail to correct problems with malfunctioning automatic alarm systems that summon the 

volunteers multiple times, often at night. Or citizens call 9-1-1 to request transport to 

the hospital for minor stomach cramps. When the public excessively requests emergency 

assistance in situations that are not true emergencies, the volunteers burn out.

Less Emphasis on Social Aspects of Volunteering--The loss of the social aspects associated 

with volunteering has hurt recruitment and retention. Many volunteers join fire 

departments and stay involved not only to serve their community and help others in need, 

but also to develop social relationships. Some volunteers report that the time demands of 

volunteering coupled with the time constraints of everyday life have left no time to develop 

social ties or spend time outside of the station with other firefighters. Likewise, many fire 

departments have closed down their firehouse clubs and pool rooms that historically have 

been social centers for many volunteers.
4 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

CHANGES

The sociological changes experienced by volunteer fire departments in growing areas, particularly around cities, have affected recruitment and retention. Unfortunately, 

larger populations usually do not translate into larger number of volunteers. Many of the 

factors that have fueled the sociological changes have been mentioned already: less time 

to volunteer, the two-income family, and less of an interest in serving the community or 

volunteering by younger persons in particular (the “me” generation).

The transience of many large suburban and urban areas has hurt recruitment and retention. 

People who move often are less likely to become involved in a volunteer fire department. 

Likewise, fire departments usually do not want individuals who spend a year getting 

trained and then leave. The problem with transience is particularly acute in resort areas or 

communities with military populations. In other areas, where the number of large farms 

and ranches is decreasing and land is being sold and subdivided, fire departments have 

experienced a surge in transience.

Unfortunately, sometimes growth can lead to a lost sense of community, especially in 

metropolitan areas where people commonly live in one area and work in another. This 

may result in people taking a less active role in their communities. Residents of urban areas 

also tend to have less community pride and spirit than residents of smaller towns. The loss 

of community spirit means that people are less interested in serving their communities. 

Fire departments in suburban and urban areas have found that this characteristic has hurt 

recruitment.

CHANGES

Changes in sociological conditions also have affected recruitment and retention in smaller towns. Some of the changes, including time demands and the “me” 

generation, are similar to the changes experienced in urban areas.

A relatively new sociological change seen by many small towns is the replacement of small 

main street businesses with large, multipurpose department stores or regional shopping 

facilities. A single large store has put many small main street stores out of business. These 

stores tend to be less personal, and managers are less willing to let employees leave when 

the alarm sounds. Large corporations usually are not as closely tied to the community as 

are local businesses and, as a result, are often less willing to give employees time off to 

volunteer. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

LEADERSHI

Many retention and recruitment problems can be traced back directly or indirectly to leadership problems. Effective leadership helps retain members as well as 

reduce dissatisfaction. Ineffective leadership is the most common reason for a decline in 

membership.

Poor Leadership and Lack of Coordination --Some of the leadership problems stem 

directly from the lack of direction given to members, particularly new members. New 

members need direction, especially in the area of training. If this initial direction is not 

provided, new recruits often become frustrated and quit. A program of mentoring and 

coaching needs to be implemented for new members. Incumbent members must be 

assigned to assist, acquaint, and get the new recruit off to a good start. A department that 

is progressive and stays on the leading edge tends to have an easier time with recruitment 

and retention because its members take more pride in the department. Progressiveness, 

however, requires strong leadership and coordination of members’ efforts.

Authoritarian Management Style --Dictatorial leaders drive members out of volunteer 

fire departments. Volunteers feel they are given enough orders in their day-to-day jobs, 

and prefer not to have every action dictated around the station. Participative management 

styles attract and retain members. Volunteer members want to have some “ownership” 

in the organization. They must have a sense of worth and feel they are using their talents 

to contribute to the overall good. They cannot be treated poorly or looked down upon. 

Volunteers also have to understand the need for discipline, the fireground is not the place 

for democracy.

Failure to Manage Change --Change is inevitable in any fire department, and it can be 

painful if it is not managed properly. Departments that undergo major changes (such 

as consolidations) that are not well-managed usually will lose members. One of the 

most common causes of management problems during periods of change is poor 

communications. This is an information age and individuals are used to being kept well 

informed by media and Internet sources. Withholding information will only lead to gossip, 

hypothesizing, lower morale, and suspicion. Poor communications are generally the sign of 

an authoritarian manager who is a weak leader. More will be said about this in the section 

on leadership. 
 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

FEDERAL

Several acts by the Federal government in recent years have had an impact on recruitment and retention.

Fair Labor Standards Act --The FLSA is a Federal law administered through the U.S. 

Department of Labor (DOL) that governs compensation and overtime requirements for 

hourly employees. The FLSA prevents employers from requiring or coercing employees 

to volunteer at their place of employment. The FLSA has existed since 1938, but in 

1985 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that FLSA requirements are applicable to State and 

local government employees. The ruling requires local governments to pay monetary 

compensation to firefighters who work overtime.

Most career firefighters are considered hourly employees 

and fall under the provisions of this Act. Based on the 

1985 ruling and a 1993 DOL interpretation of the law, 

career firefighters are prohibited from volunteering 

during their off-duty hours at a fire station in the same 

jurisdiction in which they are employed, unless their 

volunteer activities are a separate capacity from their 

paid work activities. For example, a career firefighter 

could not volunteer in the same jurisdiction during offduty hours to serve as a firefighter, but could perform 

administrative tasks at a fire station.

The 1985 Supreme Court decision enforced minimum 

wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA within State 

and local governments, which has affected many fire 

departments in both urban and rural areas. This has 

caused some volunteer systems to lose hundreds of 

members. Subsequently, staffing problems emerge which 

leads to a lack of protection for citizens. 

Some State labor departments have further interpreted the FLSA prohibition to apply to 

volunteer fire instructors who are employed as State police, and nurses who volunteer to 

teach EMS (even though the law only prohibits employees from volunteering in the same 

job capacity as which they work). Fear by some city officials of possibly being required 

to pay back wages to employees who volunteer during their off-duty hours has caused 

some localities to get rid of volunteer members who are city employees, even though the 

members are not employed as firefighters. This occurred in Hanover, Massachusetts, where 

the local labor office interpreted FLSA to prohibit three call firefighters who were town 

employees (a teacher, a janitor, and a truck driver) from volunteering as firefighters.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

DePartment of labor aDoPtS benShoff flSa teSt

Fire Chief, Dec 1, 2002

Reprinted with permission

Byline: John Rukavina

Late in 1999, a Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals decision--Benshoff v. City of Virginia Beach, 180 

F3d 752--caught my eye. It dealt with the Fair Labor Standards Act status of career Virginia Beach firefighters 

serving as volunteers on the volunteer EMS squads that serve Virginia Beach. As I wrote in the March 2000 Lex 

de Incendiis, “Latest FLSA ruling takes an unexpected twist,” available at www.firechief.com>:

“More than a decade ago, a wrestling match started between the fire service and the U.S. Department of Labor. 

The bout began in Montgomery County, Md....

“[But] A recent decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ... might have put a significant dent in the 

Department of Labor’s decision ... and 10 or 15 years ago, it might have made a difference in Montgomery 

County, Md.”

That unexpected twist has come full circle.

In the 1980s, Montgomery County career firefighters were county employees assigned to fire stations owned and 

operated by private non-profit corporation fire departments. Some of those career firefighters who were assigned 

to work at one department also volunteered at another PNP fire department elsewhere in Montgomery County. 

Others who believed that a career firefighter could not “volunteer” for its employer, Montgomery County, filed a 

complaint with the Department of Labor.

At that time the DOL ruled that, even though Montgomery County’s PNP fire departments were corporate 

entities separate from the county, those departments were linked closely enough to the county to trigger the 

provisions of FLSA (29 U.S. Code section 203(e)(4)(A)), which provides that a public safety employee cannot 

volunteer to provide “services for a public agency” that are “the same type of services which the individual is 

employed to perform for such agencies.” As a consequence of that ruling, Montgomery County prohibited its 

career firefighters from volunteering for any PNP fire department in Montgomery County.

Now, we fast-forward to 1998 and join Virginia Beach firefighter Gregg Alan Benshoff and six other firefighters 

as they sue Virginia Beach for failure to pay them for time spent at work as members of volunteer rescue squads 

that contracted with Virginia Beach as EMS providers.

John Rukavina is director of public safety for Wake County, North Carolina, and holds a law degree from 

the University of Minnesota School of Law. He was a 1993 FEMA Fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy 

School of Government and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He 

has taught for the National Fire Academy, at IAFC conferences and for the Institutes of Government at the 

Universities of North Carolina and Georgia.

continued on next page
8 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

Benshoff and his co-plaintiffs argued that they were entitled to hour-for-hour pay for their volunteer rescue 

squad activities because those squads contracted with Virginia Beach’s Department of Emergency Medical 

Services to deliver EMS in Virginia Beach, and because, as part of their jobs, Virginia Beach firefighters respond to 

medical emergencies and provide Basic Life Support treatment (the rescue squads provide Advanced Life Support 

and transport services).

Benshoff and his co-plaintiffs also argued that the relationships between the rescue squads and Virginia Beach, 

and the fact that their career and volunteer work involved delivery of emergency medical care, meant that 

Benshoff and his co-plaintiffs were “employees” of the city, even when they served as volunteer members of the 

rescue squad.

Both the Federal District Court (a trial court) and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Benshoff 

and his colleagues. The judges of both courts agreed that the rescue squads were not “controlled” by Virginia 

Beach to the degree that would be required to trigger the “public-agency/same-employer/same work” provision 

of FLSA.

In analyzing the issue, the court asked three questions:

• Were the rescue squad members controlled by the city’s Department of Emergency Medical Services the 

same way an employer customarily controls an employee? The court asked whether the Department of EMS 

could override a rescue squad’s acceptance or rejection of a candidate for membership. The answer was no. 

And could the department discipline a rescue squad’s individual members? Again, no.

• Were the day-to-day operations of the rescue squads controlled by the Department of Emergency Medical 

Services? Although the Department of EMS divided Virginia Beach into response brigades and zones; selected 

brigade commanders, squad commanders and assistant squad commanders to coordinate EMS activities in 

those zones; and created schedules for assignment of rescue squad members as the shift EMS supervisor, these 

activities were not “sufficient to establish an employer-employee relationship under the FLSA.”

• Was the city’s provision of cars for use by the rescue squads, and of loans and grants to purchase rescue 

trucks and ambulances, enough to establish the control required for evidence of an employer-employee 

relationship? No. And what about the workers’ comp and death benefits the city furnished to rescue squad 

members? Again, no.

The Fourth Circuit judges also disagreed with DOL’s “friend of the court” argument that EMS work done by 

volunteer squad members was done for the City of Virginia Beach and was thus “providing [public safety] 

services for a public agency.”

The Fourth Circuit ruled that “there was no reason to believe that Congress intended to insert the issues of 

control and benefit to the exclusion of all other considerations into the determination of whether a public agency 

employee is volunteering services ‘for a public agency’ in the first instance.” Instead, the Fourth Circuit judges 

said that they would focus on whether a particular activity constitutes employment to “ferret out any cases 

where, unlike the one before us, there is a ‘sham’ volunteer corporation ... to avoid the compensation provisions of 

the [Fair Labor Standards] Act.”

continued on next page
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

Benshoff captured the attention of Montgomery County’s PNP fire departments and prompted the Burtonsville 

Volunteer Fire Department Inc. to ask the DOL for a formal “opinion letter” addressing the question of whether 

the Benshoff analysis and conclusions also applied to Montgomery County and its relationships with its fire 

departments.

On Nov. 27, 2001, DOL Acting Administrator Annabelle Lockhart issued DOL’s formal opinion--in applying 

the Benshoff analysis to Montgomery County and its PNP fire departments, Lockhart ruled that career 

Montgomery County firefighters who served as volunteers in one of Montgomery County’s PNP corporation fire 

departments were not “employees” when they served as volunteers.

Lockhart’s opinion was challenged by Montgomery County, and in May 2002, Administrator Tammy 

McCutcheon, who was Lockhart’s successor, met with the Montgomery County attorney, Montgomery County 

Fire/Rescue staff, two Rockville Volunteer Fire Department Inc. members and a representative of the career 

firefighters union to review Lockhart’s decision. At the end of the meeting, McCutcheon stood by Lockhart’s 

findings.

“We noted,” said McCutcheon, in a post-meeting opinion letter dated June 5, 2002, “that there are a number 

of factual differences between the Benshoff case and the situation in Montgomery County, the most significant 

being that in Montgomery County the volunteers provide exactly the same services (both fire and emergency 

medical services) as do the career employees. In contrast, in Benshoff the city was not licensed by the State to 

provide the Advanced Life Support services provided by the rescue squads, and the rescue squad volunteers did no 

firefighting.

“However, we concluded that the primary facts that led the court in Benshoff to conclude that the FLSA did 

not require compensation for volunteer time were similar in Montgomery County... Those separate corporations 

exercise day-to-day control over what positions volunteers hold, what they do and when they do it.

“Therefore, in light of the Benshoff decision, we conclude that the FLSA does not require Montgomery County 

to pay its career firefighters if they volunteer, freely and without coercion, to provide services to the non-profit 

fire and rescue corporations in the County. This is true whether they are providing services as a firefighters or as 

an emergency medical technician.” [Emphasis added.]

Until June 5, 2002, arguments about Benshoff and its applicability to fire and rescue departments were largely 

limited to Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina--the jurisdiction of the 

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, because the opinion of one circuit court isn’t automatically binding in another 

circuit court’s jurisdiction. But the Lockhart and McCutcheon opinion letters brought the Benshoff tests out 

onto the national stage because DOL opinion letters can be used in every State.

When news of these formal opinions reached the fire service, there were many fire chiefs who believed that 

his or her career firefighters could also serve as volunteers in the same department without FLSA penalty. That 

impression was supported by summaries of those opinions by FLSA experts. Here’s one example:

continued on next page
0 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

“In a major policy change, the U.S. Department of Labor has decided that firefighters may volunteer to perform 

the same type of services within their employer’s jurisdiction that they are paid to perform--without those 

hours increasing the employer’s overtime pay obligations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). [Emphasis 

added]

The casual reader might conclude from this bulletin that “within their employer’s jurisdiction” means the 

jurisdiction of any fire department employer. And many casual readers did. Within a day or two of the release of 

McCutcheon’s opinion letter, I’d fielded at least 20 phone calls from fire chiefs of combination fire departments 

who wanted me to confirm that DOL had seen the light and freed them from the shackles of FLSA’s overtime 

requirements.

But I couldn’t help them. The “jurisdiction” that DOL’s Lockhart and McCutcheon addressed was limited to

• A county or city fire/rescue department,

• With career employees,

• Who volunteered with an independent private non-profit corporation fire (or rescue) department in the 

same county 

or city,

•Which “exercise[s] day-to-day control over what positions volunteers hold, what they do and when they 

do it.”

If your fire department jurisdiction meets all four of the criteria listed above, your career firefighters--like those of 

Virginia Beach and Montgomery County--have new volunteer opportunities. If not, hang onto your FLSA reference 

materials, because you still need them.

Two-in, Two-out OSHA Ruling --OSHA issued an interpretation in 1995 of one of its 

long-standing standards to require fire department to have four firefighters assembled at a 

structure fire before an interior attack could be made on the fire. The intent of this ruling 

is to require two firefighters to stand by outside of the structure as a safety team for the 

two firefighters who enter. Unfortunately however, this ruling creates an additional burden 

on departments that are already struggling with the size of their memberships. To comply 

with the ruling, some departments have had to increase the number of volunteers on a 

duty shift, which ultimately creates more time demands on the members. As discussed 

previously, time demands are one of the leading causes of recruitment and retention 

problems.

EPA Live-Fire Burn Limitations --The EPA has issued strict standards that restrict fire 

departments and training agencies from conducting live-fire training burns in certain 

areas of the country. The rulings are part of larger emission control standards that affect 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 21

urban, suburban, and industrial areas in particular. Fire departments in areas affected by 

the standards cannot conduct the realistic training burns that they once did. To complete 

training courses, firefighters in these areas may be forced to travel great distances to areas 

where they can conduct live-fire burns. This creates greater time demands on volunteers 

who are trying to complete live-fire training.

INTERNAL

I

nternal conflicts and other stresses drive members out of fire departments. The two 

greatest problems with internal conflict in the volunteer fire service originate among 

leaders or between volunteer and career members in combination departments.

Disagreements Among Departmental Leaders --When disagreements among departmental 

leaders (either officers or administrative officers) develop, the membership may become 

disillusioned. When the disagreement becomes personal or is not resolved quickly, the 

resulting tension drives members out. Unfortunately in many departments, power politics 

arise. Generally, the major concern is who will be the “boss,” and make major decisions. 

Egos get in the way of the purpose of the organization and providing the best emergency 

services for the community. More will be written about this later.

Friction Among Volunteer and Career Members --A major source of recruitment and 

retention problems in some combination volunteer-career departments is friction among 

members. The friction often arises from disagreements about the way things should be run, 

or power struggles over whether a volunteer or career member/officer will be in charge 

at an emergency incident. Sometimes, one group may have more training than another 

group and claim it is more experienced. It is vital that the training levels for both career 

and volunteer members be the same. The State of Illinois is a good example of a single 

training program. In fact, some volunteers may even make more responses; therefore, gain 

more experience than a shift-working career member. Good examples of where these 

problems have been overcome and smooth working combination departments exist are 

the Baltimore County, Maryland, Fire Department and the Hanover County, Virginia, Public 

Safety Department. In Baltimore County this is accomplished by a unique system of having 

a single fire department, but allowing the individual volunteer stations to maintain their 

identity, and organizational and administrative authority. However, all career and volunteer 

stations must meet the same standards of staffing, training, and operational procedures. A 

career chief officer assumes control of incident operations upon arrival.
 t h e r e t e n t i o n & r e c r u i t m e n t c h a l l e n g e s : Causes & Effects

HIGHER

Many affluent areas across the country are struggling to retain members who cannot afford to live where they volunteer. The volunteer fire service has historically drawn a 

large number of blue-collar individuals who typically cannot afford the expenses of highincome areas. The rate of decline in the number of volunteers in these communities is often 

inversely proportional to the increase in housing costs. Members who join departments 

in affluent areas when they are younger generally cannot afford to purchase their first 

house in those communities so they move to another jurisdiction that may be too far 

away to respond as a volunteer. In some cases, the cost of renting is also too expensive 

for volunteers. It is usually difficult for affluent, white-collar communities to replace 

these members. As an example, these communities need to explore volunteer fire station 

residing/in-station programs (with some compensation) for night coverage. Daytime 

coverage may be available from shift works, or career personnel may be necessary. In some 

cases, outside aid can augment the volunteer response, or contract services can be acquired. 

Other options may exist locally and need to be evaluated. 

AGING

Many areas have aging populations where volunteer fire departments have difficulty finding younger members to replace those who retire. Some towns have experienced 

a steady increase in the average age of residents; other towns have been created as 

retirement communities that specifically attract older people. Both these types of towns 

struggle with recruitment.

The primary cause of this situation is the steady increase in the aging population in the 

country. It also can be attributed to the lack of economic growth in smaller towns. Younger 

individuals leave towns that lack jobs. There are still a few departments in rural areas where 

retention is not a problem; however, these communities are increasingly the exception. The 

recommendations for affluent areas will also apply here.

EFFECTS

The erosion of the volunteer fire service in the United States has economic and social effects. The economic ramifications are obvious, as towns are forced to hire career 

firefighters in place of volunteers. The 75 percent of the country served by volunteer 

firefighters relies on them to be the first line of defense in almost any type of emergency from 

fires and medical emergencies to technical rescues and hazardous materials spills. Volunteers 

are the initial mitigators before the arrival of county, State, or Federal backup emergency 

response teams for all types of natural disasters. Of the over 30,000 fire departments in the 

United States, 88 percent are volunteer, protecting 40 percent of the population.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

On September 10, 2004, the NVFC Foundation officially released its Cost Savings Study and 

Calculator at the National Associations of Towns and Townships Conference in Washington, 

DC. The study, which was conducted by the Public Safety and Environmental Protection 

Institute at St. Joseph’s University with the assistance of VFIS, found that it would cost U.S. 

taxpayers $37.2 billion annually if they had to replace all volunteer firefighters nationwide 

with career staffing.

Some have indicated they cannot afford to hire career firefighters, and that the services of 

firefighters would not exist if their departments failed. Others have said that their towns 

could afford to hire a few career firefighters, but that volunteers would still be necessary to 

supplement the career staff. According to the Cost Savings Study, an average figure that can 

be used for a career firefighter’s salary and benefits is $71,500 per year. The actual figure 

varies by area of the country.

The loss of volunteers also would have more subtle social ramifications. In many 

communities, particularly small towns, the volunteer fire department has been a social 

center. Dinners, dances, family reunions, and weddings all have been held in the fire 

station. Volunteer firefighters embody and represent the spirit of the community. They are 

often the centerpiece in parades. The loss of the volunteer fire service would be a major 

social loss for any community.

E

Salaries & Fringes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125,591,025

Equipment/Purchase/Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,553,600

Building Purchases/Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,017,500

Employee Apparatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,173,214

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $136,335,339

Source: Delaware State Auditor’s Office
I

• Leadership

• Department Image

• Risks

• Relocation

• Diversity of People and Interests

• Consolidation

• Attitude and Motivation Research

• Cohesiveness

• Emotional Support

• Training Requirements

• Time Demands

• Recognition

• Incentives

• The Fun Factor
RETENTION: 

Challenges & Solutions
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

People who join volunteer fire departments do so for a wide variety of reasons. The issues of retention boil down to two major categories:

• problems in one’s own life, such as lack of time, family demands, emotional problems, 

or a job change that makes it difficult to remain a volunteer of any organization; and/

or

• factors relating to the individual fire department or the fire service itself that drive 

out a volunteer who would otherwise stay, such as dictatorial leadership or too much 

mandatory training. 

A fire department often can make accommodations to reduce the time burden on the 

individual volunteer and even may be able to help solve or accommodate some of his or 

her personal problems. Departments certainly can do a great deal to avoid driving out good 

people.

Fire Chiefs Jack Snook and Dan Olsen are national experts on retention of volunteer 

firefighters. In their book, Recruiting, Training, and Maintaining Volunteer Firefighters, they identify four 

characteristics of a volunteer department that are essential to retaining members:

• The program must meet individual needs.

• The program must provide its membership with reward and recognition.

• The program must provide adequate supervision and leadership.

• The program must challenge members.

The research by St. Joseph’s University confirmed these as core elements to recruitment and 

retention coupled with the issue that all recruitment and retention is local. Additionally, the 

needs, leadership, and challenges are all local.

QuALITIES OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS

• high integrity;

• good communication skills;

• openness and willingness to listen;

• fairness and consistency;

• respectfulness of others;

• vision, and communication of the vision 

to others;

• the ability to solve problems, not create 

them;

• the ability to adapt to changes and handle 

new changes; and

• the ability to identify and take advantage 

of new opportunities.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

LEADERSHI

A fire department’s ability to retain volunteer members has a direct relationship to its ability to manage its people. Many retention problems can be traced back, directly 

or indirectly, to inadequate or misguided efforts from department managers. Effective 

leadership (see following list) helps retain members as well as reduce dissatisfaction. 

Ineffective leadership is perhaps the leading reason for a decline in membership. If a 

volunteer’s experience is not constructive or is dissatisfying because of leadership conflicts, 

the volunteer most likely will quit. There are too many time 

demands on people today to tolerate a poor volunteer experience.

Most volunteers agree that effective leadership is key to resolving 

retention and recruitment problems. Effective leaders with 

character qualities listed on the following page are vital to the 

success and strength of the department. One thing to remember: 

leadership qualities and skills are not simply acquired, they must 

be learned and practiced. They also must be exhibited both in the 

station and on the fireground so that others can learn them by 

observation. 

Bylaws, rules, and regulations also are important. It is the 

leadership’s responsibility to maintain discipline and carry out 

departmental regulations fairly and consistently. Clear, measurable 

standards of performance and conduct should be developed and 

enforced. These should be written by a group representing all ranks 

and elements of the department. Once these policies are set, the 

leadership must communicate them to the firefighters. This can 

best be accomplished by providing all members a written copy, 

discussing any concerns, and updating them as necessary.

Leaders also must learn to share tasks and delegate responsibilities to all members of the 

department. The management must recognize that each member will have different levels 

of time and energy. Instead of overloading one person with many duties, each volunteer 

should be used and respected for his or her distinct talents and knowledge. A chief may 

request the aid of a person whose full-time career is as an auto mechanic when apparatus 

needs work, or ask a person with computer experience to work on data reports. The 

delegation of tasks to all members not only divides the amount of work so that one person 

is not overburdened, but it also allows each member to take on a responsibility, giving 

them a feeling of ownership and importance in the organization. This is critical to retention 

of dedicated, enthusiastic, ambitious members. If their talents are not used in the fire 

department, they will take them elsewhere.
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

FIREFIGHTERS

1. The right to be treated as a coworker--and not just free help.

 2. The right to suitable assigment.

 3. The right to know as much as possible about the organization--

policy, people and programs.

4. The right to participate in activities.

5. The right to quality training.

 6. The right to sound guidance and direction.

7. The right to proper working conditions.

8. The right to a safe working enviroment.

9. The right to promotion and a variety of experiences.

 10. The right to be heard; to have a part in the planning.

 11. The right to recognition, through promotion and reward.

 12. The right to day-to-day expression of appreciation by the 

management of the district.

Fire Chief President of the Board 

Firefighters’ Association President

*This is merely an example and is not a law or endorsed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the United States Fire Administration (USFA).
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

However, it is imperative to remember that many people volunteer to escape their everyday 

lives, and do not want to repeat their daytime job when they are at the station. It is often 

beneficial to ask members to choose projects, allowing them the opportunity to adopt 

their own duties. It is important to be aware of each volunteer’s talents and needs, while 

getting the job done efficiently. It is best to strike a “happy medium.” If members wish 

to escape their regular work, recruit them to be operational members. At the same time, 

think and recruit outside the normal box: be innovative. Often it is extremely beneficial 

to recruit new members for non-firefighting specialty tasks within the department; for 

example, a bank employee or accountant to do the financial work, a lawyer for legal issues, 

a human relations expert to handle personnel problems. Then treat these non-firefighters 

with the same respect and benefits as the firefighters. A program introduced by the Federal 

government is Fire Corps, which is detailed in Appendix D.

MANAGEMENT

Many members have been driven out by problems with their chief or officers’ management 

style. As a result of this and other changes in workplace management philosophies, 

there has been a striking move in volunteer fire departments across the Nation toward 

participatory management. Of serving volunteers, 58 percent are between the ages of 30 

and 49 and another 18 percent are older. These people are no longer “kids,” and many 

are managers in their own right. They have a lot to offer and must be used effectively, or 

they will be lost. Volunteers do not want to work for a chief who is viewed as an inflexible 

dictator. Volunteers want to be proud of their organization and comfortable with it. They do 

not want a lot of grief while serving.

In a survey of reasons for leaving a fire department, one former volunteer firefighter said, 

“There is only one way to do things in this department--his way.” Another former member 

was very critical of his chief. Feelings about the chief, as reported in the survey, included 

perceptions that the chief was not a competent manager; the chief did not respect the time 

of the members and expected everyone to devote all of their time to the fire service (as the 

chief did); the chief was tarnishing the image of the department; and the chief was not 

competent in directing fire operations. 

To make sure that chiefs understand their leadership responsibilities in respecting the 

individual, Benton County, Arkansas, gave each fire chief in the county a copy of the book 

Volunteer Firefighters: A Breed Apart. This called attention to the expectation that they should 

be considerate to their firefighters, and gave the chiefs a better understanding of why 

volunteers are such a unique group. The intended message was conveyed as much through 

the act of giving the book to the chiefs as in the content of the book itself.
0 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

FIREgROuND MANAgEMENT VERSuS FIRE STATION MANAgEMENT

On the fireground, a set military-style structure of command and leadership may mean 

the difference between life and death. However, at the station, leaders should consider 

options other than a traditional military style of command. Volunteers prefer more 

democratic leadership styles around the station. While most volunteers do not respond 

well under dogmatic or dictatorial leadership, neither do they flourish under a lackadaisical 

management attitude. Having a “do whatever you want” fireground style is detrimental 

and no longer permitted under NFPA 1500, Standard on Firefighter Occupational Safety and Health 

Program and operational procedures, whether Incident Command System (ICS), Incident 

Management System (IMS), or National Incident Management System (NIMS). Having a 

“do whatever you want” fire station style will cause morale problems. A lack of leadership 

leads to a lack of direction, and in almost all cases, the department declines.

DEMOCRATIC/PARTICIPATIVE MANAgEMENT

Using a democratic or participative management style around the station may take some 

adjustment at first. Democratic/Participative leadership means that everyone shares in 

running the department; it does not mean the structure of leadership is lost. The simple 

way to do this is to run the fire station using ICS. Projects and responsibilities can be 

divided up and everyone has a place and task to perform. Chief officers (group supervisors) 

still should guide project teams, help them define their goals and project time frames, keep 

abreast of their progress, and coordinate interaction among them.

There are a variety of ways to include the volunteer in the management of the department, 

such as designating them to committees (groups) to run tasks such as prevention, 

equipment purchases, hazardous materials response, personal protective equipment 

(PPE), or many others. The groups study the issues and make recommendations to the 

full membership and the chiefs. Fire departments, however, run into problems when fire 

chiefs regularly disregard the recommendations of groups. This hurts the morale of group 

members, as well as affecting retention. To avoid situations where the chief may disagree 

with a group’s recommendations, the chief should provide guidance to the group from the 

outset, including the scope of the group and the degree of latitude the group will have in 

the decisionmaking process.

Members must be treated as part of the organization rather than “free labor.” A highly 

successful approach to participatory management is the “circle inside the pyramid” 

organization (i.e., a traditional pyramid organization on the fireground and a joint 

planning style “circle” back at the station).

A major benefit of decentralized management is that it relieves the chief and officers from 

having to perform all of the management duties of the department. As one chief has said, 

“Everybody that joins has a need to join, and when membership weakens, it’s probably 

because the people don’t get a chance to participate.”
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

Other ways to involve the membership in the decisionmaking process:

• Voting. In some departments, the membership is responsible for choosing their 

helmets, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and personal protective equipment 

(PPE) by vote after manufacturers make presentations for members on the various 

alternatives. In one department, the chief designates the goals and objectives of the 

department, but allows the officers and volunteers to decide how they implement 

them. By creating an atmosphere where the volunteer can become more involved, 

a department is furthering recruitment and retention. The members are making an 

investment, one from which they will not want to walk away.

• Assign officers to lead specialty units, for example, the search and rescue unit, or the 

communications unit. This provides a multitude of leadership opportunities.

“Volunteer VieWPoint”

If you want my loyalty, interests, and best efforts, remember that...

1. I need a sense of belonging, a feeling that I am honestly needed for my total self, 

not just for my hands, nor because I take orders well.

2. I need to have a sense of sharing in planning our objectives. My need will be 

satisfied only when I feel that my ideas have had a fair hearing.

3. I need to feel that the goals and objectives of the organization are within reach 

and that they make sense to me.

4. I need to feel that what I’m doing has a real purpose that contributes to human 

welfare--that its value extends beyond my personal gain, or hours.

5. I need to share in making the rules by which, together, we shall live and work 

toward our goals.

6. I need to know with some clear detail just what is expected of me--not only my 

detailed task but where I have opportunity to make personal and final decisions.

7. I need to have some responsibilities that challenge, that are within range of my 

abilities and interest, that contribute toward reaching my assigned goal, and that 

cover all goals.

8. I need to see that progress is being made toward the goals we have set.

9. I need to be kept informed. What I’m not up on, I may be down on. (Keeping 

me informed is one way to give me status as an individual.)

10. I need to have confidence in my superiors--confidence based upon assurance of 

consistent fair treatment, or recognition when it is due, and trust that loyalty will 

bring increased security.

The Effective Management of Volunteer Programs. J. Donald Philips, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan.
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

But to repeat, promoting participatory management does not mean losing all discipline or 

command structure. It is important to have rules, regulations, policies, Standard Operating 

Procedures (SOPs), and Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) that are enforced. Most 

volunteer departments find that strong but fair discipline helps rather than hurts retention. 

There is no room for double standards of discipline in the volunteer fire service. It can 

also improve the relationship with local authorities as well as make the department more 

professional.

SEEkINg MEMBERSHIP FEEDBACk

Good leaders always seek input and feedback from their firefighters. An annual “roundtable 

meeting” where any member of any rank is allowed to discuss what he or she thinks is 

going well in the department as well as any problems may be a course of action. This 

meeting can be very important to members because it allows everyone to have input and 

reflect on the State of the organization. Many problems are resolved at meetings like this.

Broad input from the membership on policies, purchases, and other major decisions may 

be another solution. One department holds a “Four C’s” meeting where the officers solicit 

the following information from each member.

• Compliments: What do you think is good about the fire department?

• Convictions: What are your beliefs about the direction of the fire department, and 

what is your vision for its future?

• Concerns: What current or potential problems need to be addressed?

• Comments: Do you have anything else to say about the department?

MISSION

Emergency service organizations must have an understanding of “where they are” and 

“where they are headed.” To achieve this, it is important to plan the way into the future. 

This process includes developing a goal, mission, objectives, and a vision.

The following definitions and example will be of benefit as an introduction to the next 

section.

Goal --long term, broad-based ideal to be completed.

Mission --clearly defined task to be accomplished to achieve purpose.

Objectives --measurable, time dependent, steps leading to completion of mission and goal.

Vision --future target of excellence.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

Example: 

Goal --Comply with all of NFPA 1500.

Mission --Improve firefighter safety as much as possible.

Objectives --Steps to take to achieve this.

Vision --No firefighter injuries or deaths.

One of a department’s leadership’s prime responsibilities is to define the mission of the 

organization and put it in writing. A clear mission statement gives a sense of purpose to 

those who volunteer.

A volunteer fire department’s mission may change dramatically over time. The department 

as a whole should review the mission statement at least annually to remind members of 

their purpose and to make adjustments as necessary. Reviewing a department’s mission is 

another excellent opportunity for management to involve the members in the organization.

When there are changes in services offered, it is important to revise the mission statement 

and define the role of the member as well as the department as a whole. For example, 

a recent trend has been adding EMS to the traditional firefighting job. While some fire 

SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT FOR AN ALL-VOLuNTEER DEPARTMENT

SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT FOR A COMBINATION DEPARTMENT

The Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department’s mission is to be a leading emergency service organization by:

• meeting the needs of our community in fire prevention, fire suppression and rescue;

• utilizing and improving the dedication and skills of our people; and

• constantly improving all of our services and operations

In carrying out this mission, the Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department will:

• give top priority to firefighter safety and environmental concerns;

• encourage the professional and personal development of our members;

• work as teams to take full advantage of our skills, knowledge and creativity; and

• communicate openly and honestly to our members and community to inspire trust and confidence.

Courtesy Ponderosa (TX) Volunteer Fire Department

As volunteers, our mission is to work jointly with career Firefighters and Paramedics to:

• prevent fires and medical emergencies from occurring through safety education;

• control fire, medical, and other emergencies should prevention fail; and

• enhance the level of emergency services provided to the citizens by the County.

Courtesy Cherrydale (VA) Volunteer Fire Department
4 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

department members participate in both functions, other departments separate EMS and 

fire protection with members participating in one or the other function. The objectives 

should be specific, describing services such as hazardous materials mitigation, urban search 

and rescue, and other specialties. A mission that diversifies over time may be useful for 

retaining members who become complacent due to the increasingly smaller number of 

working fires.

A mission statement for an all volunteer department may be different than that of a 

combination department. For example, compare the mission of the Ponderosa, Texas, 

Volunteer Fire Department, an all-volunteer department, with that of the Cherrydale, 

Virginia, Volunteer Fire Department, a combination department. 

LONG

Having a clear idea of the future direction of the department will allow planning where 

and how to use volunteers. Every fire department should have a master plan and a strategic 

plan to give it direction. These plans can be based on 5- or 10-year increments. These 

“plans” state the overall goal and the objectives to be accomplished in the selected time 

period. They should be working documents and subject to change. The “plans” require 

annual review and updating.

The master plan divides the community into fire management areas and reviews fire 

control and target hazards in each area. Future growth and development are forecast 

and compared to present resources and future needs. Resources available and needed for 

each fire management area reviewed in order to plan for current and future control of 

the fire problems. Strategic planning looks at the department’s organization and places a 

focus on managing change and organizational performance. Strategic planning performs 

an organizational resource assessment, defines the service expectations, and develops a 

planned priority for using resources to meet expectations. Both types of planning lead to 

the establishment of an overall goal and numerous objectives to measure progress.

Fire chiefs should communicate their long-term vision for the department to members. They 

also should establish annual objectives toward meeting this vision. By stating the department 

goal, vision, and objectives up front, volunteers know what to expect. This reduces anxiety 

about the future by establishing a clear direction, a road map that members will understand and 

support.

SELECTION

There is considerable disagreement over what the tenure of the chief and officers should 

be, but there is strong agreement that the criteria for selecting them should be stiffened, 

and that the selection should not be based only on popularity.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

The leadership skill of the chief is the most important factor in recruitment and retention. 

The chief’s personality and competence in communications, personnel relations, and 

human resource management are vital. The chief is therefore critical to successful 

recruitment and retention.

The volunteer chief’s role has become much more complex than it was in the past. Chiefs 

must be knowledgeable in technical issues, personnel management, health risks, budgeting, 

and liability issues. The chief’s roles include being a counselor, a facilitator, and a family 

member. Volunteer departments should establish chief officer selection criteria that reflect 

all areas of responsibility. 

While there are merits to having leaders that everyone likes, there is a strong consensus 

against electing a chief solely on the basis of popularity. “Don’t just vote for your friend,” 

said one chief. If the chief does not know his or her “stuff”, the members may lose 

respect for him or her and quit. After reviewing NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional 

Qualifications, the department should develop minimum qualifications that must be met by 

those who wish to become chief officers. There is a need for administrative, leadership, and 

management skills in addition to being a competent fireground officer.

The knowledge needed to be an effective chief cannot be gained in a short time. Most 

volunteers feel that chiefs should rise up through the ranks of the department. This way 

they not only gain experience, but also become familiar with the department from all 

perspectives. Others also will have more respect for them because they have been a line 

firefighter.

Most departments have an election process as well as minimum requirements for the chief’s 

position. Some departments have evolved methods of choosing a chief that are specifically 

designed to alleviate problems of bias. Many departments now use tests as a part of the 

selection process. While good test takers may not necessarily make good officers, testing is 

commonly recommended as one element of the selection process. In States where many 

departments are part of the municipality, it is common for the city manager or city council 

to have the final approval for a new volunteer chief.

In many communities, departments take pride in promoting leadership continuity from 

one generation to another. However, the mantle of leadership should be earned, and 

not necessarily passed on to a family member of the incumbent chief, unless he or she 

is qualified and voted on by the members. There should be no “double standard” or 

favoritism for family members. All candidates should meet the minimum qualifications.

As the demands on volunteer departments have increased, as well as standards regulating 

them, the pressures on the chief also have increased. Some departments are finding it 

difficult to find anyone who wants to be chief, especially someone who is qualified. This 
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

has caused many volunteer departments, especially in New England, to pay the chief 

as a full-time or part-time employee. An alternative to this is to hire a firm to perform 

administrative functions or acquire full or part-time administrative support personnel.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

A number of volunteers feel that a chief should have at least a 3-year tenure. Not only can it 

take a year to learn the job, it also can take years to implement new ideas, and turn around 

a department headed in the wrong direction. Many departments have a 1-year term for the 

chief position, but will reelect a chief for many years if the members are satisfied. Rapid 

turnover is a key concern, and rarely benefits anyone, especially in the area of recruitment. 

Some argue that the chief position should rotate frequently to allow for promotion, but the 

overriding concern should be achieving good leadership over the long haul.

SELECTION

While good leadership by the chief is paramount, retention is influenced by the quality of 

the other officers. In most fire departments, career and volunteer, the quality of officers is 

the weak link. The most common quality problems are the lack of essential administrative, 

communication, personnel management, and technical skills.

In selecting volunteer officers, both their technical and management skills need to be 

considered. Some departments use the same standards for promoting volunteer officers 

as career officers (i.e., a civil service exam or assessment center and interviews). Technical 

prowess is important because it gives the officer respect. However, to be effective an officer 

also needs to know how to deal with personnel issues such as discipline, supervisory, or 

personal problems. Volunteering is often an escape from other life pressures; a volunteer 

environment where people are not managed properly and problems are not resolved 

correctly will increase pressure, and hurt retention. See Appendix E for samples of an officer 

promotional process and officer evaluation forms.

Some departments allow their officers to be re-elected after 1- to 3-year terms; however 

they are not locked in the position, and can return to being a basic member for their own 

peace of mind or for the good of the department. This allows other members to compete 

for the positions, encourages officers to keep current, and keeps the officers on their toes. 

Other departments automatically rotate officers after 3 years, so no one person is stuck 

indefinitely with the extra duties required of an officer. Also some departments require that 

officers be re-tested every 3 years to ensure their competency. Those who do not have the 

will to maintain their expertise are dropped. These different policies toward officer tenure 

all have the same goal: keeping the quality of officers high, retaining the good people who 

serve as officers, and giving members a fair shot at becoming an officer.

TRAINING

Inadequate training for volunteer chiefs and officers is a common problem. Officer 

training must be affordable, accessible in the field, scheduled on nights and weekends, 

and conducted in a time span “that works.” Many departments now require officers to 

have completed an Officer I course as recommended by the NFPA officer standard. Chief 
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

level officers, in particular, should take additional courses in volunteer management and 

leadership such as the NFA’s Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP), which is a free training 

program. Officers need to take classes in leadership and acquire the skills of directing 

personnel and managing a group composed of all age levels. 

INTERNAL

The vast majority of management problems are due to miscommunications, 

misinformation, or wrong assumptions by members. Volunteers may quit over matters 

of policy or requirements that have been misunderstood or not communicated to them. 

Policies and procedures that are in writing and available to all for reference can alleviate 

misunderstandings. Volunteers also may quit because they feel out-of-the-loop with what 

is going on in the department. These problems can be avoided by providing regular “good 

information” to members through formal discussions, postings, emails, and newsletters 

that are open and available to all members.

Information is not useful if it does not reach its intended audience. The chief must channel 

information through officers, and officers must channel it on to the firefighters. Too often 

information coming into the department stops at the top or in the officer ranks. Some 

chiefs and officers do not share information because they feel insecure and threatened if 

their people know too much. Knowledge is power. Others who are very control-oriented 

may keep information to themselves because they prefer to run operations alone without 

the interference of others. These attitudes are excluding and detrimental to effective 

communication, volunteers’ morale, and retention.

Rumors develop in every fire department, and innocent rumors can destroy an 

organization. Good communications stop rumors from ever developing, let alone spreading 

and damaging the department or a member personally. Good officers know the common 

causes of communication problems and avoid them.

Communication is more than just passing information to others. It also involves listening 

skills, including management listening to department members. Active listening means 

listening to other people with the intensity one reserves for speaking. Chiefs and officers 

need to talk with the people in their department, trying to understand them, and listening 

to their problems and gripes. They need to show sincere interest in what the members 

think and how they feel.

Information about volunteer management and leadership training courses, including the National Fire 

Academy’s Volunteer Incentive Program, is available by calling the National Volunteer Fire Council at 

1-888-ASK-NVFC or the National Fire Academy at 1-800-238-3358.

www.nvfc.org

www.usfa.dhs.gov
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

Many departments are moving with the times, as are many businesses, using new 

technologies to improve communications among members. Technologies that can help you 

to communicate include

• Fax machine. Faxes can be sent out regularly to all stations. Faxing information 

distributes it quickly and in a written format to avoid miscommunications.

• Alphanumeric pagers. Communication can be improved, as can attendance at 

meetings and drills. Alphanumeric pagers are also a good tool for distributing kudos 

messages to recognize volunteers.

• Electronic mail. Email allows rapid, easy communication to members. Departments 

should establish group distribution lists that allow a message to be sent to all members 

or a group of members with one click of the computer mouse.

• Voice mail. Every officer and board member should have voice mail today. Voice mail 

systems also allow for distribution of a message to a group.

• Worldwide Web pages. Departments should be encouraged to establish their own Web 

site. Information useful for recruitment can be posted. Many departments have begun 

to post their newsletters on the Web.

Other ways to make sure information is communicated to members:

• Bulletin boards. Information about training, meetings, and orders should be posted at 

the station for everyone to see. Bulletin boards also can be created on department Web 

pages.

• Post meeting minutes. Minutes from business meetings should be posted in the 

station(s) for everyone to see, and preferably by email to ensure communications to 

members who miss meetings.

• Issue new members written guidelines and information about the organization, such 

as its SOPs, benefits, schedules, requirements, and answers to sample questions that a 

new recruit may ask.

• Assign mentors. They should provide guidance, introduce the member, and be 

available to answer questions or clear up misunderstandings about policies. Mentors 

also should be available to coach new members during training sessions and drills.

• Teach members to communicate. This type of program helps clear up internal 

rumors, improves communications among all levels, and even helps some members 

communicate better at home with their families. For example, Lacey (WA) Fire District 

#3 hired a trainer to teach its volunteers how to communicate and how to avoid 

miscommunications. 

In areas where the literacy level is low, some members might not be able to read 

newsletters. More common, there are members who do not read regularly. Many people 

will never have computer literacy. Therefore, newsletters, computer bulletin boards, and 
40 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

other printed information are often not enough to ensure good communications. The 

literacy problem can be addressed by verbally passing on information at all departmental 

functions. It may be necessary to have separate conversations with challenged members. 

Key information will need to be dispersed through several channels, both written and oral.

Volunteer coordinator

Some localities with multiple volunteer departments have established a volunteer 

coordinator position to coordinate activities among independent departments. The purpose 

of the coordinator is to assist with many of the day-to-day tasks of running the department, 

to improve coordination of day-to-day activities, and thereby to relieve the officers of some 

of the burdens of running the department. This is often conducted on a county or regional 

basis.

A volunteer coordinator can handle many routine tasks such as scheduling training classes; 

writing an interdepartmental newsletter; handling issues that affect all companies, such as 

mutual aid agreements; creating recruitment drives; processing paperwork (applications, 

incident reports, etc.); and assisting new recruits. The coordinator alleviates the volume of 

routine but necessary tasks that chiefs otherwise would have to handle. This can help retain 

chiefs who might become “burned out” by the time it takes to complete paperwork and 

the many ancillary tasks.

In addition, the coordinator is a central source of information and communication for all 

of the departments. In combination departments, the coordinator can serve as a liaison 

between the volunteers and the fire chief at daily meetings that the volunteers are not 

able to attend. In many ways, the volunteer coordinator is the “incident commander” of 

administrative duties among the various departments.

This position may be filled by a volunteer member, but in large or busy systems, it is 

preferable to establish this as a career position due to the volume or work. Fairfax County, 

COMMON CAuSES OF COMMuNICATION PROBLEMS

• failure to share information clearly leading to misunderstandings;

• failure to share information openly; or

• failure to disseminate information through multiple channels.

RELIABLE COMMuNICATIONS

Important information should be shared through at least two channels (e.g., by newsletter and pager) to 

make sure everyone receives the message.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

Virginia; Hillsborough County, Florida; Montgomery County, Maryland; Sedona, Arizona; 

and Lacey, Washington are examples of departments that have hired full-time volunteer 

coordinators.

ADO

The image of a volunteer department is formed in part by the standards it is expected 

to meet. Many departments establish standards for training and standards for operations 

(sometimes called standard operating procedures or SOPs). Standards establish a framework 

for organization and performance, and often instill pride and confidence, which are 

qualities that are good for retention. The new NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and 

Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by 

Volunteer Fire Departments will provide considerable guidance. On the other hand, standards can 

be a barrier to retention if members do not understand their purpose or if they establish 

excessive requirements.

Training standards are vital to any department, and standards actually can help retention 

instead of being a barrier if line officers properly communicate the intent of the standards. 

Standards allow volunteers to achieve professional training competencies. In some 

departments, however, firefighters are quitting rather than going through the certification 

process to meet their department’s training standards. They complain that the standards are 

too time-consuming to meet, or too rigorous. Line officers must explain to members that 

the intent of training standards is to improve and enhance skills, knowledge, and safety. 

Training standards also are intended to establish minimum competencies for all personnel.

In today’s society it is essential that all emergency service organizations develop, adopt, and 

implement standard operating procedures and guidelines. SOPs and SOGs make operations 

more professional; however, they can increase frustration and hurt retention if not used 

properly. Both the department leadership and its members need to live by the department’s 

policies, standards, and guidelines. To aid in the development of SOPs/SOGs, understanding 

specific definitions is essential:

Policy --A guiding principle or course of action adopted toward an objective or 

objectives. A policy describes the general principle that will guide behavior. It is 

a definite course or method of action to guide and determine present and future 

decisions.

Procedure --Prescribes specific ways of doing specific activities. An SOP regulates the 

formal steps in an action, and is a series of steps followed in a particular order.

 Guideline --A statement, indication, or outline of policy by which to determine a 

course of action. An SOG is a guide or indication of a future course of action.

 Regulation --Is a rule or order prescribed by an authority to regulate conduct.
4 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

 Rule --A principle set up by an authority, prescribing or directing action or 

forbearance. 

SOPs/SOGs do not describe the technical skills of how to do a job, but describe the 

organization’s procedural guidance for doing the job. For example, they would not explain 

how to operate the audible and visual warning devices, but would indicate when their use 

is permitted.

Many departments have found the following recommendations effective in developing and 

implementing effective SOPs/SOGs.

• Inform the membership as to the need to develop, adopt, and implement SOPs/SOGs, 

and how the process is undertaken.

• Build the development team. Commit to using task forces, committees, or guideline 

groups involving the members of the organization.

SOPs/SOGs are most effective when the members of the organization are included in the 

development process. As a general rule, organizations should get input from all groups 

potentially affected by the SOP/SOG. A key variable in determining success or failure 

during implementation is keeping the product “user friendly.”

A volunteer department also needs a mechanism for updating these procedures and 

guidelines. If they are outdated or incorrect, they probably will not, and should not, be 

followed, hence undermining their very purpose. 

DE

A major role of department leadership is to promote a favorable image of the department  throughout the community and among its members. One of the principle reasons that 

volunteers stay with a department is their desire to become members of an organization 

with a good reputation and positive image. Conversely, firefighters will want to leave an 

organization when its image goes sour. There are many ways to promote a good image, 

such as:

• instill pride in uniform and the department;

• train in highly traveled public places;

• increase exposure through community fire prevention and educational activities;

• keep apparatus and stations well maintained and clean;

• inform the public about financial savings generated by volunteers;

• send newsletters to the community residents;

• promote the department through the media;
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

• improve “customer service”;

• keep political leaders informed about the department’s progress and problems; and

• encourage political leaders and other community organizations to hold town meetings 

at the fire station.

Pride in the uniform

Many departments promote a positive image by encouraging members to wear their 

uniform in public, and requiring that uniforms be worn at prominent local functions. 

For example, a department can require its members to wear dress uniforms to all public 

meetings and any affairs where the members are representing the department. A work 

uniform can be worn by members at local functions where they are on medical standby 

like football games, rodeos, and other sporting or community events.

The uniform not only makes a department more visible, but also represents the professional 

and business side of firefighting. There is a more subtle reason for wearing it in public as 

well: wearing a uniform encourages members to demonstrate appropriate behavior and 

professionalism.
44 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

The types of uniforms worn today vary from jumpsuits to button-down collared shirts with 

badges and collar pins. Many younger volunteers prefer to wear embroidered golf shirts. 

What is important is that everyone looks alike, clean, and professional.

Since many volunteers respond from home, wearing street clothes to calls, they should 

carry a jumpsuit in their personal vehicles so that they look more professional at the 

scene. Jumpsuits can provide identification and if marked with reflective striping, improve 

incident scene safety.

Another source of pride for fire departments is their insignia. Emergency service 

departments should not allow anyone other than a member to wear their insignia. This not 

only keeps the uniform an item of pride, but also helps identify members in emergencies 

and enhances security issues. It also prevents misplaced criticism when a nonmember 

is mistaken for a member. Departments must insist that their members not wear their 

department uniform or insignia at inappropriate establishments, or park a department 

vehicle at places where the department’s image could be tarnished by association.

A department’s image may be affected by problems arising because of the generation gap. 

Values held by the younger generation are different from those of the older generation. 

A volunteer department with strong paramilitary traditions often has difficulty coping 

with young volunteers wearing earrings, unusual hairdos, and unusual clothing around 

the fire station. Volunteer departments that require short hair and prohibit certain styles 

of clothing or jewelry may decrease retention by having dress standards that all must 

adhere to--standards that are designed to make the organization appear professional and 

elite. On the other hand many volunteer departments function perfectly well with relaxed 

dress standards, and that too, can be a point of pride. Questions on dress styles should be 

addressed to assess member’s feelings about various issues to determine if these issues do, 

in fact, affect recruitment and retention. 

Volunteers should not have to purchase their own uniforms. Uniforms should be provided 

free in exchange for all of the time the volunteer gives the community. Some departments 

purchase uniforms outright, while others provide cash vouchers for members to buy 

uniforms. A suggestion is to provide coveralls to all new members, and once they achieve 

Firefighter Level 1 status, they receive a full uniform. This instills pride and is an incentive.

Pride in the dePartment and communitY

Emergency service departments will find that it is easiest to retain volunteers who are truly 

concerned about their community and take pride in maintaining it. These volunteers will 

want to ensure that their community has the best fire and emergency services possible.

Involvement in local activities improves public relations and builds pride in the community. 

A department can sign up for the “Adopt a Highway” program where members work 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 45

together to clean their area quarterly. Many departments participate in the “Fill the 

Boot” charity collection program for muscular dystrophy. Others participate with 

law enforcement in the “National Night Out.” One department has members attend 

neighborhood block parties. These are an excellent opportunities for the department to 

garner support from the community as well as teach fire prevention, current safety issues, 

or hand out smoke detectors.

Unfortunately, some departments report membership pride has declined as their 

communities have grown rapidly and lost the “personal” touch. As members have 

lost pride in their communities, they’ve also lost pride in maintaining equipment and 

the department, and there is less dedication and more problems with retention and 

recruitment.

TRAINING

The quality and visibility of training affect a department’s image in the eyes of its members 

and the public. It is a good way to educate the public about the department and build 

community pride in the organization. Holding drills in places that are visible to the public 

assists retention and recruitment by:

• letting the public know the fire department is training and working for them;

• attracting prospective recruits who see the exciting part of training; and

• giving the members of the department exposure to the public--a little showing off.

In one case, training in the public eye literally paid off as the fire department’s vehicle 

budget was tripled after the department spent one year training outside, gaining visibility.

DELI

In addition to their importance for fire safety, public education and prevention activities 

improve the visibility and image of volunteer departments. These activities may include 

displays at malls, fairs, and other public locales; conducting both fire and public safety 

classes; and performing fire evacuation, carbon monoxide, or shelter-in-place drills in 

schools. Programs like “Learn Not to Burn” and “Risk Watch” from NFPA should be 

encouraged in community schools.

A member of a volunteer department in Wyoming started a smoke detector campaign in 

which free detectors are carried on all apparatus. Volunteers offer to install detectors for 

residents. A year after providing the detectors, the volunteers follow up with residents to 

ensure that the detectors are working and have good batteries. The fire department was 

highlighted by the media and received positive “PR” because the members actively involved 
4 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

themselves in the community not only by fighting fires, but by providing fire safety as well. 

Volunteer departments should obtain media time to encourage the International Association 

of Fire Chiefs’ “Change your clock, change your batteries” program. This serves a good 

purpose and keeps the department name in front of the public each spring and fall.

One Texas department develops a prefire incident plan for every structure in the 

community. The department prides itself on its familiarity with the community and 

demonstrates a high level of caring and professionalism through these visits, which also 

provide an excellent time to test smoke detectors and pass on safety and fire prevention 

information.

Well-maintained gear and aPParatus

A classic point of pride for many volunteer departments is the quality of their PPE and 

apparatus. First-class equipment enhances safety and instills a positive self-image. Volunteers 

pride themselves on being progressive and cutting edge. This can be used as a recruitment 

tool.

Although many fire departments cannot afford new equipment, similar results can be 

achieved to an extent by keeping current equipment clean and in excellent working order. 

Volunteers must take pride in the operation and appearance of their PPE, apparatus, and 

stations.

Many States now have fire insurance premium taxes that generate revenue to support 

fire departments. In some cases, this revenue must be spent on protective clothing or 

equipment. The county fire coordinators in Arkansas have helped volunteer departments 

obtain funding for improved equipment through the allocation of county funds and a onehalf percent tax on insurance premiums. This money is used to buy needed equipment and 

fire apparatus. Recently, additional revenue has come from Federal and State grants. 

Since PPE is vital to the overall safety of the volunteers, departments should explore all 

methods of funding to ensure it is current and in good condition. There are numerous 

grants available to support this. Many departments have acquired new breathing apparatus 

with grants for the Fire Act or the Department of Homeland Security. Often, State agencies 

such as the Texas Forest Service have grant programs for PPE.

Some volunteer fire departments have found community resistance and even resentment 

in buying new apparatus, especially top of the line apparatus and large ladder trucks that 

might not be necessary. Volunteer departments are an excellent buy for their community, 

but must be careful of an image boomerang from purchasing unnecessarily expensive 

apparatus during tight budget times. One east coast volunteer department drew negative 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 47

front page headlines for purchasing the second most expensive ladder truck in the Nation 

in a low-risk community. Questionable fiscal management will not assist recruitment.

DEMONSTRAT

Informing the community about the high value of volunteers is another way to improve 

the image and foster the growth of a department. Many departments feel that educating the 

community about what the fire department is doing and how much the volunteers save the 

community is a good idea. This can be done through several approaches:

• Make the department’s annual financial reports available to homeowners.

• Publish a summary financial report in the paper or in a fund drive newsletter.

• Estimate how much the volunteers save the community. Using this figure, volunteer 

departments can demonstrate to the local appropriations board the amount the 

volunteers donate in equivalent dollars and 

time per year. This information can be reported 

in the press and successfully used to argue for 

more equipment and funds. Use the NVFC Cost 

Savings Study and Calculator available on the 

Web site to assist with these calculations.

• Publish a report on the dollar value of 

property saved by volunteers from fire 

damage. Compute the approximate value 

of property saved as well as fire losses. These 

figures put the volunteers’ effort in financial 

terms that are important to the community. Using these data, the fire department 

generates free publicity as well as important statistics on the fire problem. This again 

builds pride that is important for recruiting new personnel and retaining others who 

feel they have a “worth” to the community. 

• Improve Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings to reduce community insurance 

premiums. Some departments try to improve their ISO ratings as an indicator of 

their proficiency, as well as a way to reduce the insurance costs in their community. 

Although obtaining low ISO ratings is positive progress for any department, in some 

areas this “progress” may backfire. For example, in a rural area of Louisiana, some 

insurance companies raised their premiums to compensate for the loss of revenues they 

experienced when many rural departments improved their ISO ratings. The local fire 

departments faced a real dilemma of explaining why the community should invest in a 

good ISO rating if it does not reduce insurance rates.

Join Your Volunteer Fire Rescue Company

703-771-5396

fight higher taxeS

Loudoun County 

Volunteer Fire Rescue Services 
48 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

COMMUNIT

Another way to enhance the image of the department in the community is to send a 

departmental newsletter to each resident. A number of departments distribute newsletters 

to keep citizens informed about equipment purchases, upcoming events, department 

operations and capabilities, number of responses, ISO ratings, and needs of the department. 

The newsletters are also an excellent medium for public fire education.

USE

With proper exposure through the media, a fire department can garner financial and 

moral support for its volunteers. Remember, however, that the media likes controversy, and 

may play up problems within the department. Below are some ideas to promote a close 

relationship with the media, and provide good coverage for the department.

• Appoint a department Public Information Officer (PIO). Many volunteer 

departments have PIOs who serve as the point-of-contact for the media and help put 

the department’s name into the press. PIOs should invite the media to department 

functions such as awards banquets, dinners, and other fun events. Coverage of these 

events keeps the community informed about what the department is doing.

• Fax news releases to the media. Fax a news release to media contacts whenever there 

is a working incident. Include the cell phone number for the PIO so the media can 

talk directly to someone on the scene. Also fax information about departmental special 

events. Some volunteer departments encourage reporters to train with the department 

to see how professional the volunteer departments have become. This can lead to a 

“human interest” story that can promote recruiting. Further, it might be the opening to 

recruit the media representative to be or assist the PIO.

• Issue the media fire department pagers. One department’s giving the local newspaper 

reporters a pager so they would know when the fire department was called proved 

successful.

• Conduct media ride-alongs. Some departments let the media ride with them to fires 

or join them at the fire scene.

• Provide the media with photographs of incidents.

• Request that newspapers publish regular fire department columns. Some 

departments get the local weekly newspaper to run a column on the volunteer fire 

departments regularly, sometimes two or three times a month.

• Supply the media with public service announcements for the department. Provide 

public education programs to local network-affiliated channels several times a week to 

gain exposure for the fire department and to educate the public. This type of program 

can give a big boost to the department in the public’s eye.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 49

• Run special feature articles in the paper. Area fire departments can have the local 

paper run a spread during EMS week and Fire Prevention Week showing members and 

their units. The volunteers and their family members take pride in seeing these pictures.

• Recruit a newspaper reporter to be a member. One department recruited a newspaper 

editor to be a firefighter/paramedic. This can helps the department gain more access to the 

paper.

Remember that there tends to be high turnover of media personnel in smaller towns and 

rural areas, where the bulk of volunteer fire departments are located. Therefore, volunteer 

fire departments in these areas must

• continually court the media to maintain relationships with them;

• secure the placement of department news in local press; and

• ensure their familiarity with the department, its members, and its mission. 

CUSTOMER

Departments that take an extra step to help people in times of crisis will receive a high 

level of community support over time. The goodwill generated by departments that provide 

a high level of “customer service” will improve a department’s image and make the 

department more visible. This ultimately helps recruitment and retention. Several ways to 

improve customer service are discussed below.

• Have a chaplain provide postfire assistance. Many departments recruit a local clergy 

member to be the department chaplain. In one department in the Plains States, the 

chaplain responds to all fires and major accidents to provide solace to victims and 

firefighters. The chaplain also starts the critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) process 

immediately when needed. The particularly innovative twist is having the chaplain 

stay at the fire scene with the victim families until help arrives from other agencies 

such as the local food bank, clothing bank, American Red Cross, or other assistance. 

The chaplain operates in a nondenominational way when acting on behalf of the fire 

department. This is an exceedingly kind and helpful service.

• Expand services to fire victims. Some departments have improved their image within 

their communities by providing great “customer service” after fires. A department can 

provide fire victims with boxes to collect and store valuables and arrange for damaged 

property to be boarded-up or secured. Some departments provide brochures with 

advice about how to deal with the insurance company after a fire and how to clean 

damaged property.

• The document FA-46/June 1998 After the Fire! Returning to Normal can be obtained from 

the USFA. The Web site is www.usfa.dhs.gov or by calling USFA at (301) 447-1000. 
50 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

WorKing With local Politicians

Retention problems often arise when local political leaders do not provide strong support 

for volunteers. Volunteers who feel unsupported have a propensity to quit. To maintain 

political support, work closely with local political leaders to make sure they understand 

what the fire department does and the level of dedication of volunteers. Invite fire district 

commissioners or similar officials to department meetings and training events. “That’s part 

of educating them and making the system work. It makes volunteers feel like management 

knows what’s going on, and it helps morale,” to quote a chief using this tactic. 

Departments should work closely with politicians to acquire incentives for their members 

and discuss benefits for companies or businesses that will allow volunteers to respond from 

work. Proposals like reductions in local income or property taxes and State income taxes 

need to be made on behalf of both groups.

Every department should provide an annual report to political leaders and the media. The 

report should be concise but informative. It is the single best way to keep people informed 

about the department’s accomplishments and challenges. A sample Annual Report is 

provided in Appendix F. The report should include the following:

• department’s mission statement;

• names of chief officers and members of the board of directors;

• list of services provided (suppression, EMS, Hazmat, technical rescue);

• number of members (noting increases or decreases);

• call volume statistics (with comparisons to statistics from the previous 5 to 10 years);

• list of major accomplishments in the past year;

• list of major challenges for the future;

• special needs for the future;

• general budget information, including major sources of revenue and expenses; and

• overview of performance measures, perhaps citing NFPA 1720 (number of calls, 

response times).

Another way a department can improve its image is to request that local governing 

bodies pass special resolutions to highlight accomplishments of the department or to 

commend volunteers. Special resolutions or commendations by political leaders show 

their support for the volunteers and improve morale by giving the volunteers the 

appreciation they deserve. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

OTHER

• Participate in local parades.

• Create a department informational video for display on cable television or at public 

events. Contract with a local television station to interview firefighters and people the 

department has helped in the community. Display the departmental video at public 

events, and give it to homeowners’ associations to show at meetings. Another outlet is 

the local government access cable television channel.

• Hold public events at the fire station. This may include 

community open houses, street dances, performances, 

movie nights, breakfasts, dinners, and holiday events.

• Host a fallen firefighters’ memorial service like that at the 

NFA.

• Host gatherings for local political candidates.

• Hold an annual old-timers dinner for former members. 

This shows respect and remembrance for those who have 

donated much of their time and energy, and sends a signal 

to current members.

• Hold demonstrations on smoke and carbon monoxide 

detectors, teach fire extinguisher usage, or show 

firefighting equipment and techniques. 

• Send the department newsletter to the public and 

businesses. This promotes visibility and helps maintain 

support for the department.

At all such events, the department members should have recruiting applications available. 

SAMPLE RESOLUTION

The Oak Harbor (WA) Fire Department worked closely with political leaders to make them understand 

the level of commitment and services provided by volunteers. It subsequently convinced the city council 

to pass a resolution creating a volunteer incentive program, which provides monetary awards to 

volunteers for length of active service. The resolution said,

“The City and Fire Department Administration recognize the value of the Volunteer Firefighters and the 

service they provide to the community. The demand and time required for training and incident responses 

will continue to increase as the community grows and as the position of a firefighter becomes more 

complex. This time removes the members from work, hobbies, and family. Turnover among Volunteer 

Firefighters occurs for many reasons and for many, the cause is beyond their control...The Mayor and City 

Council believe it is important to provide incentives for firefighters to remain active with the department...”
5 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

RIS

The risks of being a volunteer can be reduced with good training, equipment, and effective leadership. Most volunteer departments do not find members quitting 

because of the risks faced; however, the chief and the officers must pay attention to risk 

management not only to reduce injuries, but also to indicate concern for the volunteer’s 

welfare.

HEALTH

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and other contagious diseases generally 

have not had the impact on retention and recruitment that was once feared. However, it 

is still important to deal with health risks openly and routinely, emphasizing precaution. 

To reduce health risks and fears, make sure that members receive free hepatitis and 

tuberculosis shots. Issue protective gloves and masks and make sure that members use them 

appropriately.

Departments also should offer regular health education classes to provide the latest 

information about health risks and ways to handle patients who are infected with a disease. 

The department should invite a representative from the local health department to speak at 

a training session each year. This gives members an opportunity to ask questions and clarify 

rumors they have heard about the spread or risks of diseases. Fire departments should also 

follow up with health officials when a volunteer is directly exposed to blood to determine 

whether or not the patient carried any communicable diseases.

MEDICAL

Fire departments should take every step possible to minimize the physical risks their 

members personally face while performing operations. Many volunteer fire departments 

now require medical examinations for their members, either annually or every few years. 

Volunteers have accounted for over half of all firefighter deaths in the past few decades, and 

the majority of their deaths are heart attacks. Members who are not fit for active duty must 

be given nonstressful assignments on the scene or at the station.

Unfortunately, many fire departments fear that they may lose members if medical 

examinations are required. Most departments only request that a member’s personal 

physician sign a form stating the member is fit for duty. This reduces the liability for 

departments and hopefully ensures members are in good health. However, many physicians 

do not understand the rigors of the fire service and may only perform a minimal 

examination. It is better to have a thorough examination and assign a new member to light 

duty than to lose a member in a job-related death. Examinations should follow NFPA 1582, 

Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

Many departments also cannot afford the cost of medical exams for members. Requiring 

members to pay for their own examination is a barrier to recruitment and retention. There 

are several ways to address this:

• Stagger medical examinations depending on the 

ages of the members. All members initially must 

have an entrance examination, but after joining 

members under 35 are required to have them 

every 3 years; members ages 36 to 50 every 2 

years; and members over 50 every year.

• Pay a doctor a flat fee for all members. One 

department saves money by asking a doctor to 

give the exams for a $500 yearly stipend. His 

costs are much greater than this, so he is honored 

each year for his contribution.

• Recruit a doctor to be a member. Another 

department recruited a doctor to give physicals. 

The department pays for laboratory fees, but the 

doctor conducts the physicals for free. SAFER 

grants can be used to fund medical examinations.

CONCERNS

Family members, particularly spouses of firefighters, are usually concerned about the risks 

associated with fire and rescue work. The fear about injury or death may create enough 

stress within a family that, over time, the stress forces the volunteer to resign. To address 

these fears, fire departments should do everything possible to alleviate family concerns such 

as demonstrating the level of protective clothing, training, and safety precautions that are 

taken to protect volunteers. Some departments invite family members to attend live training 

burns so that they can see what a real fireground is like. Departments also should provide 

the family with a written description of the insurance protection and the Federal Public 

Safety Officer Benefits (PSOB) provided to the volunteer and family members in the event 

of a line-of-duty injury or death.

DEATH

At a minimum, volunteers expect the fire department will provide coverage for their family 

to receive disability or death benefits should they be injured or killed. Departments that 

fail to offer death and long-term disability (AD & D) benefits to volunteers for injuries 

sustained while on-duty will face difficulties with both retention and recruitment. There is 

no question that these coverages should be provided by the organization.
54 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

ONDUT

Most fire departments provide insurance to cover injuries and medical expenses sustained 

if members get hurt while on duty as a volunteer. Volunteers expect the fire department 

to provide this in exchange for their willingness to risk their own lives to help others. 

Departments that do not provide this coverage will have a difficult time recruiting and 

retaining volunteers.

Long-term disability insurance (workers’ compensation) and AD & D provide coverage 

for medical bills and lost wages when a volunteer is injured on duty. Unfortunately, many 

volunteer departments lack this type of long-term insurance. Few volunteers can survive 

long without the income from their regular jobs.

LINE

The death benefits paid by the Federal government’s PSOB program for line-of-duty deaths 

generally are not considered enough, and are supplemented by some State agencies and 

individual fire departments. The PSOB currently pays over $250,000. This sum when 

divided over the number of years a widow might have to support her family is not 

usually equivalent to the lost annual salary. Fire departments must learn PSOB program 

requirements to make sure that the required tests and autopsy are performed. In California, 

some departments offer their volunteers free membership in the State Firefighter’s 

Association, which provides additional life insurance benefits not available through the 

member’s jobs. Some departments extend the line-of duty death policy to include a nonline-of-duty death. An extension of benefits like this helps both retention and recruitment.

LIABILIT

Many volunteers are concerned about liability. Fear of being sued and losing personal assets 

exists among some members of the volunteer fire service despite many legal protective 

clauses such as the Good Samaritan Act to protect volunteers. These fears have caused some 

members to quit and others to avoid or step down from positions of greater responsibility. 

One department had a member quit soon after he inherited some money and could not 

be assured he would not be a target of lawsuits. Other departments have cited examples 

of members refusing to be promoted to an officer or chief’s position to avoid liability 

exposure. In one case, a chief put his house entirely in his wife’s name to protect his 

assets. Note: Liability laws pertaining to emergency services vary from State to State. Each 

organization must research and consider the laws of its State. 

While some fears are legitimate others are not, although all are perceived to be real. 

Whether real or perceived, liability concerns must be addressed by departments to avoid 

scaring away members. No one wants to have increased personal liability as a result of 

volunteering. Many volunteer chiefs have purchased personal liability insurance for fear that 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 55

their personal assets may be in jeopardy if sued. In some cases, this is unnecessary because 

the department carries a policy protecting its members, or because State laws restrict 

frivolous suits. The chief/president should consult a local attorney to help determine the 

exposure to this issue. 

The best way to alleviate concerns about liability issues that could hurt retention is to 

consult an insurance representative or attorney. One department has a lawyer make a 

presentation to the department once or twice a year, and then field questions. Some 

departments give members a pamphlet outlining the major issues of liability for a 

volunteer firefighter. Others recruit a lawyer/member to help protect them from 

liability issues, both by providing advice on ways to reduce liability exposure, and by 

demonstrating to other parties that the department can and will defend itself legally. If the 

department believes that there is potential risk for members to be sued after consultation 

with a lawyer, it should purchase liability insurance for itself and its members. 

Varying State regulations can be a problem for understanding the liability faced when 

providing mutual aid across lines. Legal advice is needed regarding all the jurisdictions to 

which mutual aid might be given.

RELOCATION

Volunteer firefighters frequently move to new areas, usually for work-related reasons, causing departments to lose valuable members. The loss is even greater today than in 

years past because of the higher training investment in each firefighter today.

T

While a single volunteer department usually cannot do much about someone leaving the 

area for work-related reasons, volunteer departments together can do a better job of:

• Keeping each other informed of volunteers coming to their area. The State of 

Virginia’s Office of Emergency Medical Services has a recruitment coordinator who 

assists volunteers who are moving within the State by forwarding their names, upon 

request, to departments where they relocate.

• Encouraging volunteers who leave an area to enroll in the department where they

settle.

• Writing letters of recommendation for volunteers who have done a good job.

• Letting volunteers know of employment opportunities where they currently live. 

This may allow them to stay in the area instead of relocating.
5 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

R

A crucial issue affecting relocation is the need for reciprocity in training credentials among 

States. Retention of volunteer fire service members suffers when members move to another 

State and are forced to retake courses because their credentials are not recognized there. 

In some cases, very experienced and highly certified volunteers have to start their training 

from scratch when they move across State lines.

Although many States accept credentials from other States as long as the credentials meet 

the NFPA 1001, Standard on Professional Qualifications for Firefighters, reciprocity of credentials is not 

universal among States. Also, some States or departments have different or higher training 

requirements than others, and many volunteer departments decide for themselves whether 

to accept credentials from departments within their own States, let alone from other States. 

Volunteers seeking reciprocity should have credentials bearing the seal of the National 

Professional Qualifications Board or the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.

A transferring volunteer should be required to meet a new department’s level of training, 

but the qualifications that firefighters have achieved already should not become worthless 

when they move. The following suggestions are made regarding the transfer of volunteer 

members:

• State fire and EMS training officials should consider ways to implement universal 

reciprocity of fire and EMS training credentials among all 50 States. Recruits still 

would be required to prove their skills or demonstrate knowledge of local protocols, 

but their previous training would be taken into account.

• At the minimum, all States should allow certified volunteers from other States to 

challenge certification exams immediately instead of restarting their training from 

the beginning.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 57

DI

Volunteer fire departments should try to accommodate the interests and abilities of their members. Some people prefer EMS, and others just firefighting. Another is 

willing to drive an ambulance, but not participate in patient care. By focusing on the strong 

points of each volunteer, the department can put together an efficient and professional 

team whose members enjoy what they are doing. This is essential for the retention of 

members. Accommodation is, of course, more important where there is an inadequate pool 

of volunteers. Few volunteers today will have the time to raise funds, train to certification 

in a variety of skills, respond to incidents, and work on administering the department. 

Department leaders must use their personnel management skills to direct volunteers to 

areas where they can best serve based on their qualifications and not expect them to be able 

to do all things. Use accommodation for the betterment of the organization and to provide 

better service to the customers.

Most departments also try to be sensitive to the needs of an increasingly diverse volunteer 

force, and volunteer departments in many places are under pressure or have actively 

promoted a plan to have their membership become more representative of the community.

F

Departments that handle both fire and EMS calls sometimes require members to be crosstrained as firefighter/emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Cross training requirements 

are very time demanding. Given the time demands of the fire and EMS service today, crosstraining requirements may force members to leave because they do not have the time 

or desire to cross-train. Departments should respect the diversity of interests among its 

members, and volunteers should be allowed to function to the level 

that they desire to contribute--not forced to cross-train. However, it is 

reasonable for fire/EMS departments to require fire-only volunteers to 

have basic EMS training (such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)), 

and EMS-only members to have basic firefighting training (such as how 

to use a fire extinguisher).

F

Overall, fire departments struggle more to retain female firefighters 

than males. Female volunteers are highly sought as candidates by career 

fire departments and often are “hired away.” Females are more likely to 

receive pressure to leave the emergency services from their families and 

significant others.
58 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

There are many women active in the fire service today, particularly in EMS roles. Females 

comprise approximately 4 percent of the volunteer fire service, an estimated 32,000 

members. Females constituted about 38 percent of strictly EMS roles. (Please see the callout paragraph about FA-128 below.)

The following are recommendations to help retain females:

• Establish separate women’s restrooms and changing rooms. If space does not permit 

this, have signs to hang on restroom doors to indicate when a male or female member 

is using it.

• Eliminate sexist humor and offensive visual displays.

• Purchase uniforms and protective clothing made in women’s cuts and sizes.

• Treat all recruits and members equally and fairly, regardless of sex.

• Provide females with the same training and promotional opportunities as males. 

This is not only for retention purposes, but it is also mandated legally.

• Welcome female members and do not treat them protectively or condescendingly.

• Develop maternity policies and allow leaves of absence for pregnant members.

• Make it clear that sexual harassment will not be tolerated.

• Provide sexual harassment training for all department members.

In today’s society many single parents have the primary responsibility of caring for their 

children. This may preclude them from leaving home to respond on calls, or to attend 

meetings or training. In order to retain more volunteers, the fire department can initiate 

a child-care program. Babysitters are on call if a member is summoned to an emergency 

or needs to attend training. Some departments give pagers to babysitters and alert them to 

respond to the home of a volunteer or the fire station where one sitter can tend to several 

children, if needed.

Accepting females into volunteer departments has sometimes affected the retention of their 

male counterparts. Male volunteers have been put under pressure by their wives to quit 

their department when an unmarried female joins the ranks. To avoid potential problems 

in this area, some departments hold social functions that allow the families of the male and 

the female members to get to know each other. 

The USFA publication A Handbook on Women In Firefighting (FA-128) provides special 

information about considerations which should be made to help integrate women into the fire service. 

www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-128.pdf
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 59

M

Many officers have reported that their departments have experienced problems with 

retaining minority members. To reduce the outflow, fire departments need to be aware that 

members have different cultural and religious identities and accommodate them as feasible. 

Chief officers, in particular, must consider how various issues may affect each member 

differently. A department that shows recognition and regard for minorities will promote 

respect and trust among all members. This is an important ingredient for successful 

teamwork.

Retention of minority members improves when a department makes it a point to be 

familiar with the diversities among ethnic cultures, especially the ones within their 

jurisdiction. For example, there is substantial diversity among Hispanics: Cuban, Mexican, 

Central American, Caribbean, and South American nations each have their own traditions. 

The same is true for Asians and many other groups. An understanding of cultural 

sensitivities and religious backgrounds makes minority members feel more comfortable 

and helps with minority recruitment efforts.

Departments also should try to accommodate different religious beliefs and practices. For 

example, accommodating some Mennonite volunteers may require having no insurance 

on them, taking no pictures of them, and tolerating beards. Mennonites in Arkansas have 

successfully gone to court to get State certification for use of SCBAs while wearing a beard; 

the court held that the local fire board could not be sued if a Mennonite is injured as a 

result of having a beard. Accommodations should also be made for volunteers who cannot 

train or respond to calls on the day they consider the Sabbath.

R

Fire departments must create roles for members who are ready to retire from active 

firefighting in order to retain them. A volunteer department may have different levels of 

membership: active, “bridge,” and retired. Recently retired volunteer firefighters can serve in 

the bridge position between the active ranks and full retirement. They can also be asked to 

respond only to large incidents when more people are needed, and to act as a bridge between 

generations by offering training advice. To be designated as a bridge, a member must have 

been active for several years. The bridge position allows them to remain as members in good 

standing for several years while training less and responding on fewer calls.

In some departments, retirees take on support duties instead of active firefighting. They 

operate pumpers, fill air tanks, provide canteen services, and other support duties.
0 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

N

Fire departments offer a variety of support positions such as bookkeeping, data 

management, fundraising, fire prevention, public safety education, PIO, building 

maintenance, and apparatus maintenance that can be filled by people who are not 

firefighters and who do not respond on calls. This relieves operational firefighters so that 

they can concentrate on training and operations. The role of non-firefighting members is 

crucial because, without them, firefighters might leave the volunteer service due to the 

burdens of paperwork or fundraising.

Non-firefighting support personnel are valuable, and their retention must be considered 

too. Unfortunately, some departments do not give non-firefighting members the full 

voting status of their firefighting counterparts. In these cases, operational firefighters are 

concerned that non-operational members do not know how to vote appropriately on issues 

such as the requisition of fire apparatus and PPE. Highly technical decisions might be 

relegated to committees with particular experience. The exclusion of non-firefighters from 

voting privileges, however, may drive out these members and hurt the retention of others. 

It is recommended that departments withhold voting rights 

from members (operational or administrative) who do not 

attend meetings or make other minimum requirements.

“burned out” or disabled members

Volunteers often experience “burn out,” or become 

emotionally drained from all the tragic incidents they 

have seen and no longer want to respond to emergencies. 

Instead of losing them altogether, departments might 

retain these individuals by allowing them to engage only in 

support activities or other functions that are less intensive 

operationally. A policy for granting a leave of absence also can 

be established. This policy also is applicable when a volunteer 

is injured and can no longer be an active firefighter.

L

Volunteer fire departments try to be a positive force in the community and to nurture 

various individuals within the department. Some departments have tried to assist people 

who want to be members, but cannot pass entrance exams or agility tests because of 

mental or physical disabilities. Although these individuals cannot qualify as firefighters, 

many are still capable of doing specific tasks on the fireground or in the firehouse. For 

example, mentally disabled individuals often are able to clean trucks, rack hose, and assist 

with other support activities. Physically disabled people often can work in administrative 

positions or as dispatchers.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

There are many departments today that now have members with various types of 

disabilities; however, some departments have expressed concerns about retaining mentally 

challenged members due to the department’s liability exposure, especially if a member’s 

disability impairs judgment or the ability to identify hazards. A serious incident can occur 

with members who cannot read warning labels and instructions or have diminished 

reasoning power. Not only could they make judgment errors that may make the department 

liable, but they could hurt themselves and others. In considering whether to recruit or 

retain these members, departments must also consider that the American with Disabilities 

Act (ADA) requires that reasonable accommodations be made for employees with illnesses 

or disabilities.

Some departments have addressed the liability concerns by assigning a firefighter to be a 

mentor to watch over those who need more assistance. Perhaps the best course of action is 

for the whole department to make sure that a disadvantaged member does not get in over 

his or her head. Unfortunately, in some cases it may be necessary to encourage those who 

have poor judgment (mentally challenged or not) to no longer volunteer.

People today are very conscious of discrimination against those with health disabilities, 

but modern society is also very litigious. As a result, volunteer departments need to discuss 

the issue of using disabled personnel with their insurance company and/or department 

attorney and be sensitive to both sides of the issue.

CONSOLIDATION

There has been a growing trend towards the consolidation of volunteer fire departments into regional or county departments. Pennsylvania completed two studies during 

2005 that address consolidation. The studies concluded that various forms of fire service 

regionalization, including consolidations and mergers, are feasible and represent a logical 

approach to addressing many of the challenges currently facing volunteer organizations. 

Regionalization, however, cannot be mandated and cannot occur in isolation. Rather, the 

promotion of regionalization efforts is just one of several steps that need to be taken in 

order to preserve and enhance the volunteer services. When consolidating/regionalizing 

resources, personnel are better deployed, more effectively trained, and used more 

efficiently than in multiple fire companies. 

Consolidation reduces funding and other competition between adjacent departments, 

improves cost and operational effectiveness, and may increase the pool for recruiting. This 

is an important move especially for rural fire departments that lack the necessary funds 

to run an efficient operation. For example, several small departments joined together can 

employ unified purchasing that is less expensive and time consuming.
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

Consolidation, however, can adversely affect retention and recruitment. It may force stations 

to close and merge; and the department name may change, both of which may result 

in the loss of identity and tradition. Volunteers may quit if they no longer feel pride and 

identification with a department. This often can be remedied by building pride in the new 

department, or allowing each former department to continue its identification through 

symbols on apparatus.

Another issue that must be addressed during a consolidation is differing standards 

among the departments. When the chiefs of two departments that merged did not agree 

on credentials, certifications, or requirements, firefighters in the one department were 

forced to retrain even though they came from the department with the stricter standards. 

The merger created many conditions opposite to what encourages retention: it increased 

the training burden by not recognizing previous credentials; it altered the progressive 

image by lowering requirements; and it did not treat members of both departments 

equally. The result was a disastrous retention problem.

All potential ramifications of a consolidation must be considered ahead of time, including 

the likely impacts on each group affected by the change. Consolidation can result in a 

better or worse environment for volunteers. Some departments hire an outside consultant 

to provide objectivity and guidance in planning a consolidation. A mechanism such 

as a governing board that includes representation from each of the former constituent 

departments should be established to deal with the problems that arise for several years 

after a consolidation.

ATTITUDE

Understanding the attitudes and motivations of volunteers is imperative in maintaining their satisfaction and preventing membership turnover. Attitude research is aimed 

at determining what members think about their department. Motivation research helps 

determine why volunteers join the department.

A

Attitude research identifies members’ thoughts and feelings about their department. It helps 

chief officers identify problems early so that they can prevent problems that may arise and 

cause members to quit. A member simply may have a bad attitude about the department 

because of personal reasons that are difficult to change. On the other hand, a member 

may have had a bad attitude about the department because of unfair treatment. One might 

expect a volunteer who is unhappy to have a frank discussion with management before 

quitting; but many choose not to do so, especially if they are disgruntled. A grievance 

procedure policy should be established. (See section on Handling Grievances.)
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

BASIC NEEDS OF A VOLuNTEER

To feel part of the decisionmaking process. Volunteers function best when they get to help make 

decisions. This means more than just an opportunity to vote on an issue in a meeting. Include 

volunteers in planning sessions and committee work and ask how they feel about issues or 

problems about which decisions must be made. Let them know their input is important.

To feel appreciated. Be generous with praise. Consider distributing a department newsletter 

that contains a section that thanks a member or members for a job well done. Send the local 

newspaper announcements of elections or information about special recognition of members. 

Volunteer appreciation days are very effective, but demonstration of appreciation should be 

constant.

To have a sense of responsibility and authority. When a volunteer is given a job, make sure the 

person has the authority to make decisions. Properly trained, and with clearly written policies 

and procedures, the volunteer will be able to do the job within the framework and policy of the 

department and have a sense of pride in the work.

To do interesting work. Most emergency work is interesting. The challenge is to make small jobs 

interesting. Stuffing fund-drive envelopes, for example, can be made into a social event. Recruiting 

new members can be made more interesting by having a contest. Use imagination and make all 

jobs interesting.

To have an opportunity to grow. Provide personal growth opportunities for members. A 

committee member, for example, might move into a leadership role within the committee 

structure. Challenge members with new jobs, larger tasks, and an opportunity to influence 

decisions.

To have effective supervisors. Volunteers should be able to feel that their supervisors believe 

in them and respect the value of their contribution to the department. Supervisors should have 

training in how to work effectively with volunteers.

To have a safe working environment. The station should be a place where the volunteers are 

comfortable and safe, a place they can be proud of. 

To have constructive evaluation. Despite what one might believe, volunteers do like to know 

how they are doing. This means consistent and fair performance evaluations. Evaluations help 

determine the motivational climate of the department.
4 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

M

It is important to know each member’s motivations for joining the department. If the 

officers understand a volunteer’s motivations for being a member, and help ensure that 

those motivations are met, the volunteer will be less likely to leave the department. 

Volunteers should be asked about their motivations before joining to ensure that they have 

the right reasons. Officers should also check up on their volunteers occasionally to make 

sure that their desires and motivations for being a member are being fulfilled. (Refer to the 

section on motivation research under the recruitment portion of this report for a list of the 

leading reasons that people join the volunteer fire service.)

“We spend lots of time one on one [with members] discussing problems and motivations,” 

remarked one fire chief. This helps the leaders understand the members’ needs and make 

sure that things are in place to keep them motivated. “The bottom line is they like to help 

people, and they take pride in that,” he said. One department almost lost a member whose 

motivation for joining was simply to help maintain vehicles, but who was being railroaded 

into other obligations. Fortunately, the problem was recognized and resolved.

Once motivations are identified, departments can design training, activities, or other 

programs to help members meet their needs. “We must identify ways to meet needs of 

personnel, both volunteer and career,” said a combination department chief.

In combination departments where career personnel answer a majority of the calls, 

volunteers may lose motivation if they feel like they are not needed. It is important for 

chiefs of these departments to set the tone from the top that volunteers are an integral 

part of the force, even if they do not respond on a majority of the calls. To ensure 

volunteers maintain an integral role, a combination department may assign volunteers the 

responsibility for handling a specific task such as staffing an extrication truck, performing 

confined space rescues, or providing support services and lighting at fires.

There are a variety of ways to determine the needs of members as well as discern their 

problems. Insights can be obtained through formal written surveys, informal discussions, 

or both. Attitude questionnaires and annual performance ratings can be good listening 

tools as well as measuring sticks of performance. They enable officers and members alike to 

see their responsibilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

MOTIVATIONS FOR VOLuNTEERINg

Find out what a member’s motivations are for joining the department. A department that helps its 

volunteers meet their expectations is more likely to retain them over time.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

LEADINg REASONS WHy MEMBERS STOP 

VOLuNTEERINg IN FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENTS

• Internal conflicts

• Excessive time demands

• Feeling of a lack of support from department

• Perceived unfairness of disciplinary actions

• Perceived unfairness or inconsistencies in management

M

Although most volunteers are motivated by similar factors, it is essential that each 

department find out the factors that may help retain its members, or drives them away. Each 

department needs to do its own market research; you cannot assume that your volunteers 

are like those in the department next door.

One department holds individual annual interviews with each member to ask, “What are 

the top three needs of the department, and what are the top three personal needs you 

have?” This information is used in shaping department policy and priorities and in dealing 

more effectively with each individual.

Attitude and motivation research indicates that members are more easily retained if their 

motivation for volunteering is to provide a service to the community. Members say they 

prefer strict requirements placed upon them rather than serving in a department with a 

lackadaisical attitude; and that it was important to receive recognition for their assistance 

to the community. This information can help the department know what to look for in 

screening applicants and what to emphasize in managing the department.

Although surveys can provide useful information, they need to be handled with care. A 

department found that its volunteers refused to fill out questionnaires any more after the 

department reprinted easily identifiable, verbatim quotes from a survey. However, some 

volunteers want to be quoted and will even put their names on the surveys. The key is to 

make sure everyone understands the ground rules of any survey undertaken.

Fire departments should heed the results from a questionnaire and ensure that action 

is taken. There have been experiences when volunteers refused to fill out a new survey 

because the previous one had no impact. Volunteers do not like to waste their time. Find 

out what is driving them to volunteer or leave. It is a local issue.
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

Ex

Exit interviews provide an opportunity for fire chiefs and line officers to find out why 

a member is leaving the department. In small departments, officers usually know why a 

particular member has decided to quit; in larger departments, however, this may not be 

readily apparent. Exit interviews, therefore, are particularly important in larger departments.

Exit interviews can take the form of a simple written survey that asks members why 

they are leaving, or they may involve one-on-one interviews. In any case, they should be 

structured so that the member who is leaving feels like he or she can honestly discuss 

the reasons for resigning. The leaving member should feel free to identify problems with 

management, personnel, time demands, training, or other areas.

Volunteers are actually internal customers. Departments do not need or want bad press, so 

it is beneficial to meet with volunteers who are leaving to give them a chance to vent their 

anger or discuss their problems. In most circumstances, the parting should be as amiable 

as possible. Former members who remain in the community are needed for financial and 

other forms of support. Since much recruiting is done by word of mouth, the department 

does not need a former member critizing the organization.

SAMPLE ExIT INTERVIEW

1.What are your reasons for leaving the organization?

2.What were your most satisfying experiences while volunteering?

3.What were your least satisfying experiences while volunteering?

4.What are your recommendations for improving the organization and increasing volunteer 

satisfaction?

5.Are there any ways the department can be of assistance to you?

6.Is there any way the department could have prevented your departure?

Ev

Evaluations or performance appraisals are essential to improving volunteer performance 

and volunteer organizations. Volunteers may view evaluations as negative events, and they 

can be if they are not conducted properly. The concept that evaluations are unpleasant 

should be overcome. The sessions should become a coaching session for the improvement 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

of the member and the good of both the individual and the organization. Effective 

evaluations focus on improving the volunteer and their contribution to the organization. 

This can best be achieved by working together on weak areas and determining in the 

evaluation where the member can better contribute to the department.

Officers can fill out “employee” evaluation forms on their volunteers once or twice a year. 

The evaluation includes questions on task performance, communication skills, quality of 

effort, attitude, and knowledge of job requirements. Some departments have the firefighters 

evaluate the officers. The objective of both is to enhance the organization. 

In one department the chief performs annual member evaluations. The purpose of the 

evaluations is more to discuss than to rate the performance of individual volunteers and 

to provide an opportunity for the department to get feedback from members. “I talk with 

every member and they set personal and professional goals, and then we evaluate these at 

the end of the year,” said the chief. This program has helped retention by making sure that 

members are satisfied and that their motivations and goals are met. It also allows members 

to “air out” complaints with the chief on a one-on-one level. This keeps complaints from 

festering. Sample Evaluations forms are in Appendix I.

EVALuATINg VOLuNTEERS

Evaluations not only should assess a member’s performance, but also should allow members to assess the 

officers and department.

COHESI

Cohesiveness is one of the essential ingredients that makes a fire department successful. 

Firefighters depend on one another for their safety. It is important not only to work as 

a team, but also to feel like a team.

Unfortunately, cohesiveness is not always easy to achieve. Many factors can disrupt the 

peace. Cliques can form, groups and individuals may feel excluded, EMS and fire members 

may not get along, or career and volunteer members clash. Often these problems cause 

one or more of the parties to resign from membership. Chiefs, line officers, and other 

members of the department’s management team must try to promote an environment in 

which members cooperate and work as a cohesive unit to avoid retention problems due to 

disagreements or conflicts among members.
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

C

Cliques that form in a volunteer department can damage morale, affect teamwork, hurt the 

organization as a whole, and ultimately damage retention. Firefighters who drop out after 

a few months commonly say that they quit because they felt like they did not belong. Of 

course members may form friendship bonds with people of their choosing, but problems 

arise when these bonds become so exclusive that they bar others from enjoying the 

camaraderie of the group. Cliques also pose the problem when one member of a clique 

leaves, because several others may leave too. Cliques can really make or break a person and 

a department. Volunteers are not required to be best friends with everyone, but they should 

respect their peers and appreciate their efforts.

Several approaches can be used to reduce the problems of cliques. First, it is important to 

make sure that newcomers to the department feel welcome and not excluded by cliquish 

groups. Department leadership should also encourage the intermixing of members, 

and periodically offer training opportunities or activities such as fundraising events 

with different groupings of members, so people get to know one another better. One 

department assigns a field training officer to each new member for 18 months. The officer’s 

function is to help integrate the person into the department as a complete member socially, 

administratively, and trained.

F

Volunteer fire and EMS departments, like all employers today, must learn to appreciate the 

diversity of people in our society if they are to retain members and recruit from a broader 

pool of citizens. Departments in many areas are under pressure to make their membership 

more representative of the community, if they have not already done so. This has expanded 

the opportunities for females and minorities in the fire service. Unfortunately, gender 

and race are often factors that create frictions between the established cliques and new 

members. Minority and female members may feel more alienated than the average new 

member.

If a newcomer, regardless of race, sex, religion, or ethnicity, is made to feel unwelcome, he 

or she is likely to leave. Sensitivities should be addressed as a department becomes more 

diverse. Some are obvious, such as having equal access to bunkroom and bathroom facilities 

for men and women and eliminating sexist or racist humor. All recruits and members must 

be treated equally and fairly and be provided with the same training and challenges. It is 

also advisable to open a channel of communication so that females and minorities have 

a mechanism for discussing potential problems. Some volunteer fire departments now 

require their personnel to attend cultural diversity and equal employment opportunity 

classes to increase their sensitivity as to what is considered offensive, and how cultural 

diversity can benefit the department. At the minimum, the leadership should make it clear 

that inappropriate words or actions will not be tolerated.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

E

Some departments suffer from rifts between volunteers who specialize in firefighting and 

those who specialize in EMS. This often comes to a head at budget time in departments 

with both functions. EMS members, who typically respond to three quarters of the total 

fire and EMS calls, may argue for more medical equipment; while firefighters argue for 

firefighting equipment. Members from either side may quit out of frustration or spite. It 

is the responsibility of the department management to control such conflicts. Purchases 

should be made only after assessing needs and priorities for new or different equipment.

H

One of the most unpleasant duties of management is dealing with people who cause 

problems. How well they are handled can affect the cohesiveness of the department.

Grievances usually can be handled informally. However, some departments have had 

members leave because there was no formal route for them to take when the informal 

process failed. Therefore, it is important to have some standard way of dealing with 

grievances once other methods are rendered inadequate. The grievance process for 

discrimination, harassment, suspensions, or other matters should be spelled out in writing 

in departmental policies.

Many departments have trial boards and grievance boards to handle problems. Bernalillo 

County, New Mexico, has a formal grievance procedure for volunteers. One member from 

each of its eleven fire districts is nominated to serve in a pool from which the County 

Manager selects four to form a review panel. A pool member cannot sit on the panel for a 

member from his or her own fire district.

It is often extremely difficult to “fire” a volunteer without causing hard feelings. The 

preferable solution is to encourage the problem individual to resign voluntarily so that they 

do not ruin the atmosphere for the rest. If the person will not leave, management needs to 

decide whether the troublemakers would do more damage on the inside or by criticizing 

the department from the outside.

When all else fails, termination must be considered. Many volunteers who cause problems 

have the attitude of “What are they going to do--fire me? They can’t. I’m a volunteer.” This 

type of attitude should not be allowed to establish itself in a department. If a volunteer 

department is to remain professional, its members must know that they will be held 

accountable for their actions. Although there is a general trend of irresponsibility, there is 

no place for this in the emergency services. All new members should understand clearly 

that their actions have consequences.
70 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

In combination departments, volunteers and career members should be held to the same 

ethical standards. If a volunteer does something for which a career person would be 

dismissed, then fire the volunteer. Dissimilar policies or punishments for volunteer and 

career members create division between the two groups, because one will view the other 

as being given preferential treatment. This cannot be allowed if a cohesive, team-oriented 

department is the goal.

C

One of the most pervasive problems found in combination departments is friction between 

volunteer and career members. This happens in any of the three types of organization for 

combination departments:

• the organization where the volunteers provide support for the career staff;

• the organization where the career staff provides support for the volunteers; and

• the organization where specific stations are assigned to either volunteer or all-career units.

Encouraging volunteer and career firefighters to work together as a team in combination 

departments is often difficult. Depending on the type of organization, one group may be a 

minority and feel of less importance than another group, especially if the majority group 

infers that they are superior. Whatever the organizational form, it is imperative that career 

and volunteer firefighters work together not only for good morale, but to provide the best 

emergency services to their customers in the community and to save lives.

The reasons for such friction vary, but often are traced back to four sources: a feeling that 

one group is better trained or more experienced than the other, a feeling that one group 

is more physically fit than the other, a feeling that one group dominates the other and is 

unappreciative of the other’s needs or opinions, or a feeling that one group misrepresents 

itself to the public. Friction is characterized by members being openly disrespectful and 

distrusting of one another. This behavior damages morale for all members, volunteer and 

career. The department leadership, if it expects to retain the volunteer membership, must 

diffuse these types of situations. 

Many departments have found that the key to good relations between career and volunteers 

is a chief who is conscious of their differences and takes the lead in working out the 

problems between the two groups. To be a winning team, there must be a good coach. 

The chief must not tolerate the formation of barriers that separate volunteer and career 

personnel. Unabated, these kinds of attitudes can drive volunteers away and force a 

department to operate with a shortage of personnel. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

E

The Lacey, Washington, Fire District #3 actually established written teamwork guidelines to 

inform members what is expected of them and how to be a team player:

“I/we will be on time for scheduled meetings and appointments. If not possible, I will 

inform the group beforehand why and when I will be there.

“I/we will inform affected members, preferably beforehand, of any decision made 

which affects them and the reasons why.

“I/we will give specific, authentic acknowledgments of ‘job well done’ frequently.”

“I/we will solve problems using the appropriate and effective strategies (such as 

confrontation, problem solving, negotiation, and use of the organizational chain of 

command).”

“I/we will not exhibit ‘we/they’ behavior. We’re all in this together, so if I have a 

problem, I’ll solve it rather than blame.”

“I/we will understand another person’s story, problem or point of view before I interrupt 

or draw a conclusion. (Use active listening skills to help them make their point.)”

WAyS TO REDuCE FRICTION AND PROMOTE TEAMWORk IN 

COMBINATION DEPARTMENTS:

• Have career and volunteer firefighters train together in order to promote intermixing and friendships, 

the building of mutual trust, and efficient operations.

• Treat career and volunteer members as similarly as possible (i.e., with respect to training, fitness, 

discipline, and promotional standards).

• Share maintenance duties of the firehouse and apparatus.

• Require all members to pass the same physical entrance exam.

• Involve the spouses of both volunteer and career members in an auxiliary and department activities.

• Share station chores.

• Expect the same job performance and competence from volunteers as their career counterparts. 

• Talk out issues of conflict--don’t let them fester.

• Avoid setting volunteers apart unnecessarily by creating different policies or uniforms.

• Establish written roles and responsibilities for volunteer and career members (e.g., establishing who is 

in charge of maintenance/cleaning of stations/apparatus, getting particular apparatus out the door, 

command at scene).

• Maintain good lines of communication with all members so all are apprised of departmental 

happenings and activities, giving rumors no chance to start.
7 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

EMOTIONAL

Supporting the fellow firefighter has been a long-standing tradition within the fire service. When a crisis occurs, volunteers consider themselves a family. This bond can 

provide the support needed to make it through hard times. Caring about the emotional 

well-being of volunteers and helping them through life crises are things the leadership can 

foster to improve retention. Conversely, not caring enough about members may cause them 

to drift away from the department.

N

There is a period of emotional vulnerability after recruits join a department when there is 

a greater chance they will leave than at any other time. Recruits may have difficulty feeling 

accepted, may be discouraged after their first physically challenging training, wonder how 

the time demands are going to work out, or resent the first exposure to authority in this 

voluntary activity. The leadership can play a major role in retaining new members during 

this period by good mentoring. It is important to monitor new members their whole first 

year, and possibly their second. Make sure they feel welcome. Be considerate.

TOP TEN WAyS TO TuRN OFF A NEW MEMBER 

This material is adopted with permission from a JEMS eNews article written by David S. Becker, M.A., EMT-P.

New members generally have high expectations about becoming a part of the organization. 

The question is, does the organization prepare them for the job or leave them wondering 

if they made the right decision? The following is a list of actions/inactions that decrease 

the enthusiasm of new members. Included are some suggestions on how to bring them in 

correctly.

1. Do not explain any compensation or benefits up front.

New members are excited about the opportunity to join the organization. A benefits 

fact sheet should be developed and given to all new applicants detailing the benefits 

and outlining any costs of being a member. Update this sheet annually.

WayS To NurTurE a NEW MEMbEr:

• Assign each new volunteer a mentor on the night he or she joins. The mentor should introduce the 

volunteer to other members, help the member acquire equipment and training, and take the time to 

call or sit down with the member every few weeks to make sure everything is going smoothly.

• Hang a picture of new members on a bulletin board, or print their picture in a newsletter.

• Send new members a letter welcoming them to the department after they join.

• Ask new members how they are getting along and whether they have any questions or problems.

• Evaluate the new member’s volunteer experience after 3 months. The chief or an officer should take 

10 minutes to sit down with the individual to discuss any problems, to answer questions, and do some 

one-on-one coaching.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

2. Change the duty hours or response conditions.

Duty hour requirements and response conditions should be outlined. If they are going 

to change in the near future, this should be mentioned to new applicants. Unexpected 

changes shortly after joining could create lifestyle problems and the loss of a new 

member.

3. Don’t introduce them to the other personnel.

Like the first day of school, it helps to have someone show new personnel around 

and introduce them to other members of the organization. Have a simple process of 

introducing new personnel to the current staff to prevent those awkward first days in 

the organization. 

4. Assign the most negative, critical, and unhappy member as a mentor.

The first person new members work with usually has the greatest impact on what 

kind of members new personnel become in the organization. Do not handicap them 

from the first day by pairing new people with someone who has a bad attitude. If 

the individual is an officer, the new personnel may never have a chance to become 

a productive member. Pick mentors carefully and make sure they support the 

organization.

5. Allow members to degrade new personnel with nicknames like “rookie” or 

“probie” or worse.

Treating others the right way and with respect is something taught at an early age. 

However, many emergency services organizations fail to treat all members fairly, and 

this includes using nicknames for new members. There should be an organizational 

policy covering the use of names and titles. 

6. Assign new personnel the tasks that other members view as beneath them.

Assigning new members to clean station toilets or wash apparatus by themselves is 

not a good beginning. These activities should not be viewed as singling out anyone for 

“special” jobs. All members should be assigned work tasks fairly. This is an excellent 

place to build the teamwork concept.

7. Make new personnel “pay their dues” before listening to their recommendations.

A fast way to turn off new members is to ignore their suggestions or views until they 

have a certain amount of “time on the job.” If a new member points out a way to 

improve customer service or prevent a workplace accident or injury on his or her first 

day, this should not be sloughed off. New members want to feel like a valuable part of 

the team who can contribute to the improvement of the organization.

8. Allow older members to “haze” or harass them.

The previous three topics are forms of hazing or harassment. Doing something to new 

members’ personal effects, uniform, or turnouts, or in some way making them feel 

threatened cannot be allowed. Often new members will not report such activities for 

fear of retaliation or rejection from the organization. There should be a no-tolerance 

hazing policy.
74 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

9. Have a sink-or-swim attitude.

Often new members are immediately placed into work situations with the hope they 

will “learn by doing.” However, if they are not allowed to ask questions about their 

roles or tasks, this can be frustrating, place unreasonable expectations on them, or lead 

to serious mistakes. Train new members in proper procedures and techniques to avoid 

injuries, lost time, conflicts, and resignations.

10. Don’t bother with a good orientation process.

The key to a positive or negative experience for new members will be a good 

orientation to the organization. A thorough and comprehensive orientation is 

necessary to obtain and retain valuable members.

How new members are regarded initially affects how they feel as a member of the team. 

This ultimately affects how long they will stay and how they will contribute to the 

organization.

N

Many departments retain people by figuratively, and in some cases literally, providing a 

home for them or at least the emotional support of a home. This may supplement a healthy 

home relationship for some individuals or may be a substitute for a home relationship for 

others. People who are having personal problems, people who are new to a community, 

and others may relish the warm relationships within a volunteer fire department to fill an 

important void in their life. Volunteers point with pride to individuals they helped save 

from going in the wrong direction. In addition to helping the person who is nurtured, 

the nurturing role also helps the person doing the nurturing. Remember that many people 

volunteer to improve the quality of their life, to give service, and to help make their life 

fuller and more meaningful.

It goes without saying that one has to be careful not to intrude into member’s lives 

where not wanted. Nurturing can sometimes backfire; volunteers may drop out because 

they no longer want to deal with someone who got too close or who interfered too 

much. However, that attitude seems to be less common than those who feel they owe the 

organization a great deal for helping them through a time of crisis.

H

Eventually, almost every firefighter faces a personal problem that may jeopardize his or her 

ability to serve for a period of time or even permanently. People may quit volunteering 

because of problems that are not only time-consuming but depressing or embarrassing. 

The problem may be as simple as a crisis due to time demands or as serious as alcohol 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 75

and drug abuse. The extent to which the department can help a member head off or 

mitigate personal problems is a major factor in retention. In today’s emergency services 

organizations employment practices and related liability warrant the development of SOGs 

and policies.

Capable managers need to be able to recognize when their members are in need of 

assistance and cannot function safely and effectively. Volunteers should not be allowed 

to serve if they are incapable of functioning either mentally or physically. Not only may 

they be unable to perform their firefighting duties, but they also may injure themselves or 

someone else. 

E

Volunteers should be given access to Employee Assistance Programs/Member Assistance 

Programs (EAPs/MAPs) that can provide counseling and guidance for personal problems. 

EAPs/MAPs can also provide assistance after traumatic emergency incidents, although in 

most cases today fire departments incorporate CISD teams in their EAPs/MAPs.

SuBSTANCE ABuSE COuNSELINg

Alcoholism and drug abuse are problems in the fire service, as they are in society. Many 

departments screen applicants for driving while intoxicated convictions as one means of 

screening out those with substance abuse problems. Department policy must be clear about 

the consequences of the excessive use of alcohol and using illegal drugs. One department 

forbids members from responding to calls if they have had even one beer in the past 

24 hours. This is not only for everyone’s safety, but it prevents a negative image of the 

department and protects the department and members from potential liability. 

Many departments provide their volunteers free access to local government EAP’s/MAP’s. 

Some departments have established their own programs. These programs are highly useful 

for members with alcohol or drug dependencies, depression, and a variety of other 

problems. An EAP/MAP takes the burden of having to be an amateur psychologist or social 

worker off the chief. However, it is important to train the officers to recognize emotional 

and medical problems so they can refer their members to EAP’s/MAP’s.

ASSISTANCE FROM CHAPLAINS

Each department should consider having a chaplain available to assist members with 

personal problems. The chaplain may be a less threatening or less embarassing alternative 

than talking to a department officer or chief. The chaplain must maintain an image of 

openness, and be viewed as someone to whom a person of any denomination can talk.
7 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

STATuS CIRCLES

One department has taken an interesting approach to head off emotional problems. It offers 

members a chance to sit down informally after each training session or meeting and update 

the others on what has been happening in their lives. Members are encouraged to talk 

about changes in family situations, a sick child, or an accident--the good and the bad. This 

not only gives members an outlet to share their problems, it gives the organization some 

idea about what is going on in its volunteer’s lives.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Some members who are going through emotional or family problems, or who feel 

burned out, should be allowed to take a leave of absence. This “sabbatical period” gives the 

volunteer time to solve problems and refresh his or her attitude. Chiefs should be willing 

to offer and encourage members to take leave. Long-time, dedicated members may be 

reluctant to request leave on their own and may quit instead. Officers should watch for the 

symptoms and grant a temporary leave of absence before losing a valuable member.

FINANCIAL AID

Sometimes a member has a financial emergency and cannot afford to meet it. Some 

departments make a special effort to help when such need arises. One example involved a 

member whose son was put into a special care facility over 100 miles away from home. The 

member’s old, decrepit car could not handle the frequent trips. His department organized 

a small fund drive that allowed the family to purchase an adequate vehicle to visit the son. 

Another department helped the surviving family of a deceased member pay for replacing 

the roof on their home, and paid for a lawyer needed by another member.

Some departments set up a fund to be used for emergencies, rather than organize a special 

effort for each emergency. A department can set up a relief fund specifically designated 

to help its firefighters after a personal financial emergency. The fund can be managed by 

a nonprofit organization separate from the fire department, and can receive donations for 

relief work.

T

Many departments actively promote a family feeling within the department. The 

members are treated as extended family and given emotional support and nurturing care 

when needed. To foster this attitude, one volunteer department placed the slogan “Our 

Family Helping Your Family” on all apparatus. The family feeling should extend beyond 

department members to include the families of members.

Some departments have found their family feeling torn apart by bickering or 

disagreements, making the department a “dysfunctional family.” When the family feeling 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 77

is destroyed, members quit and new members are less likely to join (especially if the 

department’s problems become public news). This is why it is imperative for officers 

to manage professionally and address problems while they are still small. This again 

emphasizes the need for strong leadership to step in immediately as problems begin to 

develop to fairly and justly defuse the situation based on departmental policies. Then, 

communicate clearly with all parties and members to avoid storytelling and gossip. “Nip it 

in the bud.” 

S

Any firefighter may be exposed to emotional stress as a result of a call. For volunteers, 

this can be especially difficult since members usually live in the community they serve 

and often know the people whom they are called upon to help. Rescuing injured friends, 

especially when injured children are involved, can be very traumatic. There are several ways 

to help a volunteer deal with a particularly difficult call.

The first line of relieving stress is to encourage members to discuss stressful events 

immediately upon their return from the scene. Some departments sponsor a meal after major 

incidents to help their members relax and give them a chance to talk the incident over.

When an informal approach to emotional distress is not enough, departments need 

to call in a CISD team or an individual counselor trained in stress debriefing. Some 

departments have a State or regional team that they can call, and some form their own 

teams. The teams are trained to help emergency responders after a crisis and can help 

members alleviate the stress involved. Department officers need to be trained as to when 

and how to call in a CISD team.

A CISD team can be a vital asset to a department and assist in retaining members. The team 

can provide counseling for problems that arise from tragic incidents or family problems 
78 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

at home. Several department members can be trained to help volunteers undergoing stress 

or to refer them to the CISD team for assistance or counseling. If the department is losing 

people due to stress, a CISD team can help them work through the problems. 

Fire departments should establish CISD teams or know how to access a team before an 

incident happens. Do not think a stressful incident will not happen in the department. 

Every department faces a stressful incident at one point or another. Team members 

must be specially trained. Some States have statewide CISD response teams. Another 

recommendation is that fire departments appoint one person to be a liaison to a member 

who has suffered traumatic stress. The appointee should regularly check up on the 

individual to offer help and to be an open ear throughout the recovery process.

TRAINING

One of the common laments about service as a volunteer is the increased burden of training. The trend has been for more training for volunteers than has previously been 

required. This is due to a number of realities that confront the modern firefighter.

• Danger does not make distinctions between volunteer and career firefighters.

• Higher national training standards, designed to increase safety awareness and establish 

minimum competencies at various training levels, have required training classes that are 

more frequent and/or longer in duration.

• The public now expects fire departments to be able to respond to emergencies of all 

types [fire, EMS, technical rescue, hazardous materials, natural disasters, and now 

Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear, Explosive (CBRNE)].

• There has been an increase in the number of government-mandated courses, such as 

the NIMS, hazardous materials awareness, and for some departments confined space.

• More hazardous materials are in use, production, storage, and transportation posing 

greater dangers to firefighters.

• Fire, EMS, rescue, and hazardous materials curriculums are revised constantly to reflect 

newer techniques and safer practices.

• Services have been expanded or upgraded, such as from Basic Life Support (BLS) to 

Advanced Life Support (ALS), or from awareness to developing a hazardous materials or 

technical rescue team.

As previously mentioned, increased training requirements, although having the goal of 

making operations safer and more effective, have greatly increased the time demands 

imposed on volunteers. New training requirements have been particularly traumatic for 

long-term members who have no certifications and are no longer allowed to run certain 

calls without updating their training.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 79

T

Many departments report that the requirements of today’s training standards are too 

demanding and cause members to quit. At the same time, many volunteers feel that the 

higher standards have increased the professionalism and pride of the volunteer fire service. 

The great dilemma is that while the standards have increased professionalism and safety 

(which help retention), they have created a major barrier for recruitment and retention 

because the requirements are very time demanding.

Training requirements vary from State to State, but some States have adopted NFPA 1001 

for Firefighter I and Firefighter II basic training as well as the DOT Emergency Medical 

Technician (EMT) training.

Basic training is needed to ensure that firefighters know how to perform certain tasks in a 

safe and efficient manner. However, training standards should not be set so high that they 

discourage volunteerism. Ways to make them more tolerable:

• Reduce initial training requirements by devising a multiyear training ladder for 

members (e.g., Firefighter I the first year, Firefighter II the second year, and so forth).

Put the members on a career ladder training regimen. Samples of modular training 

programs are provided in Appendix H.

• Require advanced officer courses only for officers. Firefighters should not be 

required to reach the same training level required of officers.

• In combination fire/EMS departments, eliminate the requirement for volunteers to 

cross-train. Do not require EMT-only members to certify as firefighters, or vice versa. 

However, provide a short 10 to 15 hour course to familiarize EMT’s with firefighting 

WAyS TO MAkE TRAININg LESS BuRDENSOME AND MORE FuN:

• schedule training in advance for the entire year and issue training calendars;

• train in modules and use the training-in-context approach;

• ensure instructors are competent;

• offer remedial help as necessary;

• diversify instruction;

• send members to out-of-town training events;

• reimburse members for training expenses;

• hold realistic training competitions;

• hold more live fire training; and

• offer Web-based training that can be taken conveniently.
80 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

equipment and safety, and vice versa for firefighters. This type of program has been 

adopted by volunteers in Arlington, Virginia. A sample Introductory Program from the 

Texas State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association can be found in Appendix H.

• Incorporate mandated annual training into existing training modules. It is difficult 

to avoid training requirements mandated by the Federal government. For example, 

OSHA-required annual breathing apparatus training could be incorporated into a 

smokehouse or maze drill without creating an extra burden, and without requiring an 

entirely separate SCBA drill.

• Reduce training requirements for new members who were previously trained 

elsewhere. Create a fast-track so that they do not have to retrain or spend as much time 

as a recruit. Some States allow individuals to forego certain training if they can pass a 

written and/or practical test. Give consideration to firefighter/EMT’s who have national 

certification with IFSAC, the Pro-Board, or the National Registry. Some also allow 

health-care professionals to challenge EMT tests without taking the course.

• Allow recruits to ride apparatus before they obtain formal training certifications.

This helps to sustain their enthusiasm while they spend the initial months in the 

classroom. By participating early, they “catch the bug,” get caught up in the excitement 

of the job, and are more willing to continue their training. Before riding, however, 

recruits should be given basic Incident Command familiarization, know how to 

properly use their protective clothing, work as a team in the accountability system, and 

understand scene and apparatus safety that includes hazardous materials awareness and 

infectious disease training.

ProVide training schedules

With all the time pressures facing volunteers, one of the most important steps a department 

can take to help volunteers manage time is to provide them in advance with a training 

schedule. Volunteers prefer to train at a set time scheduled long in advance so that they 

can plan around it. Successful volunteers build their lives around their training schedule. 

Some departments go so far as to issue a training calendar for a full year at a time to help 

volunteers prepare.

Training also should be offered at convenient times. Many departments have begun to 

schedule the same training session two times per week or month so that volunteers can 

pick the one most convenient.

Fire departments should adjust training at times favored by the local community for 

recreational activities, such as the hunting, fishing, or athletic seasons.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 8

T

 A few departments offer short courses that can be taken over an entire week. The larger the 

block of time required for training, the more of a barrier it is. When scheduling training, 

the department should consider that many volunteers cannot take time off from work 

to train for weeks at a time. Training should be divided into modules that better fit the 

volunteer’s time availability. This is generally 3- or 4-hour blocks. Three-hour blocks work 

well for evenings, while four-hour blocks fit weekend sessions. If there are night shift 

workers on the department, daytime classes may be needed. However, if enough volunteers 

prefer to take a short, compact course, the department should provide it.

T

There are many creative ways to reduce the burden of training. Training is not perceived 

as a burden if it is wanted. To be wanted, training must be on topics considered important 

to the volunteer, and it needs to be well-presented, progressive, and include student 

involvement and activities.

A new training concept that many departments are beginning to embrace is called training 

in context. This approach involves training using specific operational scenarios and provides 

more realistic training. Training in context allows students to combine skills they learned in 

a basic firefighting class (e.g., raising ladders, advancing hose, donning an SCBA, pumping) 

into a mock scenario. For example, one department gathers its engines and tankers in a 

school parking lot and gives the officers of the units the scenario that there is a fire in the 

school with trapped occupants. This type of training scenario allows students to put to use 

many of the skills they have learned, is more fun than practicing one skill alone, and seems 

highly relevant to them. This can serve as a prefire planning session as well when local 

structures are used. It also can be a good evaluation tool.

It is important to have multiple, good training sessions to keep interest and motivation 

high. Smaller departments with fewer calls actually need to train more to reduce skill 

degradation and maintain both readiness and morale. Departments that train three to four 

times a month seem to have fewer retention problems. Nassau County, New York, has a 

very large volunteer population and minimal recruiting worries. This is due in part to 

the activity at the County Fire Academy. Most of the training is hands on with multiple 

scenarios available to improve skills. Training can be a plus to recruiting if it keeps the 

members busy with activity-based drills.
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

I

Another aspect of the training problem is the lack of competent instructors. Some 

volunteers quit because they are not learning quickly enough, or because they feel their 

instructors are incompetent. Instructors for volunteer departments should be State or 

nationally certified and teach from standardized curricula; however, requiring certification 

may eliminate some who otherwise are capable. Whatever the case, students should be 

given the opportunity to evaluate instructors and offer constructive criticism. Feedback 

from students will help an instructor learn what areas of instruction he or she may need to 

improve.

ProVision of remedial helP

Some people struggle to pass written exams but have extremely good practical skills. 

Without outside help to prepare for a written exam, these recruits may become frustrated 

and quit, or simply avoid ever taking a class that uses written tests. Failure to pass a written 

exam may exclude them from volunteering, even though they would be outstanding 

firefighters. Remedial instruction and special assistance should be offered to help these 

individuals get through exams.

D

Many volunteers grow bored with training over time, especially if they have to attend 

the same class year after year. Ongoing training is imperative; likewise, repeating drills is 

necessary to maintain skills. The trick to making training less of a burden is to diversify it. 

Several of the approaches being taken today by departments include these:

• Use outside instructors from other departments or training agencies. Outside 

instructors bring a new perspective and teaching approach.

• Review actual case studies of fires across the country. Everyone is interested in 

discussing big fires. Discuss the fire or major incident and the lessons learned. Training 

videos that review fire scenes are widely available. The USFA also publishes major fire 

incident reports.

• Rotate the location of the training among stations or training facilities.

• Invite special guest speakers (such as a power company official to discuss electrical 

hazards).

• Recruit doctors or nurses to instruct EMS members.

• Train in conjunction with other departments in multicompany drills.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 8

• Ask a variety of members to teach occasionally or for a specialty class. This usually 

results in a wider variety of teaching methods and topics. It encourages more members 

to become involved in training, and makes for better students once the member/

trainers see how difficult it is to teach.

• Train in context. Use scenario-based exercises once the basics have been learned.

• Broaden/Diversify training topics. Some departments have created specialty teams 

such as technical rescue teams, Hazmat teams, or search and rescue teams. Some 

departments provide whitewater and rope rescue training to their members. This 

improves the department’s rescue capabilities but also helps retention because members 

enjoy it and consider it to be a “recreational training.” Although some departments may 

see diversification of training as a hindrance because it increases the training demands, 

some members enjoy the challenges of new or specialized training and take pride in 

being on a specially trained team.

O

One of the best ways to make training more enjoyable and compact is to participate in 

training weekends. Many departments or State training offices offer training weekends at 

a central training center. Members travel to the site and spend the day training, and then 

can enjoy relaxing together in the evenings. This type of training is particularly effective 

for short courses such as vehicle extrication or rope training. Volunteers enjoy the idea of 

getting out of town, completing a course in one weekend, and having time to socialize. 

As an incentive to participate in this type of training, many departments cover the costs of 

travel, lodging, and meals. Often, wives and children make the trip to make it a weekend of 

family enjoyment.

Larger departments or mutual-aid districts may wish to charter a bus to send volunteers 

who meet certain activity requirements to special training sessions or fire department 

conferences. The department(s) pays for all travel expenses.

Volunteer firefighters also are eligible to attend the NFA’s free Volunteer Incentive 

Program (VIP) training week, which is held semiannually in Emmitsburg, Maryland. For 

more information about this program, call the Academy at 1-800-238-3358 or visit the 

following page of the USFA Web site: http://usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/resident/vip/
84 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

R

Sometime volunteers must sacrifice not only time to attend training but their own outof-pocket money to pay for travel expenses such as gasoline, meals, lodging, and even 

course registration fees. Given the demands already placed on volunteers, it is unfair to 

expect them to pay for training expenses. Since volunteers are expected to attend training, 

fire departments and/or municipal governments should be expected to reimburse the 

volunteers for all of these costs. When these expenses are not covered, volunteers may grow 

frustrated and quit. Consider a policy to provide volunteers a per diem to cover expenses 

on the days they train, whether the training is local or out of town. Most departments 

purchase meals for volunteers any time that training lasts to or through a mealtime.

T

Several departments make training a fun activity by holding competitions. The competitions 

create an atmosphere of challenge and require everyone to maintain proficiency, something 

akin to the “Firefighter Combat Challenge” in which firefighters compete against the clock 

in various skills. To make training competitions more fun, invite the public to attend.

Competitions for training purposes must adhere to strict safety and SOPs. Participants 

must be physically fit or doctor certified before performing strenuous drills. All evolutions 

must be performed according to accepted good practices. Horseplay, clowning around, 

unsafe acts, and inattentiveness cannot be tolerated. Instructors must oversee all exercises 

and sufficient Safety Officers must be in place. An emergency medical team should be 

on location. Winners can be awarded recognition items (trophies, uniform patches) or 

prizes such as expenses paid to a training conference. Competition training can be used to 

improve teamwork within units of the department. 

TIME

Despite all our labor-saving devices, the time pressures of modern life seem to be 

increasing. It is important for members to perceive that their time is well-spent and 

that they are making a valuable contribution to the community. Volunteers may re-evaluate 

their time commitments in light of the quality of their experience as a volunteer. The 

leadership must be aware of these attitudes, especially for young members and those with 

children, because their time is particularly stretched.

Emergency services leadership must take note of the following principles of time demand:

• Excessive up-front time demands (such as those associated with training of new 

members) are a barrier to recruitment.

• Members quit when time demands grow unbearable. Time demands are viewed as 

unbearable if they are poorly scheduled or require an excessive amount of time to 

complete.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 85

• Members quit when classes, meetings, and other functions are scheduled in an 

inflexible, short-notice way, so that they cannot plan around them.

• Fire departments must structure the requirements of training, meetings, and other 

tasks so that volunteers can keep their time priorities in this order: family, job, 

volunteering. Otherwise their family members or bosses will begin to nag them and 

they will quit.

The previous section discussed ways to reduce the training burden. This section discusses 

other approaches to make time demands more acceptable, reduce time demands, and make 

the four principles listed above a reality.

Among the ways to make the time demands of volunteering more bearable are these:

• evaluate requirements to assess whether they are really necessary or too demanding;

• assess ways by which activities could be done in a more time efficient manner;

• narrow assignments so that individual members have fewer responsibilities that are 

easier to meet;

• delegate tasks so that all members share the time demands of running the department;

• assign members to duty shifts;

• allow volunteers to take leaves of absence instead of quitting when time pressures at 

home or work are acute;

• screen out nonemergency calls at the dispatch center to avoid the time demands 

associated with these calls;

• issue fines or penalties for excessive false alarms by automatic alarm systems (if 

permissible);

• involve the family in fire department operations, administration, fundraising, or other 

roles;

• involve the family in social events and encourage family members to hang around the 

station;

• page out only members who are absolutely needed for a call;

• recruit members who work at night to assist with responses during the weekday hours;

• recognize employers who allow members to leave work to respond to calls;

• create a pool of substitute volunteers to fill in when a member cannot volunteer;

• hire career staff as necessary to supplement volunteer personnel; and

• offer time management courses for volunteers.
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

Ev

Fire departments should evaluate activities and requirements annually to assess whether 

they can be done in a more time-efficient manner. Time demands can be reduced 

somewhat by analyzing tasks to see if they can be done with less labor. For example, 

are there more efficient ways to raise funds? What meetings are unnecessary and can be 

eliminated? Can meetings be combined into one night so that members do not have to 

spend three nights a week at the fire station? Use an agenda to run the necessary meetings 

more efficiently.

The amount of time required to raise the needed funds to support the department are 

becoming a recruitment detriment. Alternative methods should be explored such as 

forming taxing fire districts or using support personnel to do fundraising. In Lancaster 

County, Pennsylvania, it is estimated that 90 percent of the departments’ budgets must 

be raised. It is difficult to do the required training, respond to emergencies, and then be 

expected to raise funds as well. In this busy, changing world, this is creating a drain on the 

volunteer system.

A department that required all new members to become firefighter/EMT cross-trained in 

their first year before they were considered full-status operational members noticed the 

number of new members entering the department dropped dramatically. The department 

evaluated the time demands associated with these requirements and reduced the 

requirements so that recruits could choose to take either firefighter or EMT in the first year. 

The department also changed operational guidelines so that members could be full-status 

fire or EMS members, depending on the course taken.

An annual evaluation might reveal that an increasing volume of emergency calls has 

resulted in excessive time demands on volunteers. In this case, it is reasonable for the 

department to consider going to volunteer duty shifts for emergency response. (See Duty 

Shifts Section.) If daytime response is dangerously low or other special needs develop, 

a department may consider hiring career firefighters to assist with certain phases of the 

operations (administration, firefighting only, EMS only, or a combination of these). The 

other alternative is to use mutual aid. These alternatives may alleviate time demands on 

volunteers sufficiently to keep them in the department. 

N

An important way to alleviate some of the time burdens on volunteers is to reduce the 

number of assignments. 

• Reduce operational responsibilities. Older members may be restricted to support 

functions. This reduces risks as well as training requirements. Many departments 

elsewhere have separate EMS and firefighting sections so a member does not have to 

be cross-trained. However, departments that operate this way may be forced to recruit 

more volunteers.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 87

One city keeps its volunteer workload low by having EMS provided by a third party. The 

fire department handles 1,200 calls a year. If volunteers were responsible for EMS, the 

call volume would be much higher and the time demands much greater.

• Delegate tasks. In the past, the glue that held many fire departments together was a few 

individuals who assumed a high level of responsibility for running the department on 

a day-to-day basis. They often wore various hats to make sure every task was completed. 

A chief may have been responsible for managing the overall department, responding to 

calls, ensuring apparatus was maintained, and organizing fund drives. This altruism was 

commendable but often led to burnout of the chief or reduced interest by volunteers 

because he was trying to do too much. To avoid burnout, responsibilities should be 

divided up and delegated to all of the members, and individual assignments should 

be narrowed. Most departments that do this have found that members take greater 

interest and ownership in the department as they take on new responsibilities. There is 

now available an excellent way to do this within the emergency services. Manage the 

department in the same manner as the incident scene using ICS. Sections, branches, 

and divisions and groups can be established for administrative and support functions 

with personnel assigned to the various roles, given responsibility, and held accountable. 

Everything from fundraisers to work nights can be organized with ICS. The side benefit 

is that ICS then becomes second nature, and operating at emergencies is much better 

organized.

• Recruit support volunteers. Many volunteer fire departments today recruit members 

to serve in administrative and other nonfirefighting capacities. The following is a list of 

positions that can be filled by nonfirefighting personnel:

– fire prevention staff,

– public fire and safety education staff,

– safety officer,

– PIO,

– Public Relations Officer,

– facility and equipment maintenance,

– clerical,

– fundraising,

– customer service,

– grant writer,

– computer experts,

– graphics developer,

– administrator,

– accountant/auditor,

– financial advisor,

– legal advisor, and

– human resources advisor.
88 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

This practice helps reduce the responsibilities for each volunteer. It also allows people 

physically unable or unwilling to be a firefighter to do something useful in the department. 

These support role volunteers should be given full membership status with voting rights 

like their operational counterparts. (See Appendix D on Fire Corps.)

A department can also use Outside Support (OS) and Limited Operational (LO) personnel 

on the fireground to assist. OS staff can fill roles in safety, PIO, communications, air supply, 

and logistics; while LO staff can be involved with driving--depending on SOP, pump/aerial 

operation, or water shuttle operations.

D

Research has found that many volunteers, especially younger ones who are dating or just 

starting families, are more willing to devote a fixed rather than open-ended amount of time 

each month to volunteer work. Their constraints can be met by using duty shifts.

Duty shifts help retention by limiting time demands placed on volunteers. Volunteers are on 

call or in the station only during assigned time periods. They are not obligated to respond 

during nonassigned periods. Duty shifts remove the burden of having to be available 24 

hours per day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.

Volunteer fire departments have used the duty shift system for years, but many volunteer 

organizations are just finding out the benefits of it. The system requires volunteers to be 

available for specific time periods (a full day, a night, or several hour periods) per week or 

month. On assigned shifts, individual volunteers are expected to be either at the station or 

available to respond from home. Volunteers are free and not obligated to respond during 

nonassigned time periods. Members can plan around their duty periods and become more 

focused when they are at the station or on call. They do not have to worry about not being 

around during certain time periods, and they don’t feel guilty about leaving town.

A drawback of using shifts is that the total number of members may have to be increased 

to have enough staffing for each shift. The shift system also may require spending money 

for additional equipment and insurance for the additional members. The Emmaus, 

SaMplE CoMbiNaTioN SySTEM DuTy ShifT

The department has career officers who work a 24-hour shift. Two career firefighters work week days 

and are responsible for apparatus and equipment maintenance and training. One works from 6 a.m. to 

5 p.m., while the other works 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Three volunteers are assigned (and compensated) to be 

in the station from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. This assures in-station coverage around the clock. Volunteers are 

assigned on weekends.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 89

Pennsylvania, Fire Department has a unique shift system that includes many members 

who do not reside in the borough. Members are in the station for 8-hour shifts, longer at 

night, and are paid for half the time they are on their duty shift. This assures that there is an 

onduty crew at all times.

An example would be to assign volunteers to a specific station for one duty shift per 

week. Four members are assigned each shift and depending on the situation may be at 

the station or on call. Some volunteer stations do not have sleeping quarters so night shift 

personnel may be on call during sleeping hours. Ideally, it would be great to have three 

shifts that compliment local worker shifts that are usually 7 to 3, 3 to 11, and 11 to 7; 

thus, station duty from 6:30 a.m. till 2:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. till 10:30 p.m., and 10:30 

p.m. till 6:30 a.m. However, in the real world this is rarely possible. Therefore, workable 

hours should be developed by each department to meet its circumstances. A probable 

solution is a combination of hours assigned at the station and hours on call. For example, 

the department night shift might be at the station from 6:00 till 10:30 p.m. and on call at 

home till 6:30 a.m. (People who work 7 to 3 or 8 to 5). See sample schedule.

Two objectives were attempted with this example:

1. Coverage during the morning and evening commutes.

2. A duty shift in the station for at least 3 hours every 12 hours (day/night) to check 

equipment and assure that all units are in service, perform preventive maintenance 

inspections and work, and complete miscellaneous duties. 

This example does not take into consideration all the exceptions that can occur, such as 

being held over to work overtime, traffic delays, or untimely weather.

The duty shift system will help a department retain members. As a sign of appreciation, 

the department buys meals for volunteers while they are on duty. A Virginia department 

has 18 duty shifts allowing members to divide in-station standby duties so that no one is 

overwhelmed.

L

Members may quit when time demands from the department, home, or work grow 

overwhelming. Sometimes this happens because members become over-committed 

and stressed out, and other times because they feel guilty for not meeting the time 

requirements of the department. 

As previously noted under the section on emotional support, every fire department should 

allow members to take extended leaves of absence from all fire department activities. 

Obviously, the duration of the leave must be limited to avoid the loss of certifications from 
90 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

failure to attend training. Offering members the opportunity to take a 6-month leave may 

allow them to survive the stressful period without completely quitting. Members are less 

likely to feel guilty about taking the leave if it is offered as a policy to all members.

S

Unnecessary calls only add to the volunteer workload. Additional time away from work or 

family is undesirable and should be limited.

• Screen calls at the dispatch center. Dispatch centers should screens out calls that 

are not true emergencies or service calls and help citizens find other agencies to deal 

with their problems. Some departments use emergency dispatch protocols, systems of 

questions dispatchers can read from cards to triage and screen calls.

• Respond only to life-threatening calls. One volunteer fire department decided to send 

a fire unit only on EMS calls that are potentially life threatening instead of all EMS calls. 

Implementing this system reduced the fire department’s EMS responses by 25 percent. 

Emergency call center dispatchers determine potentially life-threatening incidents using 

predetermined categorical protocols.

• Implement fines for alarm system malfunctions. As the number of automatic alarm 

systems installed in homes and businesses increases, so do mistaken alarm activations. 

Adopt an alarm policy to fine alarm system owners after a set number of malfunctions. 

Departments also can require alarm system owners to register their systems with 

the fire department and to present periodic certificates of inspections by a qualified 

alarm inspector. Inspections can eliminate responses caused by problems with system 

maintenance.

• Educate the public about the proper use of fire and emergency medical services.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA)“Make the Right Call” 

public education program provides local fire and EMS departments with free campaign 

materials to instruct citizens about the proper use of 9-1-1, especially in regards to EMS 

calls. To order, visit the publications section of the NHTSA Web site: www.nhtsa.gov

I

Departments across the country report that members are quitting because the time 

demands of volunteering are taking away from family time. A good way to address this 

problem and retain these members is to include their families in as many fire department 

activities as possible. This coordinates family time demands with fire department activities 

and increases time with the family. 

• Recruit husband-and-wife teams, and even older children. The family can be 

included in everything from operations to administrative support functions. Often, 

nonoperational members can join the department’s auxiliary. Auxiliaries, usually the 

wives of responders, are a support group to provide the organization with food and 

drinks during long operations, assist with funding activities, and become involved in 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

other activities such as public fire and safety education. By including the family, the 

spouses and children are left at home less often, and feel less abandoned.

• Encourage members to help one another and one another’s families while off duty.

Members may get assistance or discounts from another member who is a plumber, 

electrician, dry cleaner, or simply help moving. It makes people feel good to have a 

large group that they can rely on.

• Hold family orientation nights or dinners. This is similar to back-to-school nights 

to familiarize family members with the department and to allow them to meet other 

families. This is also a good time to recruit family members to help with support or 

auxiliary duties.

• Encourage members to include family members in decisions about their involvement in 

department activities. Any volunteer who is considering taking a special fire department class 

or running for a leadership position should consult family members first because the new 

activity or position will take away from family time. Some departments send a department 

representative to meet with the spouse and family to explain the important role of the 

volunteer, the need for service, department policies, and the value to the community. Families 

may be more willing to make sacrifices, knowing they are playing an important role.

• Involve the family in CISD training. Since family members of firefighters and EMTs 

will have to deal with repercussions of stressful emergency incidents, they should 

be trained to recognize and deal with signs of stress or burnout. This not only helps 

individual families, but also assists the department by keeping the volunteers content. 

It is recommended that departments have an EAP class for families, spouses, and 

significant others.

CauTioN: NEPOTISM

Although family teams can be a benefit by keeping the group together for longer time periods, family 

groups can cause severe problems within the organization. Problems can occur in administrative, 

financial, and management areas. Records indicate that one of the highest liability losses for fire 

departments comes from family theft, embezzlement, and fraud. Managing family members, especially 

disciplining, is often another area of concern. As the saying goes, “Blood runs thicker than water.” It 

is best not to have family members in direct supervision of one another, serving on the same Board of 

Directors, working as a financial team, or on the same committees.

A

For years, volunteer fire departments across the country have sponsored ladies’ auxiliaries 

as a way of including firefighters’ wives in the department. Auxiliaries have taken on 

many support functions such as operating canteens, raising funds, cooking for meetings 

and dinners, and other support services. The ladies have taken pride in working in their 

communities and helping their husbands. Husbands have taken pride in having the whole 
9 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

family involved in the department. The cohesiveness of having the wives in the auxiliary 

has helped departments to be more family-oriented.

Today, with many females serving as firefighters, some departments have changed the name 

of the ladies’ auxiliary to simply the “auxiliary.” This is more inclusive, and allows the 

husbands of female firefighters to join. Spouses of firefighters should be encouraged to join 

the department and perform support functions such as fire prevention talks.

I

Regardless of whether family members are part of a department or auxiliary, every 

department should hold social events that involve families. Again, if family members feel 

included in the department, they are usually more supportive of it and more willing to 

adjust family schedules around the time demands of the member of the fire department. 

Family recognition of the support they provide is extremely important. Many organizations 

hold banquets to recognize not only members, but also their spouses and significant 

others. Some departments encourage members to bring their children to the station if 

they are doing station maintenance, washing apparatus, or even running calls. Recreational 

equipment and weights can be purchased for family members to use under proper 

supervision while they are there if liability insurance is provided. Cards or flowers can be 

sent to members’ spouses to thank them for their support of the department.

Ways to Involve Family Members Socially in the Fire Department:

• invite family members to social functions (ice cream nights, movie nights, miniature 

golf nights, picnics, barbecues, sporting events);

• the department purchase tickets for family nights at a local theater or sporting event;

• hold family dinners at the firehouse;

• allow members to bring children to the station, and even set aside playrooms for 

children;

• sponsor fire department youth sport teams;

• invite family members to annual department banquets and recognize them;

• present awards to family members who have been particularly supportive of the 

department;

• send birthday cards and/or gifts to family members;

• highlight a firefighter and his/her family in the department newsletter (and include a 

picture of the family) or in the local newspaper;
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

• purchase a big-screen television for the station and provide food for families to watch 

sporting events or movies; and

• install weight rooms and basketball goals or nets (tennis, badminton, soccer, hockey) 

that fire department members and their families can use at the station.

S

Another way to reduce time demands is to limit who gets pages for emergency calls, and 

when they get paged. Individual groups of volunteers can be assigned a special capability 

in their pagers that can be alerted only when a specific tone is broadcast to activate that 

capability. This enables a department to call only members of a specific station, only EMS 

members, only fire members, members of a specific duty crew, or whatever group is 

desired. Under this system, instead of paging all of the members and having everyone show 

up, only those who are really needed are paged. 

Some departments have a similar alerting system in which one alert tone means “come if 

you can,” and the second tone means “there is a working incident; all available personnel 

needed.” Sometimes a three-tone system is used, with special signals to denote a) respond 

if you can; b) respond, this is your first-due assignment; and c) all hands respond--this is a 

major incident.

H

Weekdays are generally the most demanding periods for volunteers (especially purely 

volunteer departments) because most members are at work. Balancing work and 

emergency responses is no easy task. Due to the time demands of employment, volunteers 

are usually less available during the daytime hours. Departments that demand that members 

respond during the day may be viewed as too demanding.

To compound the problem, volunteer departments across the country report that many 

employers are less willing today to allow volunteers to leave for emergency calls. This is 

due, in part, to the trend of replacing small, locally owned businesses with larger chain/

corporation stores that have less of an interest in civic functions. Many volunteers worry 

about retaining their jobs if they have to drop everything and respond to emergencies. 

Working with employers and through selective paging it may be possible to arrange for 

volunteers to leave their work for working incidents or on second alarms. The major 

question is whether and by whom the employee will be compensated during his/her time 

away from the job.
94 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

One way to address the weekday staffing problem is to recruit members who work at 

night but are available during the day. These members also may be able to assist with fire 

prevention, fire and safety educations programs at schools, preventive maintenance, and 

with routine administrative tasks during the daytime. In respect of their time and because 

they often cannot train when other members typically train, some departments have 

scheduled daytime drills or send night workers to regional fire schools for their training. 

Others hold weekend sessions to cover all aspects of firefighting and rescue operations. 

Additional ways to address the weekday problem is to court employers of volunteers by:

• Having a representative of the fire department visit the employer to explain the 

significance of being a volunteer firefighter.

• Giving recognition to employers who allow time off by presenting them plaques 

of appreciation, inviting them to fire department functions, or mentioning them 

in newsletters and news releases, or recognizing them on the annual report. Other 

departments send thank-you letters to employers.

• Pointing out the advantages to the employer of having trained EMTs and firefighters 

on the premises to respond to emergencies of the business or its customers.

• Reducing the time spent by employees on calls during working hours so they can 

return to work quickly. Each department should review how it can best accomplish 

this. Some may be able to dismiss day workers once the fire is out, while others may 

be able to do it as soon as the unit is ready to respond, but before apparatus cleanup is 

finalized.

• Recruiting trained volunteers who live and volunteer in other jurisdictions but 

work in your department’s jurisdiction during the day.

Some States (e.g., Minnesota and Massachusetts) have statutes that require employers not 

to penalize volunteer firefighters who leave work for emergency calls if the company has 

a policy that allows them to respond. This protects volunteers from losing compensation. 

Pennsylvania has a law that does not allow for a volunteer firefighter to be penalized at 

work due to tardiness at work from responding to a call. 

S

As volunteers quit or are unable to respond in the daytime, more and more communities 

are forced to hire career firefighters. This may further diminish volunteers’ interest and 

cause more to drop out, or it may lighten the volunteers’ workload, thereby increasing 

their willingness to volunteer. Much depends on how the concept is sold to the department 

and how both the career and volunteers are managed. The greatest factor influencing the 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 95

success of a combination department is good leadership that encourages the career and 

volunteer members to work together as a team recognizing the need for and importance of 

each other.

When career members are hired, fire departments must establish the roles and 

responsibilities of career and volunteer members in a clear, written format. These should 

include responsibilities with station duties and emergency calls. In the long run, written, 

defined roles will help to avoid conflict over who is supposed to do what.

Some departments that have hired career members have found that volunteers quit because 

they feel like they are being replaced and no longer have a purpose in the organization. To 

avoid this feeling, departments can give volunteers their own special role such as technical 

rescue response, staffing the second engine, staffing a ladder truck (if career personnel staff 

only an engine), or other fireground support duties. 

RECOGNITION

Volunteering in the fire service is one of the most demanding volunteer activities today. It requires time, dedication, special training, certification, and recertification. 

Additionally, it can pose great individual risk.

Most volunteers want to be appreciated and receive recognition for their service to the 

community. Some are willing to work quietly for years and obtain satisfaction just from 

doing the job, helping people in need, and the camaraderie in the department. However, 

this is seldom the case with the younger generations presently members, or just entering 

the fire service. Surveys of people who have left volunteering and perceptions of volunteers 

from across the country indicate that a little recognition goes a long way. Although most 

volunteers may never mention the desire for recognition, it is almost always a positive 

when given and usually a negative when withheld. One of the sources of recruitment and 

retention problems listed previously relates to a feeling among volunteers that they are not 

adequately appreciated.

In some locales recognition plays a major role in satisfaction and retention. A volunteer 

must feel that he or she not only is needed, but also is appreciated. Recognition can be as 

simple as a pat on the back or a picture in the local paper. If this is identified as an issue, 

consider the following ways to recognize volunteers:

• Spotlight the accomplishments of volunteers in department or community newsletters; 

emphasize with photos.
9 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

• Send thank-you cards to members for service provided, or greeting cards to new 

members.

• Request that local media feature pictures of volunteers, fire department events, training, 

or actual incidents.

• Issue press releases to the media to spotlight the accomplishments of volunteers with 

their picture.

• Seek special national, State, local, or departmental awards.

• Hold awards banquets.

• Hold graduation ceremonies when new recruits complete initial training.

• Give a simple pat on the back or kudos. This can include shirts, caps, and jackets.

• Create trading cards with members in uniform or turnouts and specifics on each 

individual.

• Hold an annual volunteer fire department appreciation week.

• Hang a banner on the station to remind the public to thank their volunteer firefighters 

and EMS providers.

• Request that local political bodies issue proclamations to recognize volunteers.

N

A department newsletter is an excellent way not only of communicating with members 

of the department, but also of giving firefighters recognition from their peers for a job 

well done. Many departments encourage the local or community paper to publish articles 

on volunteers who have won awards or have long service records. Newsletters can be 

distributed to the public as well to enhance the emergency service image, provide timely 

messages, and encourage recruitment. A good outlet for these is public service clubs in the 

community.

T

Departments also can show appreciation for their firefighters by expressing an interest 

in their lives outside the station. Some chiefs make it a practice to send thank-you notes, 

birthday cards, and anniversary cards. With the widespread use of computers, date lists can 

be compiled easily with notifications of when to send the cards. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 97

Pictures

One especially important form of recognition is publishing pictures of volunteers in local 

newspapers or in other media. These pictures can be of fireground operations or other 

events, recognition of reaching a major service milestone (5, 10, 15, 20 years), or a group 

or team portrait. This is an image-oriented society, and pictures are valued more than 

names in print. Neighbors and friends who see your picture are likely to comment about it. 

Most firefighters (indeed, most people) enjoy that kind of recognition and like seeing their 

picture in the local paper. Digital cameras make this easy and low-cost. 

One department takes an annual group portrait, makes a calendar, and distributes the 

calendars to all the local business. It found this to be surprisingly useful for both retention 

and recruitment. People visiting the cleaners or food stores see the volunteers’ pictures. 

Some people who saw the pictures of the group (or the individual firefighter of the month) 

wanted to join with the notion that their picture would be on that wall in the future.

Press releases

Additional recognition can be given by submitting press releases to the media for years of 

service recognition or for some special achievement. Press releases should be accompanied 

by a picture. Weekly newspapers can feature a firefighter of the week. Recruiting a journalist 

to serve as the Public Relations/Public Information Officer can have a positive effect for the 

department. This individual may have skills as a photographer as well.

N

The NVFC presents two National awards each year: the NVFC Lifetime 

Achievement Award and the NVFC Fire Prevention Award. To nominate 

a volunteer, call 1-888-ASK NVFC. Also, Fire Chief Magazine presents an 

award to the Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year.

S

Some States have special awards open to volunteer firefighters. New Mexico, Texas, and 

Arizona, for example, select a “Volunteer Firefighter of the Year.” Other States offer a “Fire 

Chief of the Year” award and the “Best Team (unit) of the Year.” There is keen competition 

for these awards. The nominations themselves are considered an honor and should be 

publicized.
98 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

L

While virtually every fire department gives out its own awards, few awards actually 

come from the community being served. Recognition by one’s peers is highly sought, 

but recognition from the city or town is perceived as even more special. Firefighters not 

only do necessary duties but heroic deeds that should be recognized. To honor these 

actions, many governmental agencies offer a Medal of Valor or a Heroism Medal. In some 

communities, civic groups host a dinner honoring their firefighters. Other agencies give an 

award to the fire department with the highest number of training hours per firefighter in 

their area. In south-central Pennsylvania, a local bank hosts a dinner and makes a donation 

to the fire departments in which it has a branch bank. In King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, 

the local Rotary Club selects a Firefighter of the Year, providing a cash award and plaque; 

the local elected officials annually recognize a Firefighter of the Year with a plaque; and 

the Chamber of Commerce selects a Public Service Person of the Year that has included 

volunteer fire officers.

Aw

Fire departments across the Nation give recognition to their volunteers in the form of 

plaques, certificates, and length of service awards. Unfortunately, some award banquets have 

become meaningless because virtually everyone receives an award; and the recognition 

becomes devalued. It is important to remember that for recognition to work, it must be 

earned. Giving almost everyone in the department an award reduces the importance of all 

the awards.

The series of service awards should be graduated, so that there is motivation to stay another 

five years for the next one. People are proud of visible items of recognition they can display 

on a shelf or hang on the wall. Having a series of ever-more-impressive awards helps one 

justify staying, even though the monetary value of those awards is very small relative to the 

amount of time donated. Awards are extremely important psychologically for the volunteer.

Awards should be presented at ceremonies, with local officials and the press attending; 

these make good photo opportunities. Longer service awards, or those with special 

significance should be accompanied with more ceremony. Whenever possible, family 

members should be acknowledged in award ceremonies, and appreciation be expressed 

for their own contributions, understanding, and sacrifices in allowing the members 

to participate. This is much more than lip service; it is crucial to having a successful 

volunteer family.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 99

G

The best way to recognize new recruits who have just completed training is to hold a 

graduation ceremony to which governing officials, the media, and general public are 

invited. Fire departments use these to create the image that volunteers are a select group of 

individuals with a high level of training. Each volunteer is given a framed certificate that 

can be displayed at home.

Pats on the bacK

The least expensive, but often the most important thing that a chief and officers can do 

to show appreciation is to give an occasional pat on the back. When someone hears that 

they did a good job, especially from the chief, it can be very motivating. Encouragement 

often can have a great effect on a volunteer firefighter’s effort. Positive feedback is a 

great motivator. Let firefighters know when they have done a good job as well as when 

improvements need to be made. This will also reflect in the level of retention within 

the department.
00 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

INCENTI

I

ncentive programs are used throughout the volunteer fire service as a retention tool. 

They are necessary to help recruit and retain volunteers. Localities benefit financially 

from having experienced volunteers who are willing to stay active for years. Due to the 

demanding and risky nature of firefighting, many departments find that members consider 

leaving the service after only 5 to 10 years. Long-term (10 to 20 years) retention of 

members is important to ensure that there is a solid base of experienced members.

S

There are many ways to set up an incentive system in a fire department. The most successful 

incentive programs today are diverse and appeal to volunteers of all ages, experience, 

and ranks. Any of the incentives listed previously could be offered, but fire departments 

should not limit themselves to one type of incentive program for all volunteers because 

one program may not appeal to all members. Instead, they should offer a menu of several 

different programs from which volunteers could select to receive.

The incentive system must be equitable. In other words, each item on the menu should 

provide similar benefits so that volunteers who choose different items receive similar 

benefits. Volunteers should be allowed to choose the incentive (or combination of 

incentives) they want to receive on an annual basis.

Civic leaders are sometimes hesitant to provide financial incentives to volunteers. However, 

the benefits of retaining members by providing small financial incentives far outweigh the 

costs of excessive turnover or hiring full-time firefighters. The sampling survey performed 

for this report indicated that direct monetary incentives were the top three reasons that 

volunteers keep serving.

Some of the incentives used across the Nation to recruit and retain volunteers:

• Thank you (the department, and you individually did a good job; the community 

really appreciates the commitment, time, and work you do. As mentioned in the 

previous section, volunteers need recognition. This will go a long way in helping to 

retain membership.)

• Direct monetary incentives (pay-per-call, length of service awards programs, tax 

breaks, tuition reductions, personal health insurance, life insurance).

• Indirect monetary incentives (passes to beaches, amusement parks, resorts, golf 

courses, gyms, libraries; parking permits; food provided to those on standby duty 

at a station or at training; trips to fire-related training conferences or even personal 

pleasure; free medical examinations).

• Vehicles (take-home fire department vehicles that can be used for personal business).

• Length-of-service pins or similar recognition (denoting number of years of service).
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 101

Certain incentives are more appealing to individual volunteers--such as older volunteers--

than others. Since membership in the volunteer fire service has become more diverse, fire 

departments must strive to find the right types of recognition and incentives that appeal 

to all or a majority of the members. However, it must be remembered that these incentives 

can vary extensively for the different age groups within the department.

D

While monetary benefits are becoming a higher priority in what attracts personnel to the 

volunteer fire department, this should not be the primary purpose for joining. The time 

demands are very high, making the hourly return very low. Those who join strictly for the 

material benefits will soon become disheartened and leave. They need to be mentored and learn 

the concept that the real goal of volunteering is the desire to help others who are in need. 

The 2005 sampling of volunteer departments revealed that of the 25 factors that assisted 

retention, all but 4 had a fiscal overture. The major items included

• State or local tax credits;

• length of service awards (quasi-retirement programs);

• tuition/credit reductions;

• access to group health insurance programs;

• cash for responses;

• group rates for auto and home insurance; and

• access to group dental insurance programs.

The number of volunteer departments that provide some form of a direct monetary 

incentive is increasing. Monetary incentives are programs that pay volunteers per hour or 

per call, and for training sessions, to defray expenses, or give pensions. One example was: 

$9 for training sessions; $7 for emergency responses; reimbursement for college textbooks 

up to $500 per year; department shirt, hat, and shoes; and a $600 per month retirement 

after 20 years.

Financial awards, besides their obvious reward, have the psychological aspect of helping 

volunteers rationalize to themselves and their families that they are getting some tangible 

benefit from the extra hours. However, the concept of paying volunteers per call or a lump 

sum per year is controversial, and use of direct financial rewards varies greatly from State to 

State and region to region. Also, the fire department must assure that financial incentives do 

not violate FLSA or IRS regulations.
102 Re t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

Typ

• retirement/pension or length-of-service award programs (LOSAP);

• individual retirement accounts;

• pay per call or per hour, or though “monthly pots”; 

• annual reimbursements;

• tax exemptions and tax deductions;

• health insurance (for volunteers and their families) including dental and vision;

• tuition assistance;

• housing assistance;

• low-interest housing loans;

• in-season bonuses;

• scholarships;

• emergency funds (loans); and

• death benefits.

In many States volunteers are paid per call. In Massachusetts, the volunteers have 

traditionally been known as “call men.” Some volunteers argue that direct cash payments 

detract from the primary notion of volunteerism--namely to help their community and 

those in need for no compensation. At the same time, others argue that small stipends or 

pay per call are necessary given the demands on volunteer firefighters today. These funds 

can help pay the rising costs of being a volunteer such as paying for having clothes cleaned 

and fuel for personal vehicles. They contend that the small sums helps retain members in 

an age in which training standards and call load have increased time demands. The minimal 

sums are a much smaller price than having to hire a full-time career force.

Most seem to agree that direct monetary incentives can help with retention, but they are 

not the best method to retain members. Departments that use direct monetary incentives 

often find themselves having to deal with squabbles by members over money, demands for 

increases in payouts, or feelings of inequity among members who are paid or reimbursed 

at different rates. Members are most likely to stay in the department because they enjoy the 

service they are providing, they are recognized for their contributions to public safety, and 

because time demands are manageable and not excessive.

Examples of financial incentives that have been used to retain volunteers are discussed on 

the following page.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 0

RETIREMENT PLANS, PENSION PLANS, AND 

LENgTH OF SERVICE AWARD PROgRAMS

Among the most important, widely used, and growing incentives for volunteers are 

retirement plans. As businesses and the government reduce employee pension plans, 

volunteer department plans will appear even more attractive. They are referred to by various 

names other than pensions. In some places they are called “Length of Service Awards 

Programs” (LOSAP), in others “Awards” programs, “Relief Fund,” or pensions. 

These volunteer pension plans usually are carefully structured to avoid unnecessary 

entanglement with State and Federal tax codes. Internal Revenue Code 457 (http://www.

irs.gov/retirement/article/0,,id=111442,00.html) specifically excludes LOSAP from being 

a Deferred Compensation Plan, provided two criteria are met: it must be for bona-fide 

volunteers, and the annual contribution for any person in the plan cannot exceed $3,000. 

In a few States, there are statewide plans. The statewide plans may either be inclusive or 

exclusive. New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Georgia have exclusive statewide plans. No private 

LOSAP vendor may market their plan in those States. Other States, such as North Carolina, 

Virginia, and Texas, have statewide plans that allow for private vendors’ plans in place of the 

statewide plan.

A LOSAP can be structured as a Defined Benefit (DB) or a Defined Contribution (DC) plan. 

With a DB plan, LOSAP provides lifetime monthly income payments once a volunteer 

reaches a certain entitlement age, usually between 55 and 65. The size of the “pension” 

usually is a function of the number of years a member volunteers. Depending upon 

the funding available, pensions can range from $100 to $1,200 a month after 40 years 

of service. This certainly does not pay for the hours given by a volunteer to his or her 

community. In other cases, such as with a DC plan, LOSAP provides a lump sum award at 

entitlement age based upon years of service, amounts contributed each year, and earnings 

on those contributions. Under most systems, the municipality contributes an annual 

amount to a central fund for each qualifying volunteer. 

The major problem that many departments encounter is where the communities or 

departments obtain the money to contribute to these plans. This problem is reduced in 

States where funding is provided, such as New York State, but, in the majority of the States, 

legislative assistance is not provided. Tax-supported fire districts can budget for this expense 

with greater ease. The independent, chartered fire departments prevalent in many areas have 

difficulty raising the funds for this added program. In some cases, individuals contribute 

to the retirement program, but in most cases, the community or department pays for the 

whole program.
04 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

To maintain status in the program, most communities require a volunteer to earn a 

minimum number of points from training and responses. This point system requires each 

volunteer to answer a certain number of calls, attend meetings, training, and so forth.

The amount of money dispersed depends on the degree to which a volunteer is vested 

in the program, which is determined by years of service (e.g., 50 percent at 10 years; 

75 percent at 15 years; 100 percent at 20 years). North Carolina’s statewide retirement 

program, which is funded by the State from foreign insurance premium tax, provides $162 

per month to volunteers after 20 years of service. Volunteers in Volusia County, Florida, 

receive $200 per month after 20 years of service and at age 55. These financial incentives 

and modest pensions can be great bargains for the community relative to having to pay 

fully for fire protection.

Many departments initiate LOSAP programs to retain volunteers and reduce the cost to 

the department caused by high turnover, especially among members with over 5 years 

of experience. Personnel turnover affects departments in two major ways: they lose 

experienced members, and they must pay for the training and equipment of new members 

who replace the ones who have left.

The success of pension programs varies. Many feel LOSAP program are not very effective 

for recruiting/retaining younger members (18 to 30 age range) who are not as concerned 

about retirement, but are more effective for retaining older members. Younger members 

usually are not concerned about retirement and, therefore, not very interested in LOSAP. 

National research indicates that young or new recruits usually are more interested in a 

more tangible and direct incentive program (e.g., vehicle personal property tax exemption). 

LOSAP also may not appeal to new members because the benefits will not be realized 

for many years and the members may move after a few years or be transferred by their 

employer. To make recruitment easier, perhaps the program could move with the individual 

or he/she could pay into it personally after moving. 

A LOSAP program or variation of it is subject to State and Federal tax rules. Departments 

should seek help of accountants and attorneys in setting up a LOSAP program. For those 

who wish to research LOSAP programs, the following sites will be beneficial:

• New York: http://nysosc3.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/swr/01ps2bod.htm

• Iowa: http://www.legis.state.ia.us/GA/79GA/interim/2002/comminfo/firefight/

final.htm

• New Jersey: www.state.nj.us/dca/lgs/losap/losap.shtml

INDIVIDuAL RETIREMENT ACCOuNTS

Another way for fire departments to provide retirement benefits is direct deposits into 

members’ Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). This variation of LOSAP does not 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 05

require a department to create a special LOSAP fund. However, since the department makes 

contributions into individual’s accounts, it loses control over the allocated funds. Under 

this program, a department gives each qualifying volunteer a monetary award that would 

be transferred directly into an IRA. The amount awarded could increase for each additional 

year of service.

The NVFC maintains a listing of retirement programs by State at the site: www.nvfc.org/

benefits/state-by-state.php?Type=Retirement

PAy PER CALL OR PER HOuR

Some volunteer fire departments pay an hourly stipend for responding to calls and training. 

Stipends are paid either per call or per hour. Although it is generally not as much pay as 

working overtime or taking a second job, it does help defray the expenses of volunteering. 

Volunteer stipends vary considerably among departments and across regions. In some areas, 

volunteer firefighter incentive pay is based on levels of certification and rank. Pay may 

be tied to the number of calls, number of hours spent on calls and training, or earning a 

number of points for various activities.

Some departments hold back the money earned until just before Christmas or Mother’s 

Day, and pay in lump sums to make the modest pay seem larger, and to encourage spending 

it on the family. An extra $500 at Christmas usually has a greater psychological effect than 

$10 per week.

“MONTHLy POT”

Some departments budget a fixed amount for volunteer firefighters each year. They then 

divides the annual allotment into equal monthly pots. Each fixed monthly pot is then 

divided among the firefighters in proportion to how many hours they worked and trained 

each month. In a busy month with many calls and hours served, a $1,000 pot may be split 

so that firefighters receive $5 per hour served. If the next month is slower, the same $1,000 

pot may translate into $15 per hour. A side advantage of a fixed monthly stipend is that an 

increase in fires is not linked to an increase in pay. If prevention is successful, volunteers are 

rewarded by receiving the same pay while having to respond to fewer calls.

ANNuAL REIMBuRSEMENT

Some departments give an annual lump sum payment (generally in the range of $500 to 

$2,000) to volunteers. The money is given to offset the general expenses of responding to 

calls such as fuel, vehicle wear and tear, and damage to personal clothing. Higher amounts 

generally are given to chiefs or line officers who have additional responsibilities that cause 

them to incur more personal expenses than a line firefighter.
0 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

TAx ExEMPTIONS AND DEDuCTIONS

An increasing number of departments use personal property tax exemptions and 

deductions as an incentive for volunteer firefighters. Qualifying volunteers are exempt from 

paying personal property tax on one or more vehicles, a house, or other item of personal 

property. In Virginia, counties can choose to allow volunteers to exempt one vehicle from 

personal property taxes, which usually represents a $400 to $1,000 savings on a new car. 

A tax incentive is realized annually and is considered an excellent incentive for volunteers 

of all ages, but particularly for younger volunteers who are not as interested in LOSAP-type 

awards as their older counterparts. It may not be a great incentive to those who pay little 

personal property taxes because they have an old car or own very littler personal property.

The State of Maryland has the Maryland Tax Incentive for Active Volunteer Fire and EMS. 

This allows members with 3 years of service to take an additional blanket subtraction of 

$3,500 after all other calculations from their taxable income. State taxes are then paid on 

the remaining balance. This proves to be a very valuable incentive since it is applied on an 

annual basis.

On June 6, 2005, Oneida County, New York, Executive Joe Griffo signed into law a 

property tax credit for volunteer fire and EMS respondents in the county. The tax credit 

would amount to 10 percent of a house’s assessed value up to $3,000, multiplied by the 

latest equalization rate for that community. The exemption will reduce the county tax bill 

between $20 and $30 for an average firefighter’s home. However, this exemption could 

be approved by villages, towns, and school districts to multiply the benefit to the county’s 

roughly 2,400 volunteer firefighters who belong to 48 fire departments. The exemption 

would be granted to firefighters who have been enrolled in their departments for at least 

5 years, own their primary residence, reside in Oneida County, have no other exemptions, 

and own single family residences. Overall, the exemption is estimated to save the county’s 

volunteer firefighters about $60,000.

HEALTH INSuRANCE

A small number of departments across the country offer volunteers health insurance as an 

incentive to maintain their membership. This benefit is particularly appealing to students, 

the self-employed, or anyone who pays a substantial amount of money out of pocket 

for insurance. Some departments have provisions to pay for health insurance for family 

members if the volunteer contributes higher levels of service. A retention incentive is to pay 

one-half of the cost of insuring the family members of volunteers.

Under such a system, a department or local government purchases the health insurance 

directly from a health care provider, or adds the volunteers onto the local government’s 

policy. A department may establish a limit to which it will contribute toward the policy, and 

require that volunteers pay additional costs.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 07

TuITION ASSISTANCE

Another incentive program is to provide tuition for volunteers who want to enroll in 

college or technical school classes. In some cases volunteers must agree to be an active 

member for a specified time period such as 2 years after receiving degrees or they have to 

pay back the tuition. This has been a very popular recruitment and retention tool. Some 

departments limit the tuition assistance to only classes or degrees related to firefighting and 

emergency management. It is recommended, however, not to establish such restrictions 

to avoid excluding a volunteer enrolled in a nonfire degree program from being able to 

benefit from this incentive program.

North Carolina provides one 4-year scholarship and one 2-year scholarship per region for 

volunteers in the State. Some States provide tuition-free scholarships for volunteers to State 

schools. These types of incentives encourage volunteers to stay in the department and to 

keep up with the current standards and requirements. The end result is a more professional 

and effective organization.

Howard County, Maryland, Fire and Rescues Services has initiated a career ladder program 

to acquire firefighter/paramedics called the Paramedic Pathway Program. Students from five 

high schools work with the firefighter training academy and the Howard County Community 

College. Students are recruited in their junior year and become State-certified EMTs by the 

end of the year. They complete basic firefighting by the end of their senior year. They then 

matriculate to the Community College where they become nationally registered paramedics 

after 2 years. The department pays the costs of the training while the students are in high 

school and then guides them to financial aid and grant sources for the college-level expenses.

HOuSINg ASSISTANCE

The cost of housing has become so expensive in some areas that volunteers are not able 

to afford to live in their communities. Housing prices in affluent communities often push 

younger volunteers out of a department because they cannot afford to purchase (or even 

rent) a house. 

Many departments have begun programs to allow volunteers to live in the station for free.

• One department offers a residency program for its volunteers. Six volunteers are 

allowed to live at the station on the condition that they give 120 hours of standby time 

per month. Volunteers who participate in this program avoid having to pay rent to live 

in town.

• Another department has placed trailer homes next to several of its stations where 

members and their families can live. When the bells go off, however, these members 

are expected to run calls. This program has helped ensure that a truck will get out of 
08 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

the door quickly. It has also helped to retain members who otherwise would move 

elsewhere because they cannot afford housing in the department’s response area.

• A department serving an upscale ski resort community built two apartment units onto 

its station. Several volunteers and their families live there.

Other departments have gone as far as to purchase houses near the fire station where 

volunteers and their families live for free, hoping that volunteers will stay around at least 

until they are able to save enough money to afford a house. In exchange, the volunteers 

must be available a certain number of days or hours per week to run emergency calls.

SPECIAL LOW-INTEREST HOuSINg LOANS

In Pennsylvania, some fire companies use money obtained under the Pennsylvania 

Firemen’s Relief Association Act, which is funded by a Foreign Insurance Tax, to provide 

low-interest mortgage loans to members. Reasonable rates are provided to active members. 

Some criteria may apply such as the borrower may have to secure a bank loan and pay on it 

for one year before being eligible to secure a low-interest loan from the Relief Association 

funds. One bank offers mortgages as long as the money is available and with the following 

regulations:

• Mortgage only 80 percent of the cost.

• The firefighter must purchase a house in the community.

• The interest rate is 2 percent below prime, but not less than a set figure. 

IN-SEASON BONuS

A city or town that is high in tourism will see an increase in calls during certain seasons. 

Since volunteers like to vacation too, it is important to ensure that community emergencies 

are covered during these periods. One method is to award an in-season bonus for weekends 

above the usual pay to any officer or firefighter who agrees to respond to all calls during 

prime vacation and recreation seasons.

I

Indirect monetary incentives are financial rewards or benefits that save volunteers money 

but do not provide direct cash payouts, reimbursements, or tax reductions. These incentives 

are highly valued by volunteers, especially for those who are against incentive systems that 

provide direct payouts. Examples of indirect monetary incentives include

• local business discounts;

• gift certificates;

• health club memberships;
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 09

• scholarships;

• trips (to fire department training expos or for personal pleasure);

• free cable television;

• exemption from local utility bills;

• free food while on duty or at training;

• holding a drawing for a restaurant gift certificate for those who attend a meeting or 

drill; and

• foreign exchange programs.

LOCAL BuSINESS DISCOuNTS

In many towns, local restaurants, movie theaters, and other businesses offer discounts 

to volunteer firefighters and EMTs. In Colorado, a major incentive offered by a number 

of departments is skiing at local resorts at no cost. A volunteer may be given two passes 

good for a year of skiing, plus several nights at a local resort. Other departments provide 

discounted summer activities such as golf, or the free use of exercise equipment at local 

resorts.

In one area a local department store gives firefighters a 25-percent discount for 2 shopping 

days during Christmas. Department leaders can take the initiative to find such discounts by 

writing to stores and resorts to discuss possible volunteer incentives.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DOLLARS AND gIFT CERTIFICATES

A unique incentive program awards volunteers with “Chamber Dollars” for participation 

in fire department activities. The Chamber Dollars are gift certificates issued by the local 

Chamber of Commerce that are redeemable at local businesses. The dollars are given for 

participating in department activities, responding to a certain percentage of calls, and 

attending training. The dollars also are used as an incentive to attend meetings.

The department holds a drawing for Chamber Dollars at every meeting (members must 

be present to win), and also picks a firefighter of the month to receive dollars. In addition, 

every volunteer is given dollars quarterly, based on the amount of participation in activities. 

A typical volunteer receives about $200 to $300 Chamber Dollars per year.

Unfortunately, this program is not a “freebie” for the department. It buys approximately 

$5,000 worth of Chamber Dollars from the Chamber of Commerce each year. The 

department has found, however, that giving out Chamber Dollars is a better incentive than 

giving out cash. It is also a method of giving the volunteers monetary rewards without 

having to worry about IRS withholdings. Even if your town’s local Chamber of Commerce 

does not sell these types of gift certificates, your department could purchase gift certificates 

from local businesses.
0 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

HEALTH CLuB MEMBERSHIPS

A department can buy memberships from a local health club for its members. This can 

serve as a recruitment and retention incentive, especially with younger people, and also 

encourages the members to stay in shape in a time when heart attacks are a major killer of 

firefighters.

OTHER INDIRECT MONETARy INCENTIVES

Some other ideas for indirect monetary incentives are the following:

• All-expense-paid trips to State fire conferences, fire expos, or seminars. Rent tour 

buses to take volunteers to conferences across the State or region. 

• Free cable television at home.

• Exemption from local utility bills. Exempt volunteers from having to pay their 

monthly water or other municipal utility bills.

• Free food and meals while on duty or at training. Many departments provide free 

food to their volunteer working on duty shifts. The cost of this incentive program is 

small compared to the benefits it has toward retaining volunteers. 

• Gift certificates for attendance at meetings or training. Some departments hold 

drawings at meetings for a gift certificate from a local restaurant or fire equipment 

catalog. Only members in attendance are eligible to win.

• Monthly performance award. This system awards a gift certificate to a member who 

earns the most points in a month (see section on qualifying for benefits and incentives 

for information on point systems).

• Foreign exchange. Establishing relations with one or more sister departments in 

other nations can be highly enjoyable and enlightening. Members who visit their 

sister department can often stay and eat for free at the fire station. As an incentive, 

the department may give away one or two foreign exchange trips a year. However, 

departments need to be careful about possible negative publicity from foreign travel, 

especially if public funds are used. This or any incentive program should be portrayed 

as a small reward in light of the bargain provided by volunteers. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

U

Many departments tie the distribution of uniform items either to length of service or 

to training/certification levels, or both. New members may receive department T-shirts 

upon completion of recruit class, then have to wait 1 year until they receive jackets. Upon 

meeting certain requirements to becoming a Firefighter II, the volunteer might receive a 

dress uniform.

Some departments give their members something different with the department logo on 

it each year: a wallet, T-shirt, jacket, hat, thermos bottle, etc. Department paraphernalia 

provides members with a proud identity. The department logo represents a team or unit in 

which they are an integral part. 

O

There are many incentives that have little or no cost, but can be highly motivational 

nonetheless. These go a long way because they acknowledge dedication and hard work 

while allowing all members an equal opportunity to achieve them.

• Select a member of the year or month, for both operational and administrative 

positions.

• Ask local merchants for discounts or gift certificates for volunteers at local businesses.

• Recognize volunteers who complete training courses with certificates, plaques, or by 

featuring them in the local newspaper.

• Award outstanding volunteers with subscriptions to fire or EMS magazines.

• Cover the reasonable expenses associated with sending a volunteer to a special out-oftown training class.

• Award outstanding members with all-expense paid trips to State Firefighter Association 

meetings or training conferences.

• Award a top responder with a family get-away trip to a local hotel or resort.

• Occasionally excuse members who have given certain numbers of years of service from 

work details or mandatory duty nights.

• Excuse the “member of the month” from housework.

• Exempt volunteers from local utility bills (water, trash, etc.).

• Issue officers fire department vehicles that they can take home.

• Give the top responder of the department a reserved parking spot.

• Give flowers to spouses on special occasions.

• Permit members to use the station washer and dryer for personal use.

• Provide an area and tools for car maintenance at the station.
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

• Provide free videos, cable television, and movie channels at the station.

• Create departmental trading cards with pictures of the volunteers (good for the kids).

• Provide physical fitness facilities at the station.

• Provide free meals to members on duty or at training.

• Give volunteers passes to local sporting events. (Local sporting teams often will donate 

to the department to give away.)

TABLE  . Sample Award Tiers 

Incentive Program Basic-Level Award Mid-Level Award High-Level Award

Qualifying members are eligible to pick to receive the benefits from one of the incentive programs listed below 

each year.

LOSAP

(departmental group 

plan) 

Awarded at age 60:

10 years service: $150/month

15 years of service: $200/month

20 years of service: $250/month

$5 extra per month to 

each basic level award for 

each year that mid-level 

criteria was met

$10 extra per month 

to each basic level 

award for each year 

that high-level criteria 

was met

LOSAP variation 

(IRA or 401K for each 

volunteer)

$1,500 contributed 

by town per year

$2,000 contributed 

by town per year

$2,500 contributed 

by town per year

Personal property tax 

exemption

Tax credit of $1,500 per year 

toward local taxes 

(e.g., personal property including 

cars, house, etc.)

Tax credit of $2,000 per 

year

Tax credit of $2,500 

per year

Health Insurance 

(allowing volunteers to 

join town policy)

Contribute $1,500 per year 

toward health insurance 

(additional contributed by 

volunteer)

Contribute up to $2,000 

per year (other family 

members can fall under 

this insurance if the 

costs for the individual 

volunteer’s insurance do 

not reach $2,000)

Contribute up 

to $2,500 per 

year (other family 

members can fall 

under this insurance 

if the costs for the 

individual volunteer’s 

insurance do not 

reach $2,500)

Tuition Assistance Contribute $1,500 per year 

toward tuition assistance

Contribute $2,000 

per year toward tuition 

assistance

Contribute $2,500 

per year toward 

tuition assistance

Housing Assistance 

(town provides direct 

monetary assistance 

toward renting or 

purchasing housing)

Contribute $1,500 per year 

toward housing assistance

Contribute $2,000 per 

year toward housing 

assistance

Contribute $2,500 

per year toward 

housing assistance

Housing Assistance

(town buys group house 

for volunteers to live in)

Volunteer gets room in house rentfree for 6 months in a 

1-year period

Volunteer gets room in 

house rent-free for 9 

months in a 

1-year period

Volunteer gets room 

in house rent-free for 

12 months in a 

1-year period
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

Eq

As previously stated, the incentive system must be equitable so that a volunteer who 

chooses one program receives similar benefits as a volunteer who chooses a separate one. 

Volunteers who meet the basic qualification level should receive similar basic rewards. 

Volunteers who exceed the basic level should qualify for higher rewards. There are various 

ways this can be arranged; an example is shown in Table 3.

QualifYing for benefits and incentiVes

Fire departments must establish a base level of performance that a volunteer must meet to 

qualify for a particular level of awards. Many departments measure this by creating a point 

system for participating in activities. Volunteers accrue points by running calls, attending 

training, attending meetings, and providing administrative or support service. Members 

who attain a sufficient number of points in a year qualify for either a basic, mid-, or highlevel award. They then are eligible to receive the incentive benefits they choose.

The awards should be given only to members who meet all of the departmental 

requirements, in addition to meeting point requirements. In other words, members should 

be required to maintain a certain level of training, attend a certain number of meetings, 

perform a certain amount of administrative work, or a certain amount of prevention 

duties to remain qualified for incentives. The incentive system can be structured so that 

all members are eligible to receive benefits (active firefighters and EMTs, administrative 

members, public educators), or that only certain members receive them (firefighters, or 

only those participating on duty crews).

A sample system for accruing points is shown in Table 4. The system allows members, both 

operational and administrative, to earn points through a wide range of activities. Certain 

categories have restrictions about the number of points that can be earned. Others have 

no maximums so that volunteers are encouraged to spend more time in these activities. 

It is recommended that the points for the Public Education and Administrative Duties 

categories be increased to encourage participation. Volunteers who earn points above the 

minimum requirements for a basic-level award can qualify for higher-level awards see Table 

5. A department may require volunteers to earn a certain minimum number of points in an 

area to qualify for any award (e.g., a volunteer must accrue at least 4 points in meetings, 8 

points in training, 1 point in public education). 
4 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

TABLE 4 . Sample Point System

Activity Point Accrual* 

Minimum Yearly Points

that Must be Earned in 

this Category

Maximum Yearly 

Points in this

Category

In-station standby time 5 points per 4 hours (minimum 

4 hours required to earn points) 

15 (does not apply to 

admin. members) 

None

Sleep-ins at station 1.5 points (minimum 10 hours 

sleep-in period)

None None

Training Station drills 1 point

Classes 5-10 hours 2 points 

Classes 11-20 hours 3 points 

Classes 21-30 hours 4 points 

Classes 31-40 hours 5 points 

Classes 41-50 hours 6 points 

Classes over 50 hours 10 points

8 (does not apply to admin. 

members)

25 points

Meetings .5 points per official 

departmental meeting 

4 10 points

Public Education .25 points per hour of public 1 20 points (no 

maximum for 

members who only 

participate as 

administrative public 

education)

Administrative Duties .25 points per hour of 

administrative duties

2 15 points (no 

maximum for 

members who 

only participate 

as administrative 

members)

Elected position 20 points for completing a 

1‐year elected term as an officer 

or board member

None 20 points

Emergency responses

(from home, not while 

performing in-station 

standby time) 

.25 points per response

2 points per actual working fire

5 (does not apply to admin. 

members)

None

* Points can be earned in only one category at any given time (i.e., a member cannot earn points for standby and attending a meeting at the same time.)

TABLE 5 . Sample Award Requirements

Basic-Level Award 50 points per year

Mid-Level Award 75 points per year

High-Level Award 100 points per year
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

THE

The character of the volunteer fire service has progressed from being a social club that provides service to being a service organization that meets professional standards 

and holds occasional social activities. Nevertheless, the social side of volunteering is one 

of its attractions. The social or fun aspect is especially significant in rural areas where fire 

departments are often community social centers. Fire departments are able to provide a 

focal point as well as service.

One of the keys to retaining volunteers is to make sure they enjoy their service amidst all 

of the time demands placed on them by training, responses, and other duties. Department 

management can incorporate entertaining diversions in almost everything they do from 

training to pizza nights. 

S

Many departments feel the fun side of volunteering is important enough to appoint a social 

director or social committees to organize recreational activities. One department titles the 

position the “fun coordinator.”

Parties

Parties and other social events are important activities to maintain positive morale in 

volunteer organizations. Many departments hold annual formal parties or banquets to 

recognize members, and as fun occasions. It is important to hold regular or semi-annual 

parties that members and their families can enjoy. “If volunteering is only about running 

calls, attending training, and going to meetings, you’ll find that your members will burn 

out. You need to make sure there are other fun activities which volunteers can attend with 

their families. This is one way to involve the whole family.” 

Fire departments should budget for the social events. One department created a special 

“fun fund.” Small expenses by the department for fun activities are usually justifiable for 

recruitment and retention purposes.

PreVention actiVities

Some departments use fire prevention and public fire and safety education activities as 

a method of making the volunteer experience more fun. Departments that have trouble 

retaining members because of low call volumes or inactivity may find this to be a good 

retention technique.
 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

These activities also can be a way of incorporating a spouse of a firefighter into the 

department. Oftentimes, spouses do not want to run calls but are willing to participate in 

prevention/education activities. One department developed a regular fire education puppet 

show for schools and at community events. It produced a videotape of the show and has 

distributed over 5,000 copies to other departments. The show became so popular that it 

literally hit the road. Department members travel around the State on a fire prevention bus 

with puppets painted on the side of it. It has built pride and helped morale and retention.

M

As noted earlier, training is key to retention. If volunteers view training as boring or a 

menace, it will hurt retention; however, if it is fun and challenging, it helps retention. 

Training can be made into an enjoyable activity by going beyond the traditional 

classroom books and videos. There appear to be two major factors in volunteer training 

that influence retention. First, the training must include member involvement. The more 

action-orientated, hands-on, the better. This is best exemplified by Nassau County, New 

York, where there is not a major recruitment problem, but also a fine training academy 

that emphasizes live fire training in a series of buildings and situations. Second, the 

training must be frequent and scheduled in advance. The fewer calls a department has, the 

more vital training becomes to avoid skill degradation and to maintain safety awareness. 

Departments that have multiple interesting, involvement-oriented training opportunities 

per month get good attendance (and trained firefighters). There are several ways to do this 

(refer to Training Requirements section for more information):

• use training scenarios; 

• send members on out-of-town training trips;

• diversify training topics;

• hold training competitions.

O

Fire departments can undertake many other activities to ensure their firefighters have fun. 

Some of these also help the community:

• Provide recreational and exercise equipment at the firehouse. Often recreational 

equipment is donated or loaned by manufacturers and local stores. One department had 

a boat and jet skis on loan for water-rescue training and recreation.

• Display videotapes or slide shows of members at annual events.

• Host fundraising events (barbecues).
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

• Host food stands at the local or State fair.

• Build a house and sell it (this is an unusual but fun fundraising event--one department 

made $40,000).

• Hold a community haunted house at Halloween (charge admission to raise funds).

• Hold a day with Santa at the firehouse.

• “Dunk the Chief” at the annual picnic or fair.

• Host “Chicken Drop” and “Cow Pie” bingo.

• Hold “Toys for Tots” drives.

• Host community or departmental picnics.

• Hold holiday parties.

• Host an annual picnic.

• Hold a spouse’s supper.

• Host a firefighters’ breakfast prepared by the officers.

• Take group trips to the theater or sporting events.

• Host departmental sports events and their variations, 

such as donkey softball or softball in protective 

clothing.

• Rent a skating rink for an evening.

• Invite lecturers to speak on health concerns, dietary 

programs, or family interest topics. 

• Run a simulated “smoke house” to educate the public 

on fire safety and prevention.

• Host fire apparatus musters.

• Hold a department function someplace out of the ordinary.

• Instead of always having the department’s Christmas dinner at the firehouse, move it to 

a site outside the entire protection area where everyone could relax without worrying 

about the alarm sounding. To maintain fire protection in the home district while away, 

ask volunteers from neighboring stations to fill in, and then reciprocate.

(Note that some fun activities should be restricted to members and their families, so that there is some exclusivity about who can earn the right to join.)
8 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

I

Due to a significant decline in working fires across the Nation, some departments are 

diversifying their services not only to provide better services to the community, but also 

to prevent complacency in the ranks. When departments run only a dozen calls each year 

there is a strong probably that members will get bored or the inherent feeling they are 

not really needed. This is where the frequent, localized, skill-oriented training becomes 

important.

Some departments have added services such as EMS, technical rescue (confined space, 

trench, high angle, swift water), hazardous materials, and emergency management services 

to engage volunteer members. Expanded services increase the number of calls and add 

to the range of training possibilities. This gives the volunteers a chance to learn new 

skills while adding to the proficiency of the department. Success of the department can 

be attributed to the wide range of challenging skills it offers in training and special unit 

assignments. Expanding services also may be valuable to “slow departments” that run a 

very small volume of calls each year.

Providing outside aid also is considered somewhat of a diversification. Establishing a 

mutual-aid agreement, response when requested, with other departments can create an 

opportunity for the firefighters to respond to more calls. However, a more effective system 

to generate more calls and improve the level of community fire protection is to establish 

automatic aid. In this way the nearest two or three fire departments automatically respond 

to reported structural fires. With current radio networks, it is easy to stop unneeded units 

and return them to their stations. If there is a working fire, immediate additional personnel 

and equipment are available.

What to aVoid

A common social activity associated with volunteer fire departments in the past was 

drinking alcohol. This activity can damage the image of the department as well as offend 

potential volunteers. Even the suspicion that a member is impaired on the emergency scene 

can lead to accusations, bad publicity, and even possibly lawsuits. As the volunteer fire 

service becomes more diversified, it becomes even more important not to drive out people 

because of problems encountered during fun occasions when members tend to loosen up, 

possibly make insensitive remarks, or do foolish things. Departments also must discourage 

alcohol, and forbid drug use that can lead to accidents and jeopardize firefighter safety. The 

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) has recently adopted a Zero-Tolerance Policy 

on alcohol, which- follows.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9
0 r e t e n t i o n : Challenges & Solutions

Sample statements for inclusion in departmental policies for alcohol and drugs follow.

ALCOHOL POLICy

Alcohol consumption is not permitted in or on fire station property except for a specified 

social function.

It is expected that members will be responsible for their safety and the safety of others 

when it comes to drinking. Any member that has been drinking within 8 hours must not 

respond to the station for any call. If a firefighter feels that another firefighter, including 

line officers, is under the influence of alcohol and may impose a safety threat, it should 

be brought to the attention of a line officer or senior member. Remember, the department 

is serving the community and each firefighter’s actions are under scrutiny from the 

community.

DRug POLICy

All personnel are absolutely prohibited from unlawfully manufacturing, distributing, 

possessing or using controlled or illegal substances. It is a condition of membership to 

refrain from taking illegal drugs on or off the job.

All persons making application for a position will be tested once accepted for membership. 

A refusal to submit or a positive confirmed test result will be used as a basis to reject the 

applicant for membership. A member may be required to submit for testing when there is a 

reasonable suspicion that a member is using or has used drugs in violation of this policy. 

There is a suspicion if there is an articulated belief that the member possess or uses drugs 

or alcohol at the workplace; is observed intoxicated or impaired by drugs or alcohol, 

has been reported by a reliable and credible source as using drugs; has tampered with a 

drug test; has caused or contributed to or been involved in an accident while at work, or 

is engaged in abnormal conduct or erratic behavior while at work, or shows significant 

deterioration in work performance. The reason to suspect will be based on specific and 

particular facts and the reasonable inferences drawn from the facts in light of experience. 

There is evidence if a member/employee has used, possessed, sold, solicited, or transferred 

drugs while working. 

The use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, especially those that are labeled 

that driving or machinery operation is affected, can also influence incident scene 

performance. Personnel using these legal drugs should not respond if performance is 

impaired in any way. 

I

• Citizen Corps

• Needs Assessment

• Qualities and Skills to Look for in 

Volunteers

• Who Should do the Recruiting?

• Where to Look

• Recruiting Messages

• Use of Various Media

• Informational Sessions

• Screening Recruits

• Followthrough

• Barriers to Recruiting

• Recruiting Special Groups

• The Annual Recruitment Plan
RECRUITMENT: 

Challenges & Solutions
4 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

C

Citizen Corps is a component of USA Freedom Corps for individuals to volunteer to help their communities prepare for and respond to emergencies. The Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a program called Community Emergency 

Response Team (CERT) to provide training in basic response techniques. Information on 

this program is available at www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/cert

The goal of these groups is to be a well-trained and organized group of volunteers to 

perform on an ongoing basis to free up firefighters so that they could focus more on 

the immediate emergency response needs and less on the routine or 

administrative aspects. This may become a great assistance to volunteer fire 

departments; however, it also might bleed off potential members. 

A partner program to this is the Fire Corps, a consortium of the NVFC, 

IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section, the International 

Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the White House’s USA 

Freedom Corps Office. See Appendix D for a complete description. 

The goal of this program is to support and supplement resourceconstrained fire departments by the use of civilian advocates for 

nonoperational activities. For further information visit the Web site at 

www.firecorps.org

Recruitment is the lifeblood of a volunteer fire department. Most 

departments need to recruit year round. Although some departments 

do not have trouble finding members, more and more have to 

expend greater effort than in years past to recruit, and to find the 

right type of volunteer. Some areas pose particular problems, such as university or 

resort towns, which have a high turnover population, and places with large retirement 

populations, which have small pools of able bodies. Even in small-town America, the social 

environment is changing, and fewer people are willing or able to volunteer. In all areas, 

people claim that they are busier than ever and have fewer ties to their community. Thus, 

recruiting needs to be directed at the needs of the department and directed to a variety of 

age groups and talents.

Fire departments can overcome these obstacles by looking for the right people in the right 

places. The traditional way to ensure a steady flow of good recruits was to satisfy existing 

members and have them recruit by word of mouth. Many departments still prefer that their 

members search for new members by talking to family and friends, rather than using a 

formal and comprehensive recruitment system. This still works in some places, but most 

departments today cannot rely on personal contacts or people just stopping by the station 

to volunteer. They need to make the public aware of the need for volunteers by projecting 

that message through their firefighters and the media. Fortunately, the recruitment process 

can be improved easily by taking a few steps and considering a few issues.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

STEPS OF A RECRuITMENT PROgRAM

1. Conduct a needs assessment to determine what types of volunteers are needed.

2. Select criteria for whom to recruit and examine qualities and skills to look for in 

recruits.

3. Determine who should do the recruiting and where to look.

4. Advertise the need for volunteers.

5. Hold prospective volunteer informational sessions.

6. Screen prospective volunteers:

• Examine motivations of prospective members.

• Interview and test new recruits as appropriate.

• Have new recruits sign a commitment agreement.

7. Follow through with prospective members.

NEEDS

Before a department begins its recruitment process, it should take an internal inventory of what kind of people it needs not only to fill the traditional firefighting role, 

but also the variety of services that volunteer departments offer today. These include 

emergency medical services, hazardous materials incident mitigation, urban search and 

rescue, technical rescue, fire prevention inspections and public fire education, and all 

administrative and support functions. Look at dual recruiting to acquire skilled people for 

the administration, financial, fundraising, personnel side of the department and those for 

the active emergency response duties.

Few volunteer departments need a formal survey to determine their recruiting goals. Chiefs 

of small departments often can keep track of personnel needs in their heads. However, as 

recruiting becomes more difficult and firefighter standards more strict, departments should 

consider a more formal way of assessing their personnel needs.

It is critical that a department begins with a needs assessment: What are the needs of the 

department? Include these areas:

•the levels and types of services offered by the department (current and future);

• how the community is developing and where it is headed;

•the financial support available;

• what the community wants and expects from the department; and

• how many new members are needed, what types of members are needed (e.g., daytime 

responders, mechanics, EMTs, public educators, people in certain geographic areas).
 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

A department can hold an officers’ meeting each year to assess the need for equipment 

and staffing for the coming year. Since member response can be call-dependent, some 

departments estimated that they need at least five volunteers to staff each vehicle position. 

Staffing also should be based on NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire 

Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Volunteer Fire 

Departments, and ISO recommendations.

A complete needs assessment should go beyond the number and type of members needed. 

It must focus on identifying gaps in staffing by time of day, day of week, and geographic 

area served. An inventory of the types of nonemergency personnel desired should be kept 

as well as the types of operations personnel. Departments also should examine what age 

categories it wants to recruit. For example, one department determined that it would 

target its recruitment efforts at persons over 25 years of age because it had problems 

with younger members quitting after serving a year or so in the department. Another 

department went the other way switching its recruiting focus from 25-year-olds back to 18 

to 22-year-olds.

In addition, more and more fire departments are finding that their communities want 

departmental membership to reflect the diversity of the area. Therefore, recruitment efforts 

also might be targeted towards minorities or females.

Qualities and sKills to looK for 

in Volunteers

Although the need for volunteers is increasing, departments need not necessarily accept every prospective recruit who walks through the door. A recruiter should look for 

certain character traits to obtain the most useful personnel for the department and the 

community. The ability to work well with people, intelligence, and an understanding of the 

firefighter’s job are among the key qualities sought.

Most fire departments carefully screen the people who apply to their department. Some 

go so far as to require background checks that include reviews of driving and criminal 

records, and references.

C

Some of the character qualities to look for in prospective recruits are listed below.

• Leadership experience. This is highly desirable and often indicates whether the 

individual has officer potential. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

• Maturity. Can this person take constructive criticism? Will he or she be able to accept 

discipline and commands?

• Commitment. A recruiter should inquire about other organizations the person has 

belonged to, and how long he or she stayed with them. This gives some idea of 

the likely level of commitment and tenure. People who tend to leave organizations 

after serving a short time should be questioned about the likelihood of a long-term 

commitment to the fire service. Turnover is expensive.

• Team player. This is important because firefighting involves teamwork.

• Conscientiousness. A dedicated, conscientious recruit will be thorough in both 

operational and administrative duties.

• Interpersonal skills. Can this person relate well to others? Is he or she a good 

communicator?

• Moral character. Can this person be trusted in the community’s homes and businesses, 

and around the station?

• Problem-solving nature. People who can solve problems will help work out solutions 

and not just complain when a problem arises.

• Initiative. This may be a key indicator of how involved and how much of a leader a 

recruit will be.

E

Fire departments should seek highly educated members to assist with operations and 

management duties. Over the past two decades, the demand for recruits with advanced 

education has increased for the following reasons. First, fire departments are expected 

to offer a higher level of service, particularly in EMS, that requires personnel to take 

demanding courses, often accompanied by tough certification and recertification exams. 

Second, the job of managing a volunteer department has grown more difficult over the 

years. Managing a volunteer fire department is similar to running a business. It requires 

skill in budgeting, planning, management of capital assets, risk management, knowledge of 

tax laws, and familiarity with standards and legal requirements, just to name a few.

Many volunteer departments have begun to recruit attorneys, accountants, and collegeeducated individuals to help with management. In some cases, these individuals serve 

in administrative capacities only. This does not mean that all recruits must have a college 

or even a high school education. There are many capable firefighters and EMTs who have 

excellent practical skills and can pass certification exams even though they may not have 

graduated from high school. However, a volunteer fire department still should recruit 

people with advanced education to be the future leaders and to assist with the many tasks 

required to manage the organization successfully.
8 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

D

Many volunteer departments lack adequate staffing during daytime hours. As a result, they 

are always on the lookout for recruits that could alleviate this burden. Individuals that are 

self-employed are considered especially valuable. They often have flexible hours and can 

respond during the daytime. Some departments try to get their self-employed members 

quickly qualified as drivers so they can count on having a driver during the day.

People who have night jobs are another group that is usually available to respond to calls 

during the daytime. A third group is those able to leave work during the day. This number is 

constantly getting smaller. Often it is the smaller, local and/or family-owned business that 

will allow employees to leave. Another source is to use employees of local government like 

the public works department. 

G

When there is a choice, departments prefer candidates that live or work in close proximity 

to the station or response area. This helps maintain short response times and a closely-knit 

social group tied to the community. One department places a high priority on recruiting 

members who work within two blocks of the station.

Many fire departments establish residency requirements in their bylaws which mandate that 

volunteers must live within the fire district or first-due area, though this may be a problem 

in areas where housing is expensive, as was previously discussed. Fire departments should 

eliminate residency requirements. Outsiders make excellent volunteers and should not be 

excluded from membership, as they may work in the district and be available for daytime 

calls. They might not be able to respond from home to calls, but to fulfill their obligation 

they can spend free time at the station or work duty nights.

Young firefighters

Young firefighters are needed to keep feeding “new blood” into the department and to 

undertake many of the physically demanding jobs on a fire scene. Young people can add 

enthusiasm and motivation to a department that is comprised mostly of older members. 

Younger members are often in school or just starting a career, and do not have families. 

That gives them more time to devote to the department.

The drawback is that young people are more likely to move on or find other interests. 

They also may lack maturity and require special direction and oversight. Some departments 

consciously avoid young people for these reasons, but most departments put a premium on 

finding young members. Many departments attempt to recruit young people in high school 

or just after they graduate in order to catch their interest before they become intent on 

something else. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

To identify and train recruits under the age of 18, many departments start a cadet program, 

a junior firefighter program, or a Fire Explorer Post. These programs usually emphasize 

learning, safety, and staying in school. 

Note: Each State has rules that govern child labor practices and set age limits. These must be reviewed before 

implementing a junior program. For additional information on State labor laws, visit www.osha.gov.

C

The NVFC, working in conjunction with the Boy Scouts of America, can provide fire 

departments with information and tips about starting a Cadet Explorer program. Call 1-

888-ASK-NVFC (275-6832) or visit www.nvfc.org for more information.

Fire departments in New Jersey are targeting recruitment efforts at high schoolers across 

the State. When New Jersey started a new statewide recruitment campaign, it created a 

recruitment video written for high school students. The free video was distributed to every 

public and private high school across the State and is shown as part of the high school 

civics class curriculum. Other States have adopted this campaign and video. For more 

information, see the 1-880-FIRE LINE section of this report. Fire departments in some 

areas have developed high school technical classes in EMS and firefighting to enhance 

recruitment.

PreVious Public safetY eXPerience

Perhaps the most valuable skill to look for in a recruit is previous service as a volunteer 

or career firefighter. The mobile nature of today’s society means that volunteer firefighters 

frequently move from one area to another. Career firefighters often move to suburbs 

to get better housing at a lower cost. Both of these groups are desirable candidates for 

volunteering and should be targeted for recruitment.

Sheriffs, highway patrol, local police, reserve police, and paramedics are other public safety 

personnel favored by some departments. The involvement in public safety gives them added 

skills. Law enforcement members can act as a liaison with police and sheriff organizations. 

Paramedics may be able to teach EMT or First Responder classes. A paramedic recruit could 

be a leader in adding new ALS services.

One caveat about experienced firefighters: some may enjoy telling their new, small 

volunteer department how little it knows. An experienced firefighter from a larger city 

may fail to recognize that a smaller fire department runs differently and must rely on 

the cohesiveness of the group. Recruits with this background need to be screened and 
0 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

counseled for a smoother transition. If they cannot blend in gracefully, a department may 

be better off without them.

Sp

Departments should actively seek recruits with special talents to increase the range of 

services and skills they offer. Some examples:

• Physicians and Nurses. Some departments designate physicians as the “Medical 

Director” or “Department Surgeon,” and give them a red light or department vehicle. 

They are easily trained to the Paramedic level. Some States, such as Virginia, allow 

doctors and nurses to directly challenge EMT tests without taking the full class. Doctors, 

physician assistants, and nurse practitioners can be recruited to give physicals to 

members.

• Lawyers and Accountants. Some volunteer departments recruit lawyers or accountants 

to volunteer. Since most volunteer fire departments are corporations, these individuals 

can provide necessary and free guidance to the Board of Directors or Trustees. 

Accountants can help departments file annual tax returns and perform annual audits. 

Lawyers are usually willing to consult with their fellow department members about 

issues of liability and possibly even more personal matters, for example, wills, trusts, 

and other legal issues.

• Teachers not only bring a myriad of skill sets to enhance knowledge and skills, but 

also have extended periods of time off from the classroom.

• Fire protection engineers, sprinkler and fire alarm system contractors, and 

inspectors are keenly aware of fire protection and safety issues. 

• Restaurant cooks are considered desirable because a good chef can raise morale, and 

often knows where to buy food in bulk at a discount for department fundraisers, such 

as breakfasts and barbecues.

• Truck drivers are familiar with driving large apparatus, can help train others, and 

improve the safety of department drivers.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

• Construction workers can teach members about building construction and may be 

familiar with building codes.

• Trades workers such as electricians, plumbers, and heating, ventilation, and air 

conditioning (HVAC) specialists all can bring experience that is valuable on the incident 

scene and at station. 

• Scuba divers and boat operators are great for fire districts that contain water areas. 

They can spearhead the development of water rescue teams.

• Salespersons, reporters, and marketing professionals can serve as a PIO, grant writer, 

or oversee recruiting outreach, fund drives, etc.

Who should do the recruiting?

A lthough most departments try to involve all of their members in the recruitment  process, not all volunteers believe this is a good idea. Some members do not want the 

job of recruiting new volunteers because of the great responsibility and demand placed on 

volunteers today. This perception reinforces their belief that the department should rely on 

people who walk in, or that the chief should be the main person to recruit.

Most departments, however, find that they must include all members in the recruitment 

process. The philosophy is that everyone has a responsibility to help sustain the 

organization by bringing in new blood. Face-to-face recruiting by members can produce 

many new members, but advertising, mass mailings, and other methods are also important. 

Since the majority of new members generally come from direct referrals of existing 

members, fire departments that do not include the general membership in recruiting will 

struggle more with having enough bodies than those departments that make recruitment 

everyone’s job.

M

To get every member of a department to take part in recruiting, each volunteer must 

be aware of who is in charge of the process and what the recruiting procedures are. In 

addition, the members must know how to answer routine questions that a prospective 

recruit might ask.

If a department wants to involve all of its members, there are some very simple things 

that can enhance their capability. Each member should be given department business cards 

or a departmental recruiting flyer to hand out among friends, family, and prospective 

volunteers. If this is not economically feasible, members should conscientiously write 
 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

down the name, address, and phone number of people who express an interest and turn 

them over to the recruitment committee or coordinator. Members also should be given 

a recruitment handbook that contains flyers that provide an overview of the department, 

photos, membership opportunities, benefits, roles of volunteers, and requirements.

Some departments have adopted the “each one, reach one” policy, which requires each 

member to recruit at least one person in a year. Other departments require each member 

to bring at least one new person a year to a departmental recruitment informational 

session (discussed later), even if the person ultimately decides not to join. As an incentive 

to recruit, the member who recruits the most new members is given an award by the 

department (a dinner, weekend getaway trip). Both of these scenarios, however, could drive 

active members away, so be cautious when implementing recruiting programs that place 

the onus on the members.

R

Many departments select a few members to run the recruitment process, often called 

the recruitment or membership committee. These individuals can be nominated by the 

department, or volunteer to do the job themselves. Their job should be to screen new 

members who are referred by the general departmental membership and coordinate 

recruitment efforts all year long. It would be beneficial to recruit a personnel or human 

resources individual to assist this committee. 

R

Some departments nominate a recruiting coordinator to spearhead the process. Other 

departments believe that it is the chief’s job to recruit and set the tone for the department, 

and not rely on others to recruit. Most departments prefer formally appointing an 

individual to serve as the department’s focal point for recruiting. The coordinator can 

orchestrate recruitment by all members, conduct a membership needs assessment, 

formulate recruitment messages and materials, do some of the recruiting directly, and 

arrange for others to help, and interview prospective members, and answer their questions. 

In one department, the recruitment coordinator telephones people new to the area; this 

department’s waiting list recently approached 24 interested people.

The recruitment coordinator and public information officer should work together to 

contact the local media to run stories or recruitment public service announcements (PSAs). 

This job also can be undertaken by a non-firefighting public relations person assisted by a 

firefighter, or by a member who is no longer active, but has good public relations skills.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

C

When there are multiple volunteer departments within a county, recruiting may be done 

in a centralized or decentralized manner. Some counties recruit for all of their volunteer 

departments together, while in other countries each department is responsible for its own 

recruitment process. Many communities are moving toward county-level recruiting to 

increase efficiency, and to reduce discrimination or bias in the recruitment process.

Where to looK

Some departments are fortunate to have a sufficient amount of walk-ins and direct 

referral from members to fill their needs. Many departments, however, need to be 

more aggressive in their recruiting efforts. Below are places recommended to seek out new 

members. 

Places to Look for Volunteers:

• personal acquaintances of existing members;

• door-to-door;

• dedicated recruitment telephone line;

• newcomers to town;

• schools (high schools, colleges, technical schools);

• retirement homes;

• civic organizations and churches;

• county fairs;

• resort populations;

• local businesses;

• events around town;

• utility companies and county workplaces;

• military bases;

• other emergency service organizations;

• local stores; government offices, agencies, or departments; restaurants; and gyms; and

• publicly staged training events.
4 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Personal contacts

As noted previously, the most common source of new recruits is referrals by current 

members or family members. Many departments rely on their members to recruit. They 

prefer people whom their volunteers know, and often require candidates to get one or two 

members to sign their application as cosponsors.

Virtually any place that volunteers go can be a good place for recruiting--parties, meetings, 

clubs. As suggested earlier, give members something tangible that they can give out to 

interested friends and contacts--a pamphlet or brochure, business cards, or applications. A 

department in North Dakota personally contacts particular individuals in the community 

who are thought to be good candidates and gives them applications. This is highly flattering 

to the individuals contacted and has been very successful.

D

Some departments go door-to-door to recruit. This can be done in combination with home 

fire safety inspections or fundraising. Firefighters in one area offer residents safety checks 

on weekends, and in another they offer free smoke detector checks. As the firefighters go 

door to door, they also recruit.

D

Some departments use a dedicated telephone number with an answering machine that 

interested potential volunteers can call to get information or to leave their names and 

telephone numbers for a callback. That number can be listed on all recruiting literature, 

in ads, and on flyers. Recruiting from messages left on the machine is highly efficient. The 

national 1-800-FIRE-LINE recruitment campaign, discussed later in this report, used this 

approach to get information about prospective members. The Virginia Office of EMS also 

has a statewide recruitment line, 1-888-EMT-HERO.

N

Volunteer departments should make a special effort to reach new people in town to explain 

the function of the department and its membership options. The fire department can 

include this information in literature disseminated by welcome wagons, the Chamber of 

Commerce, realtors, and others.

In some areas, newcomers come predominantly from cities that do not have volunteer 

fire departments. They may not understand the organizational structure of a volunteer 

department, nor the potential for joining. The department may need to make a special effort 

to reach these people and explain the membership options.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

A department in Texas identifies new homes under construction and has members visit 

them to do a prefire plan. At the same time the volunteers contact the homeowner to 

introduce themselves, their services, and their needs--and indirectly try to interest the 

newcomer in the department.

S

High Schools‐- High schools are good recruiting grounds. Recruitment materials can be 

sent to parents and teachers and disseminated on career days. However, it is even better to 

work directly on educating guidance and/or career counselors on the benefits of being a 

volunteer and to have a booth at career fairs. Departments can also tie recruitment efforts 

to their visits to schools to give fire education and safety lectures. High visibility helps the 

department make contacts at the school and sparks the students’ interest. A program of a 

student shadowing a firefighter might be started to blow on the sparks of interest.

Explorer, Junior, and Cadet programs are a more organized way to encourage young 

peoples’ interest in the fire department. Some fire departments run programs that accept 

youths as young as age 13. They train the cadets like recruits. When the cadets turn 18, 

they can join the department as full members. Most departments require the parents 

of recruits to sign an approval form and liability waiver. Because the children are still 

in school, departments involved in these programs usually stress that education is very 

important and that their volunteering should not be done at the cost of their schoolwork. 

Some departments require that their cadets maintain an 80 percent grade average in order 

to respond from school or participate. There is much experience to suggest that cadet 

programs help rather than hinder youths to do well in school.

Colleges/Universities‐- Departments that are in or near college towns can recruit 

students to serve as firefighters during their college stay. Some departments offer a live-in 

program where the participants are given free room and kitchen privileges in return for 

volunteering. Live-ins may be required to serve weekend duty and must attend all fires and 

drills. The main drawback of this program is that students eventually graduate after two to 

four years and leave the area. However, the pool of student members is constantly refreshed 

by the new students. This does serve to create educated people with a knowledge of 

emergency service who may go on to volunteer elsewhere or serve the fire service in some 

other capacity.

Fire Protection and EMS Classes‐- Recruitment materials and videotapes can be shown 

at public cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes, public fire education and safety 

sessions, fire prevention talks, and community EMT classes. The class participants have 

already expressed an interest in helping others by taking the class.
 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Some departments are located near junior colleges or 4-year colleges that have fire science 

or fire engineering programs. These students benefit from getting hands-on experience 

with a department and sometimes even receive credit for volunteering. If they come from 

outside the volunteer department’s area, they may not last more than 2 or 3 years; but they 

will be energetic and devote their time to the department during that period.

R

Retirement homes are a rich source of people who could serve in a nonemergency 

capacity. Retired persons often look for ways they can give back to their communities. Fire 

departments should approach the activity coordinator for a retirement home to set up a 

meeting at the retirement home to educate residents about volunteer opportunities.

C

In many areas, clubs and civic organizations such as the Elks, Veterans of Foreign Wars 

(VFW), and Knights of Columbus are very prominent. These groups have civic-minded 

citizens who volunteer for many activities. Some may be interested in volunteering in the 

fire service. Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and church meetings are other good 

places to openly recruit or leave recruiting materials. Some churches even agree to make 

announcements from the pulpit or in their newsletters.

F

Neighboring Departments‐- Sometimes volunteers have trouble with one department and 

decide to volunteer for a neighboring department. Many ethical questions arise as to what 

the best solution to this problem is. It is important to understand why the volunteer left 

the neighboring station in the first place. It may be helpful to discuss these issues with the 

neighboring station. It is important that the situation does not discourage the volunteer; it 

may be more important to save the volunteer and let him or her transfer rather than lose 

him or her. However, it is important to understand whether the tension arose from the 

conduct of the volunteer or from the neighboring department itself. It is very important 

to keep in mind the fact that everyone is working toward the same cause and competition 

among departments is discouraged. 

Career Departments‐- Firefighting is often viewed as a life choice, not a career choice. 

Many career firefighters are willing to join a volunteer department. They are excellent 

recruits for a variety of reasons: they have training, prior experience, knowledge of the 

area, and can be available during the day. However, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

prohibits career firefighters from volunteering in the same capacity in a fire department 

in the same jurisdiction in which they work. Volunteer departments may wish to consider 

looking for career firefighters in neighboring jurisdictions.

C

County fairs are often good sites for recruiting booths. Fire and EMS units are usually 

present for display and should have volunteer applications and information on hand.

R

During the in-season, population swells enormously in resort areas. Demand for services, 

especially EMS, also rises sharply. Resorts are good places to advertise for volunteers for 

the entire region, as well as for the department that protects the resort. Resort areas attract 

many healthy, able-bodied young men and women who are oriented towards physical 

activities.

Fire departments can recruit volunteers to serve only during the tourist season to help 

handle the surge in calls. Sometimes they can be recruited from the visitor population itself, 

or from volunteer firefighters from other areas who take jobs in the resort area during 

tourist season. Some departments in resort towns allow a few out-of-town volunteers who 

have relocated for the resort season to sleep at the station. This is a major incentive for 

recruiting volunteers in resort areas.

L

Recruiting from nearby local businesses, with their permission, is especially useful because 

the volunteers would be available during the workday; a time when many volunteer 

departments have difficulty getting adequate turnout.

While some local businesses frown on their employees leaving to answer a call, others pay 

their employees extra if they volunteer. A mining company in the Southwest pays an extra 

50 cents an hour to volunteer firefighters. So do some lumber industries in California. The 

companies feel that having a volunteer on site promotes safety and provides them with fire 

protection and EMS capabilities.

One department developed a rather unusual arrangement with a local trucking business. It 

recruited the company to volunteer its services to provide the water supply. The trucking 

company members are not trained as firefighters--their sole job is to provide tanker service. 

This effectively extends the personnel of the department.
8 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Some businesses have developed a schedule for their volunteer workforce that lists a roster 

of who will respond during calls. This assists the business with employee scheduling, so 

that large numbers of employees will not leave the workplace all at once to respond to 

a call, which would impact the business operations. Also, this type of system may make 

businesses more agreeable to allowing volunteers to respond during business hours.

Ev

Large Fires and Other Emergency Events--Major fires and other incidents that draw large 

crowds of spectators can be good places to recruit. They show that the department provides 

exciting and important services. Have recruiting brochures available on the apparatus. 

Publicly Staged Events--Fire departments can use Fire Prevention Week as a chance to show 

off apparatus and attract younger firefighters. Other events that are good for recruiting are

• parades;

• demonstrations (fire safety education);

• washing fire apparatus every Saturday; and

• hosting gatherings for local political candidates.

At all such events, the members should have informational flyers and applications to 

hand out.

U

Law enforcement officials, gas and electrical utility workers, public works employees, 

recreation employees, and other local workers make good volunteers and can provide 

special assistance in their areas of knowledge. County workers employed in road and park 

maintenance and utilities are often well-positioned during the day to respond to calls.

M

Military bases are a fertile ground when looking for volunteers--among currently enlisted 

personnel, recently discharged personnel, and retired. Military personnel are accustomed 

to discipline, are usually physically fit, have a history of service, and often have acquired 

relevant skills. It is particularly valuable to find individuals trained in military leadership. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

O

Citizens who have volunteered their assistance in the time of an emergency often are wellsuited to be volunteer firefighters. People offer their hands to help at community disasters 

ranging from floods to hurricanes. They may fill sandbags, rescue victims, or clean up 

debris. It is a good idea for the community to keep a list of all those that came out to help, 

not only to honor them for a job well done, but also to issue them an invitation to join the 

fire department on a longer term basis. They have already shown that they have something 

to give. It is up to the fire department to show the need.

L

Recruiting posters should be placed in stores, offices, meeting halls, local government 

offices, restaurants, and other places the public and specialized audiences visit regularly. 

Local gyms are also a good location; the clientele is usually active and physically fit.

T

Having regularly scheduled education programs for the public at the station not only 

provides an excellent public service, but also opens the department’s doors to prospective 

members. These programs can include training in CPR, babysitting, public fire education, 

and safety classes.

RECRUITING

Volunteer departments need to consider what messages to send out to prospective recruits. Many departments have a reluctance to advertise; however, unless the public 

is made aware of the need for additional volunteers, few if any, will show up at the station. 

Advertising thus is a key to recruiting. Some recruiting slogans are targeted towards a 

general audience and others to a particular group (e.g., high school students, experienced 

firefighters, or night workers).

Three different messages need to be given to a prospective recruit: first, the need for their 

services; second, the personal rewards, benefits, excitement, and fun of volunteering; and 

third, the hard work and realities.

Developing a theme for a recruiting campaign can be very effective. A catchy phrase used 

constantly is likely to be remembered. For example, New York State has an effective message 

that is short and simple: “Volunteer for Life.” It has a triple meaning: volunteer to save lives, 

volunteer to improve your own life, and volunteer for a lifetime commitment.
40 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

A great deal of energy and cleverness has been expended on a wide assortment of 

recruiting materials across volunteer America. Departments should check the materials 

available from their neighbors, other regional departments, the USFA, and the NVFC. When 

considering the use of these materials, find out if they have been effective, determine what 

research was behind them, and see if they were used in circumstances similar to your own.

M

In addition to the more commonly used message to recruit volunteers--render service, get 

excitement, learn new skills--some departments have added new approaches:

• “Can you fill these boots?”

• “Is your job as rewarding as saving a child?”

• “Decide for yourself.” (Laying out a challenge.)

• “Part-time heroes needed. Full-time rewards.”

• “Being a volunteer firefighter offers one reward few other jobs can match.”

• “Ready for a change?” (Pictured with fire gear or EMS jumpsuit.)

• “You’ll need more than the right shoe size to fill these boots.” (Pictured with a pair of 

fire boots.)

• “Today’s volunteer firefighters wear many hats.” (Pictured with firefighters in bunker 

gear wearing different hats to symbolize their daytime jobs.)

• “Be part of the team.”

• “See the action.”

• “Bet you can’t do this.”

• “We saved lives last night, what did you do?” (Used in Hanover County, Virginia.)

Some feel that it would be useful to have a national recruiting slogan for volunteers, 

something that worked similar to U.S. Army’s “Be all that you can be” slogan.

Volunteering as career adVancement

A powerful message for recruiting young people is that volunteering increases their 

chances of getting a job as a career firefighter. In many departments, volunteering is a 

stepping stone to full-time firefighter jobs. Although some volunteers are lost to career 

departments, most volunteer fire departments believe their image as a career stepping 

stone is advantageous for attracting young volunteers. In reality, only a small number of 

volunteer firefighters become career firefighters; and, in many cases, career firefighters 

return to volunteer.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

T

Some departments, instead of presenting prospective recruits with a rosy picture of 

camaraderie and glory, go out of their way to paint the reality of being a firefighter. 

They tell prospective members about the true “nature of the business” (shown below) 

including the rewards of volunteering as well as the time demands, requirements, and 

stress. Although this may turn away some, it weeds out those who do not realize what 

volunteering is really like, and who otherwise might quit after only a few months.

“THE NATuRE OF THE BuSINESS”

A Picture of What It’s Like to Volunteer in the Fire Service

The fire and rescue service is one of the most diverse and challenging professions today. It is the diversity that 

inspires most men and women to enter the service--both as volunteers and career employees. Imagine having 

to train to prepare yourself to cope with situations which range from building fires to childbirth to hazardous 

chemical spills to heart attacks, and almost any imaginable emergency situation in between. This diversity is 

coupled with the fact that these skills may be needed at any time of the day, seven days a week, in any kind of 

weather and very often under potentially stressful and emotional circumstances. These challenges contribute to 

our profession being personally rewarding.

As volunteers, we are here for two basic purposes. The first is to prevent fires or medical emergencies from 

occurring. This is achieved through fire prevention, health maintenance education, inspections, fire safety 

education, and code enforcement programs. Secondly, we are here to prepare ourselves to control fire or medical 

emergencies, should prevention fail. This is done through education, training, preincident planning, more 

training, state-of-the-art equipment, and more training. We are a paramilitary profession working in a “hurry 

up and wait” environment.

This business is not for everyone. You need more than just a desire to help people. You need courage and 

dedication, assertiveness, and a willingness to learn new skills and face new challenges. And you need to have 

the time for training sessions, meetings, emergency calls, maintenance of equipment, and other duties. The fire 

and rescue service is not for the meek or timid or for those who lose control during times of crises. Our service 

is one which calls on its members to perform hot, sweaty, dirty, and strenuous work, often in uncertain and 

hazardous environments.

The personal rewards and satisfaction received from the fire and rescue service are often beyond description. 

There is a sense of accomplishment after controlling a building fire, joy and elation when a child is born, 

compassion for accident victims, and fulfillment in teaching fire safety. This list goes on and on.

The bottom line in our business is measured by the loss of life, pain and suffering, and property damage we 

have prevented or reduced. We are here and prepared for one reason, and that is to provide service to the people.

If you feel you have what it takes to meet the challenges of our business, we welcome you to join us.
4 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

FIREFIgHTER CHECkLIST

Instructions: The following items must be completed in order to successfully complete the 

1-year probationary period. The Fire Chief may extend the probationary period 6 months. 

After each item is complete you are responsible to have the item initialed by an officer, 

acting officer, or firefighter to verify completion.

Date Completed Initial Contact* Task Completed 

Complete and Turned in Application

Turned in Drivers License Copy

Completed Interview

Enrolled in Volunteer Relief & Pension 

System

Received Protective Clothing/Pager

Received Orientation Manual and IFSTA 

Essentials 4th Edition

Completed Medical Documents

Completed Physical

Completed Orientation Session

Completed Reading Policy Manual

Assigned to District Team

Completed Mapping of District

Completed 1st Aid Class

Completed CPR Training

Completed 10-11 Vehicle Check

Completed 10-51 Vehicle Check

Completed Recruit Academy

Received SCBA Training

Completed EVAP Classroom

Completed Initial Driver Competency Course

Completed 1st Responder or EMT Training

Completed Pump Operator Training 

Classroom

Completed Pump Operations Practical

*Under contact, place the name of someone in your department who would be in charge of signing off on that item.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

USE

A wide variety of media has been used to aid in recruiting. They include television, radio,  newspapers, flyers, posters, paper bags, billboards, bus signs, restaurant placemats, 

and many more unusual ideas.

T

There is much debate about which medium works best for recruiting ads: television, radio, 

or print. Some feel that public service announcements on a local television channel are 

better than ads in local papers. Some departments use short radio clips. Others feel that 

word of mouth is more effective than any formal advertising.

The majority feel that newspaper advertisements have not been very effective for recruiting. 

However, most departments have not found or invested in high quality print ads, such 

as the ones in the New Tools Kit that the NVFC distributes to its members. The kit was 

developed by volunteer firefighters working with a top advertising firm. Departments can 

use these ads from the NVFC kit alone or as a supplement to other recruiting measures.

“Newspaper advertisements can be very effective so long as they communicate the right 

message. Emphasis should be on professionalism, training, excitement, meaningful service, 

and traditions. Be sure to emphasize your group is an equal opportunity organization 

which does not discriminate on the bases of sex, race, age, religion, or creed.”

One department reported that small want ads in the local newspaper brought in more 

applicants than general-purpose large ads. Many people screen the want ads for a variety of 

reasons and are looking for new opportunities and excitement.

News Stories and Features--Several departments have found it rewarding to cultivate 

friendships with the media and encourage them to run stories about the department. 

Keep the media involved by inviting them to drills, to ride along, or to become a member. 

The media assists recruiting best by giving publicity to the fire department’s successes 

and events, and featuring articles on individual members. Attempt to have a story on 

fundraisers, election of officers, or new equipment purchased at least monthly. Ideally, the 

stories also should mention the ever-present need for good volunteers.

In order to assist the media in promoting the visibility of individual members, the 

department can hire a photographer to take a publicity picture of each member. These 

pictures can be supplied to the press for either small background stories or major fires. This 

also aids in retention, by promoting recognition.
44 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Local Access Cable Television--An excellent way to reach the public with information about 

the fire department and the need for volunteers is local access cable television. It is much 

easier to place a PSA on a cable channel than on larger network channels. Cable television 

also offers the flexibility of showing longer PSAs than most networks, which generally offer 

only 15- or 30-second PSA slots. Some departments have the cable provider videotape a PSA 

that tells about the department, the roles of volunteers, opportunities for volunteers, and 

requirements of membership.

VideotaPes and multimedia shoWs

Videotapes, CD-ROMs, or DVDs can be an excellent medium to use in recruiting. One 

department asked a local retired TV cameraman to help develop a PSA videotape of the 

department in action that it could show on television and at civic club meetings. “Put 

together an informative program on the department that any member would be able to 

give. Include audiovisuals. Nothing will sell your department better than some great actions 

shots,” says the chief. “People will automatically imagine themselves in the situations 

pictured.”

It might fit departments to do a multimedia presentation--hearing, seeing, and doing. A 

department representative could give a lecture (hearing), supplement this with a video or 

PowerPoint® presentation (seeing), and then have the prospective members perform an 

action such as don a turnout coat and/or SCBA (doing). This can be a very effective way to 

sell the department.

B

A brochure can be a good companion to a videotape. It should include action photos to 

grab prospective recruits’ attention. The rest of the brochure should provide information 

that prospective volunteers want to know about your department.

•What is the role of volunteers (i.e., firefighting, EMS, prevention, administrative, or 

support)?

•What are the time requirements?

•What are the benefits?

•What are the minimum qualifications?

•What training is required?

•Who can be contacted for more information? Include the name of the recruitment 

coordinator and the department’s phone number (if an answering machine or 

voicemail is available).
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 45

Brochures and flyers can be placed at local businesses and handed out at department 

functions. They need to be colorful and attractive with the vital contact information like 

a phone number with an answering machine or voicemail when no one is present, email 

address, or department Web site. These may be printed at no cost if the department allows 

the printer to place a logo and/or courtesy line on the materials.

D

Some departments mail a brochure or newsletter to the homes in their recruiting area. 

This may be a one-shot mailing or a mailing on a quarterly or annual basis. The newsletter 

describes what it takes to be a volunteer and the need for members. Departments can also 

include flyers in fundraiser mailings or utility bills. Some departments stamp the message 

“Volunteer” or “Join the Team” on all outgoing mail.

The results of direct mail may be immediately apparent. Some departments say they do not 

begin to see a return until almost a year after the mailings went out. However, the flyer is 

what caused the recruits to think about volunteering. Generally, a customer has to see an 

advertisement several times before they purchase a commodity. Thus, multiple exposures 

may be necessary.

Posters

Posters are an excellent recruitment tool. They should show members so that the public can 

see who in their community is a volunteer. They may show members in action, or as the 

Firemen’s Association of the State of New York has done, they may show members in work 

clothes to show the backgrounds and types of people who volunteer.

S

The old-fashioned way still works: displaying a sign or banner outside the fire station 

stating that the department is looking for a few good volunteers. Signs need to be simple, 

direct, and include how to contact the department. Walk-ins will not feel as hesitant to stop 

by if they see a sign welcoming them at anytime. Some departments place signs at their 

response boundaries indicating that the area is served by volunteers. This could incorporate 

a “help wanted” message. Signs might be donated if the provider’s logo and/or name is 

displayed for advertising purposes. 
4 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

A

Recruitment messages should be advertised on the side of all fire and EMS apparatus. The 

messages can be permanently painted on or temporarily displayed using magnetic signs. 

Every time that a unit is on the road the public will see the message.

I

This should be done on training nights so both the public and prospective recruits have 

the opportunity to meet several officers and members and learn what the department really 

does. This enables those interested to see what volunteering is all about and at the same 

time make contact. Always have applications available. A variation on this theme is to hold 

a formal open house to attract community residents, explaining how their dollars are spent 

and possibly recruits. 

M

Some departments have asked movie theaters to include a volunteer recruitment ad in the 

slides they project before feature presentations. A department could even produce a short 

film advertisement that the theater could show with movie previews.

World-Wide Web

More and more volunteer fire departments are advertising the need for members on the 

World-Wide Web. The public may visit a fire department’s Web site for safety tips or to 

become acquainted with fire and EMS protection services where they live. This is another 

easy avenue to advertise the need for members.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 47

O

• Restaurants can use placemats with the local volunteer department’s recruitment 

message imprinted on them. This was done statewide by fast-food restaurants in New 

Jersey as part of the 1-800-FIRE-LINE recruitment campaign.

• Pizza delivery restaurants can attach a flyer on each pizza box they deliver.

•Grocery stores can print recruiting messages on their receipts and bags.

•Newsletters published by local nursing groups to recruit EMS members.

•Utility company bills. New Jersey also advertised for volunteers in an electric company’s 

bills statewide for free.

•New housing developments. Allow newcomers to the community to be aware of the 

need for volunteer firefighters.

INFORMATIONAL

Every department should set aside one night every month or every few months to hold an informational session for prospective volunteers. The purpose of this session 

is to provide an overview of the department, volunteer opportunities, and requirements 

and expectations. “Too many departments fail to provide prospective members with the 

information they need to make a decision about whether volunteering is right for them. 

Our department has found that by holding prospective member nights every few months, 

we are able to inform every prospective new member about how they can serve the 

community and what will be expected of them,” said the chief of the Cherrydale, Virginia, 

Volunteer Fire Department.

Prospective member sessions allow possible recruits the opportunity to make an informed 

decision about whether they have what it takes to volunteer. There is also a question-andanswer period. “We may get ten calls a month from people interested in joining. We tell them 

to attend the informational session, which is good for them because it answers their questions, 

and which is good for us because we can explain all of our requirements in one big swoop to 

everyone,” the chief said. The sessions save a lot of time in the recruitment process.

Informational sessions also discourage people who do not have the time or what it takes to 

volunteer. They help to avoid situations where people join, find out that volunteering is not 

what they expected, and then suddenly quit.

Fire departments should give a comprehensive overview of the “nature of the business” 

(discussed previously) at informational sessions. Firefighter and EMT “job descriptions” 

should be developed and distributed with other handouts. A sample is shown in the 

following box.
48 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Volunteer firefighter Job descriPtion

Job Title: Volunteer Firefighter

Purpose: To prevent fires or medical emergencies from occurring and to control fire or 

medical emergencies, should prevention fail.

Responsibilities: To support the department in all activities including emergency 

response, training, fundraising, maintenance, and other special activities. Required to 

attend business and other organizational meetings.

Time Required: One 12-hour weekly duty shift; one monthly business meeting (every 

first Wednesday night of month); one monthly station/equipment shift (approximately 

2 hours); one monthly 4-hour training session (every third Wednesday night). Also 

required to complete Firefighter I course (approximately 100 hours) during first year 

of membership.

Qualifications and Special Skills:

a) minimum 19 years of age

b) clean and neat appearance

c) sound physical conditions as evaluated by physician

d) not convicted of a felony 

e) pass probationary trainee test within 6 months of joining

f) pass physical agility test

g) pass interview by membership committee

Recommended Period of Commitment: The department requests that new firefighters 

commit to serving at least 2 years after Firefighter I training is completed.

Supervision: Provided by line officers

Benefits: In addition to great personal satisfaction about serving society we offer 

reimbursement of training expenses upon successful completion of courses; life and 

injury insurance; free passes to department gym; free alphanumeric pager service; 

special recognition awards.

Evaluation: At end of first 6 months; once annually thereafter by chief and duty shift 

officer

Adapted from Virginia Office of EMS job description for EMTs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 49

Ke

• provide an overview of the organization;

• explain the department’s mission and “the nature of the business”;

• list opportunities;

• list requirements and expectations (training, fundraising, administrative duties, hours per month);

• hand out job descriptions (see sample);

• be honest, and tell it like it is!;

• give a tour of the station; and

• answer questions.

SCREENING

Even though most volunteers are not screened as thoroughly as career firefighters, the changes in career tests have influenced volunteer recruit screening. Some volunteer 

departments have requirements as strict as career departments. On the other hand, some 

volunteer departments do no screening at all.

There needs to be a balance between having no criteria, and having standards that are so 

difficult and restrictive that prospective recruits are scared away. There are many ways to 

identify people who can safely perform firefighting duties and are worth the time and 

effort to train. It is up to the department to find a process that is fair and balanced.

Who to accePt

When determining the types of people to recruit, department leaders should consider 

the department’s culture as well as its needs. Is it a “take anyone” culture--finding tasks 

for anyone who applies? Or is it a department that prefers everyone to meet the same 

standards? The more narrowly focused the culture, the more difficult it will be to recruit, 

but that may pay retention dividends. Most probably the ideal is somewhere in between. 

Not everyone is suited to be a member of the emergency services; and yet with the various 

needs of the service, many can find productive roles.

When there is a large pool of people interested in joining, the volunteer company can be 

more selective. Otherwise, the department may have to broaden its criteria so that a diverse 

pool of people is used to fulfill various tasks. However, even when a department has plenty 

of recruits, it is important to consider whether it has the full range of necessary skills, not 

just sheer members. Having a waiting list of 50 firefighters with no desire to be EMTs is 

useless if the department’s primary need is EMTs.

It is recommended that departments screen prospective members carefully and not accept 

everyone who applies. Having a smaller cadre of strong, mature, and committed members 
50 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

is preferable to having a large number of members, some of whom are less committed 

or problem makers. A large group that has issues will cause more internal problems and 

require greater time to manage than a smaller, stronger group. Internal problems often 

drive members out or burn-out officers.

M

It is important to know the reasons people join or do not join. This information can 

be obtained simply by asking prospective members about their motivations for joining 

the department before they actually join. The object of this research is insight. It helps 

recruiters understand whether the prospective member has the right motivations for 

becoming a firefighter or EMT, which is a good indicator of whether the person will be a 

good match.

Some people may not have the right motivations for joining, and these people most likely 

will not be good, long-term members. Motivations also may be misguided. It is important 

for members to recognize that it is detrimental to the cohesiveness of the department if 

their personal problems interfere with their work or the work of others. 

The reasons for volunteering may change with economic shift and with other societal 

issues. When money is tight and people are working two or more jobs to make ends meet, 

they may struggle to find time to volunteer. Others, however, may want to volunteer as a 

stepping stone to new positions, especially a firefighting position.

At the end of the day, the reasons for volunteering are individualistic and locally driven.

LEADINg REASONS FOR BECOMINg A FIRE OR EMS VOLuNTEER:

• Need for a sense of belonging to something 

important.

• Desire for achievement.

• Increased responsibility.

• Desire to face a new challenge.

• Recognition and reward.

• Desire for growth and development (possibly 

for other careers).

• Need to have fun.

• Enjoying one’s environment.

• Helping the community.

• Sense of obligation to the community.

• Helping a fellow person in need.

• Possibly saving a life.

• To someday become a career firefighter.

• My neighbor is one.

• I had a fire once and want to help protect 

others from that sort of devastation.

Source: Snook and Olsen
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 151

2

The responses received to the St. Joseph’s University query in 2004 on what makes an individual want 

to volunteer were as follows:

• response to emergencies;

• helping neighbors;

• family tradition;

• be part of a team;

• social opportunities with members;

• develop experience dealing with fire/rescue/medical situations;

• career development;

• feel needed;

• personal skill and knowledge development;

• responsibility/challenge;

• need for affiliation;

• hobby;

• associate with success;

• feel safe; and

• follow a leader.

T

Volunteer departments sometimes require a recruit to pass one or more of the following: a 

written exam, a physical agility test, or a medical exam. There is general support that testing 

of recruits is a means to determine whether recruits will be “fit” for the job. Administrative 

recruits are usually excluded from physical, medical, or written exams.

Some departments are against rigorous testing because they are so short-handed they 

cannot afford to screen out anyone who is willing to volunteer. Others support rigorous 

testing to eliminate those candidates who would not be able to meet the physical 

challenges of the job. It is recommended combination departments require all volunteers 

to pass the same written, physical agility, and health exam given to career members. This 

eliminates the potential for one group to say it is more qualified than the other.

Some departments dropped the written test because many of the applicants were 

intimidated by it. Regardless of the circumstances, tests are good tools to screen out 

candidates who may be too unhealthy to perform duties safely, or unable to pass the rigors 

of fire or EMS classes.

Recent mandates of the ADA have made the physical screening procedures more 

complicated. The degree to which this law applies to volunteer departments is not 

completely clear. In some areas, the law has been interpreted as applying to both volunteer 
5 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

and career employees. As a result, there have been changes in screening procedures for 

many departments. One department in Arizona is not allowed to require a medical exam, 

while other departments are allowed to require a medical exam and a driving record check--

such is the diversity and different interpretations of the law from place to place. ADA is more 

likely to apply to departments that pay their volunteers or consider volunteers as employees 

for benefit purposes. Each department should consult an attorney for information about how 

ADA applies. For further information visit www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/

I

Almost all departments interview each prospective recruit. The interview process is 

designed to examine motivations (see section on Motivations) and to ensure that the recruit 

understands the requirements.

Departments can use a variety of methods to conduct interviews. Most departments use 

a formal interview process. A formal interview helps stress the seriousness of firefighting 

and that joining should be a conscious and informed decision. Some give the interview 

before the written exam, and others after. Departments may use an individual or panel to 

run the interview. In small departments the chief usually conducts interviews. A department 

recommended that an interview board comprise two members from the department and 

one member from the department’s governing authority (Fire Board, City Council).

Some departments use a more subtle approach. They encourage prospective recruits to 

attend a company meeting where members can meet them. If the recruits do not come, 

they could be dropped for lack of interest. Volunteering “has to be one of the volunteering 

person’s priorities,” said the chief.

D

Most departments have established relationships with local law enforcement officials to 

review an applicant’s driving and criminal record. Some States require the permission of 

the applicant before doing the search. Application forms often ask the applicant to agree to 

driving and criminal checks. Failure of applicants to agree to the checks may be cause for 

not accepting them.

Departments agreed that background checks are imperative. Volunteer fire departments 

cannot afford to accept a “bad apple” who will create problems or spoil the department’s 

image. Most departments will not accept candidates with felony convictions, although some 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

departments forgive almost any crime or violation committed when the applicant was a 

youth. Other departments, however, accept adult felons who have served their time and 

appear rehabilitated. They view serving in the department will help keep the person on a 

healthy path. These departments must remember that there could be outcry if the public 

learns that a member is a convicted felon. Most departments refuse to accept anyone with 

a history of arson whether or not time was served. Some departments also refuse people 

convicted of driving while intoxicated within the past five years, or at a minimum, allow these 

individuals to join but restrict them from driving department vehicles.

I

In some areas, recruits have to prove U.S. citizenship. If the 

department volunteers are paid-on-call, they are considered 

to be employees under tax laws. Citizenship or a green card 

then is required.

C

Fire departments may request that new members sign a 

commitment agreement. The purpose of a commitment 

agreement is to lay out expectations on paper so 

that there is no misunderstanding about what the 

department is asking a member to do.

Recruits should also be asked what they expect from 

the fire service. In turn, they should be told what 

is expected of them. This may eliminate some people 

immediately before going through the lengthy application process.

Commitment agreements are generally nonbinding because the members are volunteers. 

Some departments, however, require recruits to sign a binding commitment that States 

they will reimburse the department for training expenses if they leave before serving a 

minimum period of time. An example of a commitment agreement is shown in the box on 

the next page.
54 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

sample

To the Officers, Board, and members of the Gorman Volunteer Fire Department 

(GVFD). I present myself as a candidate for membership, and if accepted, I will 

cheerfully subscribe to the constitution, bylaws, orders, and procedures of your 

department.

I have read fully and understand the application information package. I understand 

that volunteering can be a rewarding experience but there are certain obligations I 

must meet in order to remain in good standing in the department. I agree to attend 

the monthly meeting and training session; to complete Firefighter I training within the 

first year of my membership; to be on call for my one assigned duty night per week; 

to assist with the department’s fundraising efforts; and to assist with maintenance and 

other tasks as assigned. If I cannot meet an obligation, I will notify the appropriate 

officer or Board member immediately to request to be excused. I further agree to carry 

through with any responsibilities that I may take on as a member. If I fail to meet the 

obligations, I realize that my membership may be suspended or terminated by the 

Chief or Board of the GVFD.

I promise that while I am performing volunteer duties, I will act responsibly, ethically, 

and maturely. I understand that at certain times, information I obtain as a firefighter 

and EMT must be kept confidential, and I promise not to breach confidentiality. I will 

also proudly wear my uniform in a clean and professional manner. I will do my best to 

protect and serve members of my community, and I will support the department to the 

best of my ability. I always will remember that safety is a priority while performing my 

duties in this department.

I promise to pay all dues and fees of the department when due. I also promise to 

return all items issued to me by the GVFD.

I understand that I am in a probationary, non-voting status during my first six months 

as a member in the department. The probationary period ends only after an affirmative 

vote by the general membership of the GVFD.

I further promise to notify in writing the Board of the GVFD if and when I must 

terminate my membership with the department or if I would like to request a leave 

period.

By my signature, I understand and agree to carry out the promise made above.

Signature_______________________________________ Date_________________
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 55

FOLLO

Fire departments must follow up with prospective members at two key times to ensure their continued interest: immediately after they express an interest in volunteering and 

during the first 3 to 6 months after they join in the department.

F

Any inquiry from a prospective volunteer should be followed up with a phone call. The 

contact can be brief and to the point. The main purpose of the call is to schedule an 

informational meeting with the prospective recruit. The appointment should be made for 

a time that is convenient to the applicant. The department also should mail out a brochure 

that answers a recruit’s most common questions.

Some departments try to meet with candidates at their home. This process includes the 

family or “significant other” from the beginning, setting a positive tone for the future. 

The department can explain to the applicant and his or her family the time commitments, 

the rewards, and the social aspects of volunteering. This practice is especially important 

for applicants coming from ethnic backgrounds or immigrant families that may harbor 

suspicion about authorities with badges.

F

There are a variety of approaches a department can take to reinforce the new volunteer’s 

interest. New members should be promptly involved in department activities so they 

can overcome their anxiety about becoming part of a close knit group. Give them 

responsibilities in line with the talent and expertise they bring to the organization. The 

existing members should take this time to learn more about the new member. They should 

remember that the new volunteer probably will reevaluate his or her commitment soon 

after joining. As a result, it is important to pay special attention to the new volunteer during 

his or her first few months, or even year. Most departments also require new members to 

attend a minimum number of meetings and training sessions to get them started quickly, 

ensure they are “kept in the loop,” and to test their commitment early on.

An orientation program should be developed to educate new members how the 

organization works, incorporating activities that train them about their position. The 

session should detail programs and services and establish the new personnel as members of 

the organization. The first part of the orientation should explain the operational activities 

and the policies and procedures of the job. The second part should be more interactive and 

stress the practical field operations. 
5 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

New members should be given an Orientation Package when they join. This should include 

a number of items like the following:

• organizational bylaws;

•list of members and name of personal “Coach”;

• Rules, regulations, and polices;

• SOPs and SOGs;

•training requirements;

•safety, driving, and response procedures;

• appearance, uniform, and equipment responsibilities; and 

• benefits, insurance, and social amenities.

Opp

A department should offer several places along the path to membership for a recruit to 

reevaluate the situation and, if necessary, leave the process gracefully. Anyone can drop out 

at any time, but it is kinder and better for public relations to offer an opportunity to leave if 

the recruit is not suited to the rigors of volunteering.

BARRIERS

Fire departments must consider barriers to recruiting as they formulate and begin their recruiting processes. Although some of these obstacles can be reduced, others need to 

be met head on and dealt with accordingly.

Ex

It is important for a fire department to be aware of the image they are portraying to the 

community and prospective volunteers. A fire department needs to appeal to a diverse 

WAyS TO FOLLOW-uP WITH A NEW MEMBER

• assigning a mentor to each recruit;

• involving recruits in simple tasks on the fireground as soon as possible (i.e., changing air bottles, 

assisting in retrieving equipment, etc.);

• allowing recruits to ride initially as observers;

• issuing recruits alphanumeric pagers so they can receive department-wide announcement of meetings, 

events, and fires; and

• inviting recruits to department social functions.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 57

crowd. They should clearly state in their recruitment literature the need and desire for all 

types of people and skills.

Departments that already have females and minority members should encourage them to 

become involved in the recruitment process. Recruiting the first woman or minority in 

the department is often the hardest step. It usually requires a special effort, such as actively 

recruiting females and minorities that are friends or family members of current members. 

Minority and female recruits would probably feel more confident and motivated entering a 

department where they know someone. It is the department’s responsibility to make people 

of different backgrounds feel welcome.

T

The increased amount of training required today not only causes some members to 

quit, but is also a barrier to recruiting. Some departments are working on reducing their 

requirements and training hours to appeal to more people (e.g., requiring personnel to 

certify only as a firefighter or EMT, not both). Other departments, however, want members 

who can handle the toughest schedule. They feel that a rigorous training program will 

serve as an incentive and a challenge to the kind of recruits they want. Tough standards and 

training also can enhance the image of the organization. Perhaps what really needs to be 

done is a realistic evaluation of the training needs of the department based on community 

hazards. Then emphasize the basics, making the specialized training optional. A vital 

component to this is to perform the training in a step-by-step process. Design the training 

modules in time blocks that the volunteers can adjust to their schedules and provide the 

training when they are available, perhaps some optional time offerings. Consider the use 

of nontraditional educational methods that would allow volunteers to meet required 

standards. Another key is to provide the training schedule well in advance, so the members 

can plan for it. 

R

In many metropolitan areas and resort communities, the cost of living is too high for an 

average income family or individual to live comfortably. As a result, people are moving 

farther out to smaller communities. A residency requirement--having to live in the 

community served by the department--eliminates prospective candidates who live outside 

the community in more affordable places but are willing to commute to volunteer. They 

may have longer response times and be less tuned in to the community than residents; 

but if there is any question of the adequacy of the volunteer pool, residency requirements 

should be eliminated. The problem of response time may be eliminated with duty hours. 

Also recognize that someone living just outside the jurisdiction could actually live closer to 

the fire station from which they would respond than another member in a remote part of 

the jurisdiction.
58 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

Another alternative to solving the residency problem is to provide affordable housing 

to members. A solution might be the construction of attractive apartment buildings to 

house volunteers at no cost or low cost. Some fire departments allow a limited number 

of members to live in the station permanently. As noted earlier, this is a commonly used 

approach to attract students in university towns.

T

Some departments require new members to sign a contract or agreement to volunteer 

for a specified amount of time. This ensures that the department’s investment is returned 

and that the member gives the job a chance. If the member leaves prematurely, there is a 

requirement to repay training costs. Tenure requirements generally are not considered a 

barrier to recruitment unless they require new members to sign on for more than a 1-year 

commitment. 

RECRUITING

Society’s diversity is not as well-reflected in most volunteer fire departments as it is in the general work force. However, the mix has been changing. Many volunteer 

departments by choice or mandate are seeking groups that they traditionally would not 

have recruited, such as females and minorities. By adding diversity, they ensure wellrounded teams that better reflect their communities. They also increase the pool of talent 

available for recruiting and may fill needs more easily, such as workday availability. In 

addition to minorities and women, many other groups who may not be well-represented 

in volunteer ranks merit special attention, such as white-collar workers, retirees, and 

college students.

F

The number of females joining volunteer fire departments is increasing all over the country. 

Their numbers are still small, and in some departments there are none, but the overall 

trend on females in the volunteer fire service is upward. Some departments actively recruit 

female firefighters while others wait for female walk-ins.

Many departments find it difficult to recruit females for the volunteer fire service. Typical 

stereotypes may discourage women from joining the department. To avoid this image, 

departments should:
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 59

• have female firefighters speak to possible recruits;

• have female firefighters actively recruit other females;

• promote a positive image of the department’s acceptance and fair treatment of its 

members;

• have written policies protecting against sexual harassment and discrimination, as well 

as formal grievance procedures;

• place pictures of female firefighters in recruitment flyers; and

• explain any special accommodations for women (such as separate bathrooms or 

bunkrooms).

Some females may think they will not have time to volunteer because of commitments 

with their children. Others who are considering having children may fear the consequences 

of being injured as a firefighter while pregnant. There are several ways to address these 

concerns:

• Offer periodic leaves of absence for family purposes. Pregnant female members 

should be encouraged to take a leave of absence or go on light duty until authorized by 

their doctor to return to active response. These should be offered both to female and 

male firefighters. Members should not be penalized for taking leave.

• Create a departmental babysitting service. Some departments even pay for this or 

can have the wives of members provide the service. Departments also can organize 

babysitting programs at the fire station where an administrative member can look 

after the children in a safe area of the station. The department would need to purchase 

toys, designate a safe area and be aware and familiar with State and local childcare 

regulations.

Fire departments should recruit females right out of high school when they have fewer 

responsibilities or when they are single and are more willing to adapt their lifestyle. 

Women who become involved at a young age are more likely to stay on the department 

when they later have children.

One caveat: recruiting females, especially single females, often causes concern among the 

spouses of male members. In some cases, men have quit due to the pressure received at 

home. This jealously can be ameliorated somewhat by having the male firefighters’ wives 

meet the female firefighters at social functions. It is also important to remind members and 

their families that this is a professional organization where members are held accountable 

for their actions, just as in a career work environment.
0 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

H

Volunteer departments in areas with a large number of Hispanics should take advantage 

of this large pool of potential recruits. Some volunteer departments in south Texas, 

New Mexico, and Arizona already have Mexican-American 

majorities in their membership. Having members that 

speak another language can be an invaluable asset for any 

department. Hispanic volunteers can speak Spanish to victims, 

patients, and family members on emergency calls. Below are 

some tips for recruiting Hispanic members:

• Approach Hispanic communities with recruiting 

messages in both Spanish and English. This is often essential 

in convincing the prospective recruit’s family members who 

might not speak any English or prefer to speak in Spanish. It 

also shows that the department wants to incorporate different 

cultures within the fire family.

• Offer to help them learn English and help with their 

studies for citizenship in return for volunteering. Many 

departments that pay their members a stipend are required 

to have U.S. citizens as volunteers for tax reasons. This 

arrangement could solve both problems.

• Advertise for volunteers in Hispanic newspapers or other Hispanic media outlets.

• Have Hispanic firefighters actively recruit other Hispanics.

• Place pictures of Hispanic firefighters in recruitment flyers.

A

Most fire departments have difficulty in recruiting African-Americans as volunteer 

firefighters, even in areas where they are the majority. Some departments have tried 

recruiting at predominately black churches, colleges, and civic groups with minimal 

success. Nevertheless, there are many avenues to try, such as the following.

• Advertise for volunteers in African-American newspapers or other AfricanAmerican media outlets.

• Have African-American firefighters actively recruit other African-Americans. This 

can be done one-on-one and by videotaping messages of what it is like for an AfricanAmerican to serve as a volunteer in the community (i.e., use a role model).

• Place pictures of African-American firefighters in recruitment flyers.

• Approach leaders in the African-American community to discuss the challenge and 

its solution.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

N

Native Americans are a minority group that may be decreasing in numbers as volunteer 

firefighters. Departments neighboring reservations have not been very successful in 

recruiting members from the reservations though many Native Americans serve as seasonal 

wildland firefighters.

Departments near reservations offer several explanations 

for the problems with recruitment and retention of Native 

American members. Many Native Americans tend to live 

isolated from one another, spread out over open spaces. This 

makes it difficult to volunteer because the response time is so 

high.

A former fire chief in New Mexico suggested recruiting 

Native Americans through four modes:

• Schoolchildren take the message home to their parents.

• Recruiting posters and literature can be left at trading 

posts.

• By word of mouth.

• By tribal newspaper.

Here, too, a role model can be helpful in portraying the 

satisfactions of volunteering. 

O

Many minorities from third-world immigrant families come from places that do not have 

a volunteer tradition similar to a volunteer fire department. The concept of volunteering to 

wear a badge and uniform, performing a service without receiving pay, and endangering 

oneself may pose cultural difficulties for these individuals or their families. Some thirdworld nations view people with a badge as a menace or corrupt, and do not want their 

children or relatives involved. Left unaddressed, these pressures can build up to force 

people not only not to volunteer, but even to distrust the fire department. A prospective 

member’s family may need some counseling by officers from the department to clarify 

any misconceptions. The counseling might be done at home, or the family can be invited 

to the station. The family also should be encouraged to meet other members’ families at 

department functions.
 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

White-collar WorKers/college students

Many people enjoy a change of pace in their lives. A volunteer fire department could be 

the perfect place for a white-collar worker to do something different, but volunteering as 

a firefighter is often seen as a blue-collar activity. The department’s recruitment literature 

should help dispel that myth by showing different kinds of people doing different jobs. 

A woman teaching public fire education, a young man doing computer work, or an older 

man directing traffic are good examples. This lets the prospective volunteer know that a fire 

department has varying needs and types of people.

College students are usually intelligent and able-bodied. The main liability in recruiting 

them as volunteers is that they usually leave the fire service after 1 to 4 years. However, a 

relationship may be struck between a volunteer department and a local college to identify a 

continual stream of students to replace those that leave. Students who graduate may elect to 

live near the college or may volunteer in the community where they settle.

R

Areas that attract many retirees can often be a bonus for a volunteer fire department. Many 

of the retirees will still be in good health and may have an interest in volunteering. They 

can be given light duty tasks or resume limited firefighting activity at incident scenes or 

provide EMS response. Those that will handle nonfirefighting jobs help free up the other 

members to focus on active firefighting at calls. This is often essential in departments are 

short of fully operational members. 

THE

A successful recruitment program is ongoing all year long. Each department must determine for itself what is the best approach to find the members it needs based 

on its own individual needs assessment. As sample of how a department can address 

recruitment on a monthly and annual basis is shown in the following:

R

Ongoing Process to Improve Recruitment, Retention, Image and Visibility of the 

Department
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

JANuARy

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

• Send media press release documenting amount of time volunteers gave and number of 

calls answered in final quarter of last year.

• Request membership nominate outstanding members for awards ceremony in February.

FEBRuARy

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteers from January information 

session.

• Convene awards committee to select awards recipients.

•Issue outstanding member awards at annual department banquet.

•Issue award for member who recruited most new members in past year at annual 

department banquet.

MARCH

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

APRIL

• Send media press release documenting amount of time volunteers gave and number of 

calls answered in first quarter of the year.

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteer from March information 

session.

MAy

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

• Set up recruitment booth at town fair.

JuNE

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteers from May information 

session.
4 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

JuLy

• Send media press release documenting amount of time volunteers gave and number of 

calls answered in second quarter of the year.

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

AuguST

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteers from July information 

session.

SEPTEMBER

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

OCTOBER

•Have Town Council issue resolution to commend volunteers for past year’s service.

• Launch membership drive for fall in conjunction with publicity from resolution and 

fire prevention week.

•Hang membership drive banner at station.

• Send media press release documenting amount of time volunteers gave and number of 

calls answered in third quarter of year.

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteers from September information 

session.

NOVEMBER

• Prospective volunteer information session held at firehouse.

• Arrange for high school civics class to show 800-FIRE-LINE recruitment video in 11thgrade civics courses townwide.

DECEMBER

• Submit annual report on fire department to town council.

• Recruitment committee interviews prospective volunteers from November information 

session.

ONgOINg

• Recruitment flyers mailed as requested by members of the public.

• Feature a fire department member and family in monthly department newsletter.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

T

1-800-FIRE-LINE is a national recruitment campaign for the volunteer fire and EMS 

services, along with a means for interested citizens to obtain information about Fire Corps 

programs in their community. The campaign was founded in 1994 by a group of New 

Jersey fire chiefs who were concerned about recruitment and retention in their State. The 

campaign gives the public a simple, toll-free telephone number to call for information 

about both operational and non-operational volunteer opportunities in their community, 

and is coordinated by the NVFC. In addition to the traditional role of providing a statewide 

means of answering questions about opportunities to become a volunteer firefighter or 

EMT, 1-800-FIRE-LINE has added the new role of being a point of contact for Fire Corps. 

Fire Corps, one of the five partner programs of Citizen Corps, works to encourage citizens 

to assist their local fire departments and rescue squads in nonoperational or support 

roles. Information on how to implement Fire Corps within a department is available at 

www.firecorps.org. Once a program is started it can be registered on the Web site to help 

interested citizens contact the department and to have it included in the national directory. 

Citizen advocates who aid departments in nonoperational activities allow first responders 

to focus their efforts on being prepared for and responding to the most critical, lifethreatening situations. Everyone can do something to support their local fire service. Here 

are some suggestions gathered from firefighters themselves for possible Fire Corps program 

activities:

•During times of heightened national security alerts, assist in planning for quick access 

to stocks of emergency supplies, shelter readiness, and procedures review.

• Promote fire prevention in schools and homes.

•Develop Web sites and computer programs for the department.

• Provide back-up support during major events when response agencies may be 

overwhelmed initially.

• Assist with fire incident reporting and enter statistical data.

•Help write grant applications.

• Assist with public relations.

•Organize fundraising initiatives.

• Assist with youth mentoring programs.

• Check and install smoke alarms for low income families or for people with disabilities.

• Provide administrative and clerical support.

• Assist with canteen services at major incidents.

• Assist with typing reports, answering telephone calls, managing records, and other 

office tasks.
 r e cruitment: Challenges & Solutions

• Assist with mitigation measures: wildland vegetation removal near structures, 

floodproofing, non-structural earthquake resistant measures.

•Organize with community programs, such as roadside cleanup, food drives, and toy 

collections for families in need.

• Provide foreign language translation of safety literature and outreach materials.

•Offer to serve in a department’s auxiliary.

•Help to improve understanding of specialized fire/EMS organizational services like 

hazardous materials response, urban search like hazardous materials response, urban 

search and rescue (USAR), youth services, water/mountain rescue, billing services, etc.

•Develop informational newsletters to include holiday or seasonal-oriented fire injury 

prevention messages.

• Members of the faith-based community can provide counseling and other services.

• Assist with development and maintenance of fire department.

Because not everyone has Internet access, one of the ways citizens can obtain information 

about Fire Corps is by calling 1-800-FIRE-LINE. 

The campaign can be adopted by a State firefighters association or other State fire agency 

and once adopted is implemented statewide. When a State joins it connects the toll-free 

number to a statewide answering point. When a call from any area code within that State is 

made to 1-800-FIRE-LINE the call is routed by the phone company to that answering point. 

Over 35 States have adopted the program, and the remaining States are answered by the 

NVFC. Assistance is available for those remaining States that would like to implement the 

service. Please go to www.nvfc.org for more information. 

The NVFC has a Web site dedicated to recruitment and retention at: 

www.nvfc.org/retention.html


CONCLUSION
70 conclusion

C

There are a few factors to the recruitment and retention problem that need to be emphasized. The solutions need to be determined locally. What works in one 

department or company may not work in the one 2 miles down the road. This manual 

has included a variety of points so alternatives can be considered and used as they work 

in the local area. However, it basically all starts at the top with good, effective leadership. 

If the administrators at the top do not know their personnel, their needs, and how to 

manage the human aspects of the department, there will be recruitment and retention 

problems. Consider financial incentives, duty shifts, how training is delivered, and 

alternative fundraising efforts among the other possibilities of making volunteering more 

palatable. Active departments have fewer problems. If the number of calls is not enough to 

maintain interest, an active training program is necessary. Most volunteers are “hands-on” 

type people and like to be doing something that leads to a purpose. And finally, whatever 

transpires within the department must be ethical, impartial, and fair to all. Favoritism, 

cliques, and dictatorships not only will destroy the department, they also will stop 

recruitment and enhance membership decline. 

The volunteer emergency services are an extremely valuable national resource, saving 

taxpayers billions of dollars annually. They are the backbone and spirit of many smaller 

communities. To maintain these longstanding traditions of volunteering, it is necessary to 

address the volunteers’ basic needs--to have a sense of belonging, to assume responsibility, 

to have self-respect, to achieve goals, to be challenged, to be recognized, to grow and 

develop, to have fun and enjoy life--and when the time demands of volunteering are 

managed properly, recruitment and retention will be less of a problem. 

ONE

In 2004, Pennsylvania experienced 17 line-of-duty deaths, the most of any State in the 

country. At the same time, Pennsylvania has two-thirds fewer firefighters than it did 30 

years ago. Many have questioned if the lower number of members have been a cause for 

some of the deaths. Chief Fred Bales of the Greenfield Township Fire Department has stated 

that fewer personnel on the fireground can force firefighters to do the work of two or more 

people in emergency situations. Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner Ed Mann reports that 9 of 

the 17 deaths were caused by heart attacks. He further commented that it is possible some 

of those nine were working too hard to make up for a lack of firefighters.

The following comments are taken from the recently complete SR 60 Report for the State 

Legislature:
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

“The drop in the ranks of our volunteer emergency services force can be directly attributed 

to the fact that (in addition to fighting fires and responding to every other imaginable 

emergency around the clock), our volunteer emergency service responders are often 

the same individuals who must raise the funds necessary for their own training and a 

significant portion of their equipment, provide emergency service organization support 

and administrative services and maintain equipment and facilities. Taken together, the many 

tasks performed by a decreasing number of volunteers only exacerbates the problem and 

overwhelms those who remain active.

“The case for Pennsylvania playing a larger role in helping to maintain the viability of our 

volunteer emergency service organizations can easily be made in terms of both public 

safety and dollars and cents. According to a 2001 Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services 

Institute Study, the value of the service that our volunteers provide is estimated at $6 

billion.

“If we lose our volunteer fire companies and volunteer firefighters, the added taxpayer cost 

for firefighter salaries and benefits alone is estimated at a conservative $6 billion annually.

“According to a survey of fire chiefs jointly undertaken by the Center for Rural 

Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute (2001), 77 

percent of fire chiefs responding identified recruiting new members and retaining current 

members as the two most pressing issues their companies face. More than 70 percent of 

the fire chiefs responding also said that the State should play a more active role in helping 

companies recruit and retain members.

“The Commission recommends that the General Assembly act as expeditiously as possible 

to enact a series of incentives to stem the decline in emergency service volunteerism, to 

help retain the dedicated volunteers we still have and to attract the next generation of 

recruits in the proud neighbor-helping-neighbor tradition of our volunteer emergency 

service organizations.” 

Operational --Benefits/Incentives:

•tax credits;

• business tax credit for supporting volunteer 

fire/EMS;

•service longevity program;

• educational benefits;

• provide health-care benefit opportunity;

• create a permissible benefits spending program;

• waive reporting/fee requirements; and
7 conclusion

• other types of benefit programs:

- home mortgages at lower rates, and

- credit union.

Three interesting recommendations that have been made follow:

BuSINESS TAx CREDIT FOR SuPPORTINg VOLuNTEER FIRE/EMS STAFF 

Issue --One of the most pressing problems we face in our communities is the decline in the 

ranks of our emergency volunteers. Benefits that directly affect volunteers are most visible 

and positively affect those volunteers. Providing a tax credit to businesses that permit 

volunteers on their staff to respond to calls or attend training during working hours would 

provide additional support to our volunteer system of emergency response. 

Problem Statement --Legislation is needed to provide incentives to retain dedicated 

volunteers we already have and to attract the next generation of volunteers. 

Resolution --This is one of several incentives designed to support volunteerism. Legislation 

needs to be drafted. There is a cost associated with this; however, projections can be made 

only after the type and extent of tax credit is defined. 

CREATE A PERMISSIBLE BENEFITS SPENDINg PROgRAM

Issue --Create the opportunity for a “Permissible Benefits Spending Program” that brings 

value to the members of the organization. 

Problem Statement --Benefits are only of value if they mean something to an individual. 

What benefits an 18-year-old, probably will not be perceived the same by a 35-year-old 

with two children, or a 60-year-old, 35-year veteran. Each organization must develop its 

own benefit system.

Resolution --Funding systems should encourage organizations who inventory on a 

periodic basis what members seek in benefits and provide more funding to those who 

have a defined plan to recruit and retain members. This can be made part of Act 84 

Reform to permit up to $575 per person in a “qualified plan.” Other initiatives may 

be made part of this, such as participation in a credit union and the development of a 

reduced-rate home mortgage.

PROVIDE HEALTH-CARE BENEFIT PROgRAM OPPORTuNITy

Issue --One of the most pressing problems we face in our communities is the decline in the 

ranks of our emergency volunteers. Benefits that directly affect volunteers are most visible 

and affect those volunteers. One such program would be to establish the opportunity for 

volunteer and nonprofit firefighters and EMS personnel who are in need of health-care 

insurance to participate in the State’s health-care program. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

Problem Statement --Volunteers receive no salary or benefits for their contribution to 

the State, saving a projected “billions” in tax dollars annually. Many such fire and EMS 

volunteers leave who are young or are self-employed, and have no opportunity for group 

health-care coverage. The State provides a health-care program for its employees. Volunteer 

fire and EMS personnel, although technically providing services to the State and local 

communities cannot participate in the program, even if they pay for it themselves. 

Resolution --Develop and pass legislation to provide the opportunity for volunteer and 

nonprofit fire and EMS personnel (including family benefits) who are in need of healthcare insurance to obtain it through the State’s health-care system. The individuals could 

fund this themselves, or Act 84 monies could be used to provide some of the benefit to the 

volunteer. (This would require modification to Act 84 as well.)

However, Commissioner Mann may have summoned it up best when he said the 

firefighting culture needs to change, and more people need to volunteer. “The culture of 

the fire service is that we care so much about others that we neglect to care for ourselves. 

And that’s something that has to change.”

The entire report can be found on the Web at: www.pfesi.org

Additional comments from Pennsylvania:

“The public may not understand why it takes us 15 minutes longer to respond to a call 

because there isn’t enough manpower,” Mr. Mann said. “They also don’t understand why 

there’s 12 apparatus with three people on each at one scene, so we have the necessary crew 

on a call.” 

Mr. Mann also spoke on the importance of re-evaluating the distribution of State funds, 

working jointly to obtain grants and to open communication with local government 

leaders and the public. 

“How many out there are spending more time raising money than anything else?” Mr. 

Mann asked. “Chances are you’re not getting enough appropriations from your local 

government.”
I

• Appendix A: Retention and Recruitment Project Survey by the 

Public Safety Institute at St. Joseph’s University

• Appendix B: Department of Labor Statistics for Not Volunteering in 

2004

• Appendix C: Department of Labor Statistics on How People Became 

Involved in Volunteering in 2004

• Appendix D: Fire Corps

• Appendix E: Officer Promotional Process and Evaluation Forms

• Appendix F: Sample Fire Department Annual Report

• Appendix G: References

• Appendix H: Examples of Modular Training Programs

• Appendix I: Examples Received from the Field
appendices
1

A

C

This Retention and Recruitment Project was developed under the direction of the National 

Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), VFIS, and the Public Safety Institute at Saint Joseph’s 

University in Philadelphia. 

The project was designed to survey the volunteer emergency service community addressing 

three issues relative to recruitment and retention: 

•What Makes Members Want to Volunteer?

•What Keeps Volunteers Serving?

•What Makes your Members Leave Your Organization?

All respondents were asked to check applicable factors. They were also asked to rank the 

highest three factors, assigning a number from one to three to represent the three factors 

having the greatest impact related to the topic. 

Although all surveys were completed and all surveys identified relevant factors, not all 

responses rated the highest three impact factors. Charted data reflects the top total number 

of responses for each factor. The second set of data reflects the frequency with which each 

factor was rated as #1, #2, or #3 in terms of significant impact.

This report will look at the most significant factors relative to each of the three questions 

and, in addition, will include the data for each of the three questions. This report will also 

address several broad issues related to recruitment and retention, followed by comments 

about several factors that were ranked high in the responses.

RECRUITMENT

Factors with a high rate of response that were identified as reasons that “Make Members 

Want To Volunteer” include ‘response to emergencies’ (ranked #1), ‘helping neighbors’ 

(#2), ‘family tradition’ (#3), and ‘social opportunities’ (#5). 

These factors are truly altruistic and are a large part of the cornerstone of the volunteer fire 

service. The fire service is a natural place for people to serve their local community.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 77

Survey responses indicate that the number #4 factor in this questionnaire was ‘being part 

of a team.’ Teamwork is essential to a successful fire company operation and its importance 

appears recognized by survey respondents. 

Ironically, in responses related to “What Makes Members Leave Your Organization,” 

management related issues (‘conflict in organization’, ‘organizational leadership creates 

adverse atmosphere,’ etc.) were identified as significant factors.

It would appear that these issues could be addressed and improved upon with strong 

leadership. The officer corps must realize the value of positive reinforcement for individual 

members and they must understand that constant criticism will tend to drive people from 

the organization. A healthy organizational climate is one that constructively addresses issues 

that need correcting but also enthusiastically recognizes the positive contributions by 

individual members.

RETENTION

Financial issues (‘State/local tax credits,’ ‘length of service award,’ ‘tuition credit/ 

reduction’) ranked as the top three factors under “What Keeps Volunteers Serving.” 

Although financial incentives can help individual members offset personal financial costs, 

the ability to provide this type of remuneration will vary from community to community.

In addition, social aspects (‘friends/families also members’) and personal satisfaction 

(‘praise’) were high-rated factors. 

When looking closer at “What Makes Members Leave the Organization,” management related 

issues ranked high in the responses. The number 1 cause for people leaving the organization 

is ‘No Time to Volunteer.’ There is not much a fire company can do to solve this.

But four of the next six responses were related to conflict within the organization and 

management related issues. (Conflicts in organization (47.8%), Organization leadership 

created adverse atmosphere (46.7%), Attitude of existing personnel to newcomers 

(39.1%), Criticism received from officers/older members (38.0%)).

It seems that these factors can be changed with training, discussion and a strong will to 

address the company’s shortcomings. 
78 aPPendiX a: Retention and Recruitment Project Study

What maKes Your members leaVe Your organization?

No time to volunteer: (92.3%)

This was the #1 reason identified by the survey. With personal and family demands, 

this reason is easily understood. From a management perspective, there is not much the 

organization can do to address this issue.

Conflicts in organization: (47.8%)

Almost half of the respondents identified this as an issue within their organization. 

Managing conflicts among firefighters can be an exhaustive, time-consuming, gutwrenching process. This issue may be easier to manage in career departments because 

of a more autocratic structure and a clear-cut disciplinary process that is supported by a 

municipal government. 

However, this issue can cause good, productive people to leave the organization. There may 

be a mindset that since people are volunteering their time, we can’t be too demanding or 

they will no longer volunteer for the company. 

How do we solve this issue? It is essential to convince individual members that “What is in 

the best interest of the fire company” should be paramount for the common good of the 

organization. Open dialogue, with a goal of conflict resolution is a must if there is to be a 

positive climate within your company. A positive climate is essential if members are to have 

pride in their company and feel a sense of satisfaction.

Recognizing this as an issue is the first step in creating 

a more positive atmosphere. Although there may be a 

mindset to accept any and all individual members due 

to the pressures of maintaining membership, perhaps 

consideration should be given to asking individuals who 

are consistently creating problems to leave the organization. 

Organizational leadership creates adversity: (46.7%)

Almost half of the respondents identified this as a factor 

within their organization. Ineffective leadership and/or 

weak leadership have consistently been identified as issues 

that limit the effectiveness of organizations in all walks of 

life.

However, unique to many volunteer/combination fire 

companies is the fact that members vote for some or even all 

of their officer corps. Problematic for any fire company is a 

close vote for the chief’s position or for the officer corps.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 79

The solution may be to encourage tomorrow’s leaders within the company to pursue 

education and training programs that will help build leadership skills. Understand that 

there may also be a feeling among some members that education is not needed. 

Mentoring can also be a helpful tool. It may help a new member transition into the 

organization and may guide him through the early phases of his adjustment in the company.

If there is an adversarial climate within the company, recognizing and accepting the fact 

that an adversarial climate exists may be the biggest problem standing in the way of 

resolving the issue.

Too much training: (45.6%)

This is a difficult issue to address because of the concerns we have related to the need for 

training and the safety of our members. 

If the volume of training is too much in terms of the amount of time necessary to fulfill 

minimum training requirements, there probably is not too much that can be done to 

reduce this without compromising fireground safety or fire company efficiency.

However, if the quality of training programs is contributing to the problem, this can 

possibly be addressed with more effective planning and preparation of training sessions 

and subject matter to be covered. 

Attitude of existing personnel to newcomers: (39.1%)

Criticism received from officers/older members: (38.0%)

Do these two issues go to the heart of establishing an environment which is conducive 

to a new member joining the ranks? This is clearly an issue where the leadership of the 

company has to set an environment to welcome new members and encourage their 

participation in fire company business.

Also cited was a lack of camaraderie (19.5%) which may have a connection with the 

environment in the company. 

Leadership has to sit down with the membership and set some basic ground rules if the 

volunteer fire service is to survive. Encouraging new members to become involved in the 

day-to-day activities of a company is essential. Team building is critical to the effectiveness 

of a fire company, not only in terms of sustaining membership but also in terms of 

effectively operating at the scene of an emergency. The lack of fire activity can compound 

the challenge.
80 aPPendiX a: Retention and Recruitment Project Study

Teaching new members about the traditions of the fire service provides them with an 

appreciation of our history and the contributions that have been made to society in general, 

as well as our local communities. But if new members feel a sense that they will not be 

included in this tradition, they will not stay in the company. It may take time for some 

individuals to learn and understand the traditions of the fire service and grasp the notion 

of individual service to the community. This may also be very evident when a new member 

does not have a relative who was part of the fire service. 

Testing an individual’s commitment to these traditions and one’s understanding of the 

history too frequently can be felt as harassment or a lack of acceptance on the part of a new 

member. A strong mentoring program may be able to solve some of these problems. Those 

selected as mentors must not only have the maturity to be able to help new members, but 

must also be able to relate to the new member’s experience of joining the organization. 

What KeePs Volunteers serVing?

State and local tax credits: (77.1%)

When considering the cost savings that volunteer fire companies have yielded to their 

communities combined with escalating taxes, it is easily understood how individuals have 

identified this as an issue that should be addressed. Members can easily recognize the 

significant cost that a municipality would have to fund if the local fire company were not 

staffed by volunteers. This funding would put tremendous pressure on budgets. 

It is interesting that this has been identified as the number one factor in terms of what 

would keep volunteers serving. Providing financial considerations appears to be a common 

factor that may ease financial demands on individual members and thus result in continued 

availability or greater participation and involvement. 

Length of service award from fire company/municipality

(similar to retirement annuity): (63.0%)

When considering the amount of time that individual members invest in their fire 

company, combined with financial concerns that people have when contemplating their 

retirement years, this seems to be an option that should be evaluated. Developing a prorated system based on a minimum amount of service and tied to total years of service 

seems to be recognized as an item for consideration. 

Tuition reduction: (59.7%)

Access to group health insurance programs: (45.6%)

Group rates for auto and home insurance: (39.1%)
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 181

Access to group dental insurance programs: (32.6%)

Although these four issues are different, the commonality is that they all have significant 

impact on an individual’s personal finances. Logically, if a member has to work additional 

hours or even a second job to make ends meet, having a benefit that covers one or some 

combination of these expenses would relieve some of the pressure and potentially permit 

the individual member to be more involved with the fire company. 

Regular purchase of apparatus: (53.2%)

In terms of all responses, this was identified as the fourth highest. This provides an 

interesting insight in that the “regular purchase of apparatus” goes directly to an individual 

member’s ability to provide service to their community. If the vehicles are older and 

unreliable, the fire company and the individual members cannot provide adequate service 

to the people in their community. 

The other responses in this section (what keeps volunteers serving?) revolved around 

individual financial remuneration of some type. This issue of serviceable apparatus has no 

connection to any personal financial benefit and is clearly reflective of the service-minded, 

unselfish individuals who have responded to this survey. 

Friends/Families also members (fraternalizing): (52.1%)

Frequent social activities: (41.3%)

Social activities and camaraderie have been identified as having a positive impact in various 

types of organizations. Traditional management theory has identified and recognized 

the benefit that social connections can reap for an organization. Combined with the 

community-based service mission of the fire service, individuals will get a great deal of 

satisfaction from their service, especially if it is in an organization where there are personal 

and social connections. 

This can combine to provide an environment where individuals will feel a great deal of 

satisfaction from their participation in the fire service.

Praise: (44.5%)

People like to receive recognition for their work and contribution to the organization. 

Perhaps with the fast-paced lives and personal demands placed on people today, there is a 

failure to recognize and acknowledge the contributions that individuals make. Individual 

praise is closely associated with a person’s feeling of satisfaction towards the organization 

they serve. 

We also see in the survey that a percentage of people have identified “Feel taken advantage 

of” (11.9%) as a reason why members leave the organization. This is a facet that can be 

easily corrected with some attention by fire company management.
8 aPPendiX a: Retention and Recruitment Project Study

Cash per call responded to: (41.3%)

This issue raises some interesting responses in discussions with volunteer firefighters. 

Obviously with 41% of the respondents indicating that this issue would encourage people 

to keep volunteering, it must be considered and evaluated.

In discussions with some volunteer firefighters, they felt that getting paid to respond to 

calls was completely contrary to the concept of being a volunteer firefighter.

However, a more plausible way to look at this issue may be that cash compensation for 

responses will offset any personal financial loss or cost that an individual member would 

incur. In any event, it would seem that any financial compensation would be little more 

than a token gesture, certainly not commensurate with any pay scale that would be in place 

for comparable full-time coverage by a career department.

What maKes members Want to Volunteer?

Response to emergencies: (83.6%)

Not surprisingly, this ranked #1 in reasons why people volunteer to join the fire service. 

People who want to do service through volunteering can join a variety of organizations. 

However, what makes the fire service unique compared to other volunteer organizations is 

the fact that firefighters assist people who need help during an emergency. So it would be 

logical that the cornerstone of the fire service (helping our local community) was ranked 

as the #1 reason for people volunteering.

Family tradition: (61.9%)

Family tradition in the fire service has helped with recruiting 

members. The potential “next generation” of firefighters has 

witnessed first hand just how rewarding service to the fire 

company can be. Through family involvement, children and 

adolescents recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of the 

fire service. Camaraderie, social contacts, teamwork and the 

excitement of responding to emergencies as well as helping 

people can all be attractive for adolescents joining their local fire 

company.

Family tradition can provide a good foundation for recruiting. 

However, it must also be realized that the future of the volunteer 

fire service cannot solely rely on offspring of current members. 

There must be a strategy to appeal to other adolescents who would be willing to consider the 

fire service.

 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 8

Be part of a team: (55.4)

It is interesting that individuals find “being part of a team” an appealing part of the 

volunteer fire service. The lack of camaraderie (19.5%), conflicts in the organization 

(47.8%), and adversarial leadership style (46.7%) were identified as three reasons why 

people leave the volunteer fire service. 

Before joining a volunteer fire company, people envision that teamwork and camaraderie 

must be part of the culture in order for the organization to function as a well-oiled 

machine. Yet after they join, the atmosphere in the fire company does not encourage them 

to stay.

The recognition, value and appreciation of “teamwork” must be constantly integrated with 

fire company activities. This is the challenge for management.

Social opportunities: (48.9%)

Need for affiliation: (29.3%)

People recognize and value the social opportunities afforded by one’s affiliation with a 

fire company. It would seem that social opportunities are easily scheduled and afforded to 

members within most volunteer fire companies. Recognizing the “need for affiliation” by 

members goes hand-in-hand with individuals wanting to be part of a team. Fostering a 

“team atmosphere” would seem to be extremely important.

Helping neighbors: (81.5%)

Feel needed: (41.3%)

The unselfish willingness to serve by members of the volunteer fire service is reflected in 

these two responses.

Recognizing that they can make a difference within their local community is a catalyst for 

joining and serving their company. 

Career development: (42.3%)

Personal skill and knowledge development: (39.1%)

It would appear that some individuals believe serving in a volunteer fire company can be 

a springboard to a career in the fire service. As some volunteer departments are becoming 

combination departments, having an individual who has volunteer background can be 

very beneficial to the combination department. Volunteers becoming career members 

of a combination department can appreciate and respect the value that the volunteers 

give to their department. Likewise, the combination department will reap the benefit of 

an individual who is already trained, who has experience and who is familiar with the 

firehouse culture. 
84 aPPendiX b: Department of Labor Statistics for Not Volunteering in 2004

400g in 2inreetnulot Vor Nos fcitsitatr Sobaf Lt onemtrape D:bX idnePPa

gNIREETNuLOV TON ROF NOSAER NIAM FO NOITuBIRTSID TNECREP

no longer 

family no longer moved, required not reporting burnout not health or characteristics total responsibilities lack of no one a member wasn’t lack of info not reason total enjoyable medical other in Sept. 2005 (thousands)1 or childcare time asked of the interested transportation relevant to for not Previously Problem Problems organization or expense2 current life Volunteering

Situation

Sexboth 37,677 100.0 2.0 9.3 15.2 45.6 2.9 1.9 3.9 3.9 4.9 9.0 1.3

men 16,640 100.0 2.0 5.4 11.5 50.9 3.5 2.0 4.8 3.8 4.9 9.8 1.3women 21,037 100.0 2.0 12.4 18.1 41.3 2.5 1.8 3.3 3.9 4.9 8.4 1.4

agetotal 37,677 100.0 2.0 9.3 15.2 45.6 2.9 1.9 3.9 3.9 4.9 9.0 1.3

16 - 24 4,569 100.0 0.7 4.5 0.8 64.5 3.1 2.1 4.5 5.8 2.2 9.6 2.0

16 - 19 1,345 100.0 1.5 3.2 0.7 57.5 4.6 3.4 6.2 7.9 3.2 9.2 2.7

20 - 24 3,224 100.0 0.4 5.1 0.8 67.5 2.5 1.6 3.7 4.9 1.8 9.8 1.8

25 + 33,108 100.0 2.2 10.0 17.2 42.9 2.9 1.8 3.8 3.6 5.3 8.9 1.3

25 - 34 6,020 100.0 1.1 14.3 2.2 59.0 2.8 1.5 2.6 4.7 1.9 8.4 1.4

35 - 44 6,236 100.0 1.9 12.7 5.2 57.0 3.3 2.0 2.4 3.2 4.3 7.2 0.845 - 54 7,163 100.0 1.8 8.2 9.8 52.4 3.0 2.2 3.1 3.9 6.3 7.7 1.555 - 64 5,992 100.0 3.0 9.5 15.8 40.0 2.9 2.3 5.5 3.3 6.6 9.6 1.5

65 + 7,696 100.0 3.1 6.5 46.5 12.4 2.5 1.3 5.4 3.1 6.7 11.5 1.1

race /ethnicitywhite 32,446 100.0 2.0 9.2 15.4 45.5 2.9 1.8 4.0 3.7 5.2 9.1 1.3black or africanamerican 3,199w 100.0 3.0 10.1 16.9 42.1 3.5 2.1 4.2 4.4 2.9 8.6 2.3asian 1,157 100.0 0.6 11.4 7.6 57.3 1.5 1.5 1.6 5.1 3.4 8.4 1.7hispanic or 2,704 100.0 1.6 11.0 9.8 47.6 4.4 3.2 3.6 5.9 3.9 7.5 1.4latinoeDucation3less than high 2,975 100.0 1.6 9.5 39.7 20.3 3.5 1.9 3.2 4.0 5.3 9.7 1.3

School Diploma

high School 9,677 100.0 2.6 9.4 21.9 35.1 3.4 2.5 4.4 3.3 7.1 9.2 1.1

graduate, no college4
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 185 September 2004 acteristics, y selected char ed in the past b olunteer ho had v olunteers w y non-vted beporear as r olunteering last y eason for not v Main r able 7.

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Less than a 10,087 100.0 2.5 10.1 15.0 45.0 3.1 1.7 4.2 3.8 4.9 8.5 1.2Bachelor’s Degree5MaritaL StatuSSingle, 8,896 100.0 1.4 5.0 5.4 60.1 3.6 1.8 4.6 4.9 2.4 8.8 2.1Never Married

Married Spouse 20,010 100.0 1.9 11.9 13.2 45.1 2.8 2.0 3.9 3.2 6.1 8.7 1.2PresentOther Marital 8,772 100.0 2.9 7.9 29.7 31.7 2.7 1.6 3.3 4.5 4.6 10.1 0.9

Status6

PreSeNce Of OwN chiLDreN uNDer 18 yearS7Men: without 13,095 100.0 2.2 3.5 13.6 48.2 3.7 1.9 5.5 4.1 5.4 10.4 1.4Men: with 3,545 100.0 1.5 12.3 3.8 61.0 2.6 2.4 2.0 2.7 3.1 7.5 1.0women: without 15,941 100.0 2.3 7.6 22.5 40.0 2.5 1.8 3.7 4.2 5.3 8.8 1.4women: with 5,097 100.0 1.2 27.4 4.4 45.3 2.4 1.8 1.8 3.2 3.7 7.4 1.3eMPLOyMeNt StatuScivilian Labor 25,258 100.0 1.9 8.7 3.3 59.6 3.0 1.9 3.4 3.6 4.6 8.5 1.4force (cLf)employed in cLf 24,016 100.0 2.0 8.5 3.2 60.7 2.9 1.9 3.3 3.4 4.6 8.3 1.4

full time in cLf8 19,761 100.0 1.8 7.9 2.5 63.6 2.8 1.9 2.8 3.4 4.5 7.7 1.2

Part time cLf9 4,254 100.0 2.7 11.7 6.4 47.2 3.4 1.7 5.4 3.6 4.9 11.0 2.0

unemployed cLf 1,242 100.0 1.1 11.6 4.8 38.7 5.4 3.8 6.0 8.2 5.3 13.8 1.3

Not in Labor 12,420 100.0 2.3 10.6 39.5 17.0 2.7 1.7 5.0 4.4 5.5 10.1 1.3

force
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Total 

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SexBoth 65,357 100.0 40.3 42.8 1.5 14.1 25.9 1.2 14.5 2.4Men 27,370 100.0 39.1 43.8 1.5 15.4 25.6 1.1 14.5 2.6Women 37,987 100.0 41.1 42.1 1.4 13.2 26.1 1.3 14.5 2.2AgeTotal 65,357 100.0 40.3 42.8 1.5 14.1 25.9 1.2 14.5 2.4

16 - 24 8,955 100.0 39.6 40.6 1.3 16.5 21.1 1.6 16.7 3.1

16 - 19 5,000 100.0 40.0 40.0 0.5 14.8 23.1 1.4 16.7 3.320 - 24 3,956 100.0 39.0 41.5 2.3 18.7 18.4 1.8 16.7 2.925 + 56,401 100.0 40.4 43.2 1.5 13.7 26.7 1.1 14.2 2.2

25 - 34 9,881 100.0 39.4 44.9 2.6 15.3 25.5 1.4 13.8 1.9

35 - 44 14,809 100.0 40.2 43.3 1.5 13.3 27.5 0.9 14.5 2.0

45 - 54 13,826 100.0 40.2 43.7 1.6 12.8 28.0 1.0 13.9 2.2

55 - 64 9,173 100.0 40.6 42.4 1.2 14.1 25.8 1.1 14.5 2.665 + 8,712 100.0 42.1 41.0 0.4 13.7 25.2 1.6 14.2 2.7

Race /EthnicityWhite 56,170 100.0 40.3 43.5 1.5 14.4 26.3 1.2 14.2 2.1Black or 

AfricanAmerican 5,879 100.0 38.2 39.4 1.5 13.0 23.6 1.3 17.9 4.4

Asian 2,055 100.0 47.0 34.0 1.6 10.8 20.5 0.9 14.4 4.6Hispanic or Latino 4,511 100.0 40.2 43.7 1.9 14.9 24.7 1.8 13.7 2.4Education3Less than 

High School Diploma 2,837 100.0 40.1 45.0 0.7 15.6 26.6 1.8 12.4 2.5

High School 

Graduate, No 

College4

12,594 100.0 39.1 44.3 1.3 15.0 26.7 1.2 14.5 2.1

Less than a 

Bachelor’s Degree5 16,452 100.0 39.6 43.3 1.5 14.1 262 1.2 14.9 2.1

College 

Graduate 24,517 100.0 41.7 42.3 1.7 12.6 26.9 0.9 13.7 2.4

8 aPPendiX c: How People Became Involved in Volunteering in 2004
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 87

marital StatuSSingle, never married 14,445 100.0 39.7 40.4 1.6 16.6 20.4 1.6 16.4 3.5married Spouse Present 40,611 100.0 40.6 43.8 1.3 13.0 28.3 1.3 13.7 1.9

other marital Status6 10,301 100.0 40.1 42.5 1.9 15.1 23.9 1.5 14.9 2.5

PreSence of own chilDren unDer 18 yearS7

men: without 17,618 100.0 38.8 43.3 1.5 16.8 23.5 1.2 14.8 3.1men: with 9,752 100.0 39.7 44.8 1.4 13.0 29.3 0.8 13.9 1.6

women: without 23,439 100.0 42.0 40.3 1.7 14.8 22.3 1.4 15.0 2.7

women: with 14,547 100.0 39.7 45.0 1.1 10.5 32.2 1.1 13.8 1.4emPloyment StatuScivilian labor force (clf) 46,872 100.0 39.5 43.8 1.9 14.6 26.0 1.1 14.5 2.2employed in clf 44,894 100.0 39.6 43.7 2.0 14.5 26.0 1.0 14.5 2.2full time in clf8 35,225 100.0 39.0 44.1 2.3 15.0 25.7 0.9 14.6 2.3

Part time clf9 9,669 100.0 41.8 42.3 0.8 12.7 27.3 1.4 14.0 1.9

unemployed clf 1,978 100.0 38.6 44.2 0.4 15.8 25.7 2.0 15.6 1.6

not in labor force 18,485 100.0 42.3 40.5 0.3 13.0 25.6 1.5 14.5 2.8

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1

A

FIRE CORPS: CITIzEN SuPPORT FOR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS 

By Sarah Lee, Director, Fire Corps 

National Volunteer Fire Council

I

n today’s world of increasing call volumes, new and complex threats, and the training 

required to respond to them, many fire departments of all types and sizes are asking one 

common question; how do we handle the day in, day out administrative and support tasks 

while providing for the public education needs of the community with the people we have 

under these new conditions? One answer is Fire Corps. 

Launched in December 2004, Fire Corps is a program partner of Citizen Corps, President 

George W. Bush’s grassroots effort to involve everyone in making communities across 

America safer, stronger and better prepared for emergencies of any kind. Citizen Corps is a 

component of USA Freedom Corps, the President’s initiative to encourage volunteer service 

and to promote a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. 

What is Fire Corps?

Fire Corps itself is a partnership between the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ 

Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (IAFC/VCOS), the International Association 

of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), and the U.S. Fire 

Administration (USFA). Its mission is to help career, volunteer and combination fire 

departments supplement existing providers by recruiting “citizen advocates.”

In addition to the partners, Fire Corps has a National Advisory Committee made up of 

15 public safety organizations. The National Advisory Committees role is to provide 

strategic direction and to help promote the program. Providing feedback from the fire 

and emergency service providers as to what is and is not working, along with letting the 

departments know about the program and its benefits is a critical part of the process of 

building Fire Corps. 

How does it work?

It is well known that a large number of fire and EMS departments already have community 

outreach or administrative volunteers in their organizations. While the concept is not new, 

the national campaign along with the resources being made available is. Fire Corps will 

help fire departments expand programs they already have in place or assist in creating 

new programs. This will be accomplished through the provision of resources such as 

marketing materials, resource guides, a national database for listing departments, and peer 

connections to exchange ideas and ask questions of other Fire Corps programs. 
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 89

The centerpiece of the program is the Fire Corps web site, www.firecorps.org. From the 

website, fire departments can register and be listed as having Fire Corps programs, find 

other programs in their area to observe, obtain or request all of the Fire Corps resources, 

and sign up for peer connection opportunities. All municipal or non-profit fire and EMS 

departments and affiliated groups are eligible to register with Fire Corps. Through the same 

site, citizens can search for registered programs to join, thus making the important first 

connection between the departments and the citizens they seek. 

Who is a citizen advocate? 

But who are these “citizen advocates” and what can they do for a fire or EMS department? 

A citizen advocate is a member of the public who assists a department or organization in 

some non-operational or support role. While each program is different and customized to 

fit the needs of an individual department, the goal of Fire Corps is to involve people of all 

ages, backgrounds, talents, without regard to any disabilities. In addition to the obvious 

benefit of the labor provided by the citizens, there is the additional benefit of learning 

about each other. The public at large does not have a clear picture of what goes on in the 

fire and EMS services, and some things that are taken for granted by the providers seem 

confusing to the public. At the same time, with the increasing demands placed on training 

for more complex incidents, the emergency services do not always have the opportunity to 

know the community they serve as well as they would like. Fire Corps is intended to give 

the departments and the community a link to each other to help in educating both groups 

about the needs of the other. 

What can a citizen advocate do?

The possible roles of a citizen advocate in a fire or EMS department are almost endless. 

If it is not directly fighting fires or saving lives then it is a role they can perform. Some 

examples include but are not limited to administrative functions, life safety education, 

fund-raising, canteen services, public relations, and grant writing. 

We are only just beginning 

Fire Corps is an exciting new program with much potential to support the fire and EMS 

services and also expand the public education mission of departments across the United 

States. With Fire Corps goal to help supplement the front line providers in the fire and EMS 

services and provide a direct connection between departments and the communities they 

serve, both the departments and the public become better educated in a win-win for all 

involved. To learn more about Fire Corps please visit us at www.firecorps.org, or contact us 

at 202-887-4809. 
1

A

To: All Members

From:

Date:

Re: Promotional Examination

Any member may apply for and test for promotion. There are four parts to the promotional 

process. 

1. Application

2. Examination 

3. Performance Evaluation

4. Scoring

After all four parts are completed an individual score is assessed and a list is established 

for two years. The person who is number 1 on the list will receive the first opportunity for 

promotion within that rank tested for should a vacancy occur. The promotion list will be 

used for a maximum of two years or when the list of names is exhausted.

All applications must be completed in entirety and returned to headquarters by _________. 

The responsibility to provide accurate and complete data is the applicant. An incomplete 

application will automatically disqualify the applicant. The test will occur on __________w. 

The examination is comprised of multiple choice questions and is based upon the IFSTA 

Company Officer manual. To qualify for a position on the list the applicant must achieve 

a minimum score of 70%. The applicants will be notified of the examination results by 

__________. The final scores and position will be determined and applicants notified by 

__________.

*This is merely a sample
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

SAM

Name of Applicant ________________________________________________________

Years of Service with German Twp. Fire Dept. ___________________________________

Years of Service with another dept. ___________________________________________

State Firefighter Certification

_______ First Class _______ FF I _______ FF II _______ FF I/II

Master / Advanced Level Certification

______ Tactics and Strategy ______ Inspection ______ Investigation

______ Management ______ Hazmat Technician ______ Wildland

______ Special Rescue ______ Safety ______ Fire Officer I

______ Fire Officer II ______ Public Information ______ Instructor I

______ Instructor II ______ Instructor III ______ Instructor II/III

______ First Aid Instructor ______ Other

List Specialized Class where certificates were issued when a class was at least 8 hours in 

length and job related and attended within the last year.

Date of Class Title of Class Location of Class

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

EMS Certification

________ First Responder ________ EMT ________ Paramedic

Current Rank

________ Division Chief ________ Captain ________ Lieutenant

I certify that the information that I have provided above is truthful and accurate to the best 

of my ability.

________________________________________________________________________

Applicant Date

________________________________________________________________________

Rank 
Promotional Process

The person who qualifies for this promotion will be judged based upon the promotion 

process outlined below.

The exact functions that are assigned to the individual who is promoted will be assigned by 

the Fire Chief.

The person promoted to this position will be on probation for the first six months of 

tenure and will be evaluated formally on at least two occasions. There may one extension of 

probation for a period of three months.

Point sYstem

1 point

for each year of service up to a maximum of 5 points for prior service (1/2 point for each 

year of service with another department up to a maximum of 2 1/2 points)

1 point

for Firefighter level certification

2 points

for each earned Master or upper level certification

1 point

for each specialized class attended that are determined to be job related within the last year 

up to a maximum of 5 points

1 point

for First Responder certification

3 points

for EMT certification

1/2 point

for paramedic certification above EMT points

10 points

maximum for score on examination (1 point for each 10 grade points)

2 points

for current rank of Captain

1 point

for current rank of Lieutenant

10 points

maximum for evaluation by current officers

9 aPPendiX e: Officer Promotional Process and Evaluation Forms
Dear Applicant,

Here is your study material for the Lieutenant examination.

The examination will be based upon information contained within the following chapters:

Chapter 1 Assuming the Role of Company Officer

Chapter 2 Fire Department Structure

Chapter 3 Company Officer’s Legal Responsibilities and Liability

Chapter 4 The Company as a Group

Chapter 5 Leadership as a Group Influence

Chapter 6 Elements of Supervision and Management

Chapter 19 Incident Scene Management

Chapter 20 Sizeup and Incident Plans

Chapter 21 Action Plan Implementation

The exact number of questions will not be released prior to the examination. If you have 

any questions please contact me directly. I am the only one who can provide you with 

accurate answers about the promotional process.

GOOD LUCK!

A

The study material has been placed in your HQ’s mailbox on _____________________.

Your signature below along with the date and time indicates when you picked it up. This 

signed document should be returned to my HQ’s mailbox before __________ at 8:00 am 

to indicate that you have received, understand and read the above the instructions.

________________________________________________________________________

Signature

________________________________________________________________________

Date Time

Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9
1

A
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 95
9 aPPendiX f: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 97
98 aPPendiX f: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 99
00 aPPendiX f: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 0
0 aPPendiX f: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 0
04 aPPendiX f: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 05
206 Appendix F: Sample Fire Department Annual Report
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 07
2

A

Faugh, Robert, “Why We Are the Way We Are,” FASNY Training and Education Committee, 

2004

FASNY Recruitment and Retention Committee, “Report of the Recruitment and Retention 

Committee,” 132nd Annual Convention Committee Reports, FASNY, Melville, New York, 

2004

Jones, Dennis, “Pride of Purpose,” Sunrise Beach, MO, Fire Protection District, 2004

NY Office of Fire Prevention and Control, “Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later,” presentation at 

the 132nd Annual Conference of the FASNY, Melville, New York, August 19, 2004

VFIS, Recruitment and Retention, Training Course, York, PA, 2000

Weiss, “Attitudes Toward the Fire Service,” presentation at the 132nd Annual Conference of 

the FASNY, Melville, New York, August 19, 2004

Wilson, Franklin Woodrow II, Recruitment & Retention Of The Volunteer: The Missing Piece 

Of The Fire Service, Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, available on the NVFC website, August 15, 

2002
2

A
0 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 
 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 
4 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5
 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7
8 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9
0 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 
 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 
4 aPPendiX h: Examples of Modular Training Programs
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5
226 Appendix H: Examples of Modular Training Programs
22

A

G

Subject: Re: recruitment and retention

As you requested, I have a little information I can share:

1. Junior Firefighters--We allow 17 year olds to join as juniors--They train with us, 

meet with us, eat with us--They may not drive vehicles, nor can they enter a fire 

scene without a fire department member and under no circumstances may they 

enter a burning structure. At eighteen, they may join as a full member without a 

probationary period. We currently have two Juniors and two that have joined as 

full members. One decided not to join.

2. The State of Texas has a retirement program for volunteers that gives a retirement 

benefit after 15 years of membership. Our City pays this retirement benefit, 

which I’m sure you are familiar with, through the State Fire Fighters Pension. 

This has been a good tool to keep firefighters.

3. Our City provides workers compensation and it has been used. We stress this to 

potential members and it has been a factor in recruiting.

4. We send as many people as possible to Annual Municipal Fire School (13 this 

year) as possible. We also help with tuition and books for fire training, EMT 

classes, and the like.

Are we successful? Three years ago when I became chief, we had 21 members and 

three below thirty years of age. We currently have 44 on the books and 12 below 

thirty. Of course we have them coming and going, losing interest, moving, etc. but so 

far we have been gaining more than we are losing. I hope it continues.

Charles Bratcher, Fire Chief

Groesbeck Volunteer Fire Department

Groesbeck, Texas
8 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

I think one of the most attractive benefits for our volunteer emergency personnel is 

the insurance coverage we carry. 

We are working on an ESD and if that comes through we would like to add a 

good retirement program. We have also started giving awards every five years. Our 

recruiting could be improved and I would welcome any suggestions. 

We also have a contract (Memorandum of Understanding) which is an agreement 

that says newly trained emergency personnel will stay in the service at least two 

years or pay back the cost of training and other expenses on a graduated scale. (See 

Attachment)

It is a pleasure working with an organization as great as the Leon Springs Volunteer 

Fire Department.

If you have additional questions, please let me know.

Thank You.

Vern Hine

Board President

G
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

L

I, __________________________________________, taking into account the 

significant expenditure of membership funds allocated for my training as a Paramedic, 

do hereby promise to serve in that capacity for the Leon Springs Volunteer Fire 

Department. I will serve for a period of not less than two years starting from the date 

of final Paramedic course completion. I also agree to respond to not less than twenty 

percent (20%) of emergency calls per month.

If I withdraw by choice from the fire service prior to the term in this memorandum, 

I agree to reimburse the Leon Springs Volunteer Fire Department the full cost of my 

training minus 5 percent per month for each month I have served.

I also understand that if at the end of my training as a Paramedic and successful 

certification, I may qualify for reimbursement for tuition and other associated costs 

for my course work from the Leon Springs Volunteer Fire Department. 

___________________________________________________________________

Print Name

___________________________________________________________________

Signature Date
0 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

F

1. THE RIGHT TO BE TREATED AS A CO-WORKER--AND NOT JUST FREE HELP.

2. THE RIGHT TO SUITABLE ASSIGNMENT.

3. THE RIGHT TO KNOW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION--

POLICY, PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS.

4. THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES.

5. THE RIGHT TO QUALITY TRAINING.

6. THE RIGHT TO SOUND GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.

7. THE RIGHT TO PROPER WORKING CONDITIONS.

8. THE RIGHT TO A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT.

9. THE RIGHT TO PROMOTION AND A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES.

10. THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD; TO HAVE A PART IN THE PLANNING.

11. THE RIGHT TO RECOGNITION, THROUGH PROMOTION AND 

REWARD.

12. THE RIGHT TO DAY-TO-DAY EXPRESSION OF APPRECIATION BY THE 

MANAGEMENT OF THE DISTRICT.

___________________________________________________________________

Fire Chief

___________________________________________________________________

President of the Board

___________________________________________________________________

Firefighters Association President
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

O

Welcome... To the Fisher Ferry Volunteer Fire Department.

On behalf of the membership, we would like to thank you for your commitment to serve 

the community and this Fire Department. It is an admirable one.

“The essential mission of the Fisher Ferry Volunteer Fire Department is the prevention of 

fire and the protection of life and property by providing organization, trained manpower, 

equipment, warning, fire education, water and chemical defense, prevention measures, 

and fire suppression for the people within our Fire District and Service Area. Provide 

mutual aid if needed to any other organization for the purpose of fire suppression if 

officially requested. It is also our intention to, as time, equipment, and work force allow, 

to continuously endeavor to secure a better insurance rating for the area served by this 

department.”

Whether you have joined as a Fire Fighter, Operational Support Person or Junior Fire 

Fighter you will play a role in our essential mission. It is our hope that this document will 

answer some of the questions that you have for us as well as provide you with what the 

department expects of you.

Don’t worry. We aren’t going to send you on this journey alone. We have appointed a 

mentor (a current member) that will help you get to know us, as we get to know you. Your 

mentor is:

________________________________________________________________________

Name Home Phone

Your mentor may provide you with other means to contact them. Please feel free to ask 

them ANY question you have. Also, as Executive Board members, we serve at your leisure 

and welcome any questions that you have for us. Our home phone numbers are listed 

below.

Again, Welcome and Thank You for Volunteering.

________________________________________________________________________

Chief Assistant Chief 

________________________________________________________________________

Secretary Treasurer 

________________________________________________________________________

Board Member (1) Board Member (2) 
 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

If you have joined to be a Fire Fighter, the Fisher Ferry Volunteer By-Laws, Article II, 

Paragraph O states:

“O. New Fire Fighters

1. Must have back ground check.

2. Are on probation for 6 months.

3. Must meet county minimum standards within probationary period.

4. Must attend meetings, training, work days etc.

5. Must show up at fire scene for first three months to learn skills associated with fire 

ground support. These skills are, but are not limited to, proper fire ground conduct, 

learning pump operations, hose lay, truck to truck pumping, drafting, hose rolling 

and tank refill.

6. For the next 4 to 6 months will train in all areas of general firefighting, use of entry 

tools, etc.

7. Will not drive on emergency runs for first year.

8. For training purposes, after their six months probationary period has passed, may be 

allowed to drive on non emergency runs with a certified driver.”

Once your probationary period has been completed, By-Laws, Article II, Paragraph M states:

“M. Fire Fighters

1. Must make themselves available for training if at all possible.

2. Must maintain minimum certification as described in county and departmental SOP’s.

3. Must respond to fires if possible.

4. Must help maintain equipment and grounds.

5. On the job training of New Fire Fighters”

Specifics about responding, on scene activities and after incident activities are discussed 

in the Standard Operating Policies and Procedures. Some of these, as well as some of the 

items listed above will be covered by the Chief or Assistant Chief to ensure we all have a 

good understanding of our expectations.

If you have joined to be a Operational Support Person, the Fisher Ferry Volunteer By-Laws, 

Article II, Paragraph N states:

“N. Non-Fire Fighting members

1. Assist during fires with refreshment and food as deemed appropriate.

2. Assist with all non-fire fighting activities, inspections, fund raising, maintenance, 

renovation, etc.

3. Attend meetings.”

Not very specific are they? We didn’t think so either. Guidelines concerning support 

activities are in the process of being drawn up. We appreciate your patience.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 

If you have joined to be a Junior Fire Fighter, there isn’t any By-Law responsibilities placed 

upon you other than those of general membership. Your parents, along with the Jr. Fire 

Fighter Coordinators will explain the Guidelines that you must follow.

have they given you a tour of the station?

• Training Room/Kitchen/Bathroom

• Fire Station Calendar

• Office

• SCBA Room

• Apparatus Bay

• Attic/storage area

What about station #2 (lee rd.)?

did they show you where the mailboxes are?

• The secretary will assign one to you.

did they show you where we keep our maintenance records?

• Your mentor should also explain how to use trouble tickets.

• A Captain will go over the system in more detail later.

did they show you the trucks and show you where equipment is 

stored?

• Each compartment contains equipment for use on the fire scene.

• Due to differences in trucks, some things may not be in the same 

exact location. But most will be in the same general area.

• This is typical with not only our trucks, but also other county 

trucks.

• It is important that this equipment be kept in these locations and if 

removed, put back in their proper location.

• Hand tools and flashlights on the trucks are meant for Fire Scene 

use. If you need a tool or flashlight, use the ones available in the 

station.

did they explain how to borrow equipment from the station?

• There is a lot of equipment at the station that can be borrowed for 

personal use (not for personal profit).

• the chief or assistant chief are the only ones that can authorize 

the loaning of any equipment.

• If you want to borrow something off one of the trucks, talk to the 

Chief or Assistant Chief, something may be able to be worked out.

• One of these days, the Secretary will start a check out log and we 

can keep track of all the stuff we have and who has it.
4 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

Did they explain that you can use the Training Room for special 

events?

• We ask for these events to be alcohol free.

• We ask that a member be responsible for ensuring that the rules are 

followed and that the station has been cleaned up after the event.

• Schedule your event on the “Fire Station Calendar”, include your 

name and time of event. Since this is first come first serve, the first 

one on the calendar gets it. DO NOT erase someone else’s event.

• We ask that you respect when others are using the station.

• Make sure your visitors do not park in front of the fire truck bays.

• Keep children off the trucks without adult supervision.

• If there is adult supervision, make sure that they (and other adults) 

do not move any handles, switches, etc. or remove/relocate any 

equipment.

• Since there are other hazards in the apparatus bay and attic storage 

area, we ask that, adult supervision be provided if children are out 

there.

• Use any and all equipment as needed in the training room, just 

return it where you found it after use.

• For Scout groups or groups that are spending the night, have them 

bring their own towels and toiletries, including toilet paper.

• You may also want to turn off the radio speaker to the training room

• If you need some assistance for your event, let us know. We 

probably have a few members that would be glad to help.

Did they explain that you can use the first apparatus bay to work on 

your vehicle?

• The apparatus bay closest to the training room (where 309 resides) 

is the only bay authorized for private vehicle maintenance.

• Again, this is done on a first come, first serve basis.

• We have a used oil barrel and some catch pans. Don’t drain fluids 

down the drain.

• If you spill any fluids, you can use some oil dry off the trucks.

• There are also some tools available for everyone’s use. Do not take 

tools off the truck. And don’t bring station tools home with you 

unless you have asked to borrow them.

• Make sure your mentor or another knowledgeable individual shows 

you how to crank 309 so that you can move it.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5

We hope that by now you have met some of us. Just to make sure, we are going to 

provide you with a checklist so that you know who we are and this will also give you an 

opportunity to ask us any questions you may have. Your mentor will explain that at times 

it is difficult to round all these people up at once. Therefore, it is not a requirement that 

you complete this in the order listed. We ask that you remind your mentor and us, that you 

haven’t gotten this opportunity. Some of the people that you need to know are:

Who we are and what we do... our initials

ronnie richardson--chief

 As Chief, he is responsible for all of us as well as the department. If anything 

needs to be reported, this is one of two that we report to. 

Some of the things the Chief will discuss with you are:

• Zero-Tolerance Policy ______________

• Age Restrictions on Driving Emergency Vehicles ______________

• Certified Emergency Vehicle Driver qualifications ______________

• Your response, POV (privately owned vehicle) ______________

- You may have red and white lights on your vehicle at your expense. 

No Sirens!

• The super secret code to get in the front door ______________

• Use of Station Facilities (mentor tour guideline- Any Questions?) ______________

• Borrowing Department property/Equipment (mentor tour guideline--

Any Questions) ______________

In the absence of the chief, this will be done by the Assistant Chief .

steve crocker--assistant chief

As the title implies, he assists the Chief. If the Chief is absent, he oversees the 

business of the department. If something needs to be reported, and you can’t 

reach the Chief, this is the other person that you report to. 

some of the things the assistant chief will discuss are:

• Acquisition, use and care of Personal Protective Equipment. Your mentor 

will assist with this also. Fill out the Turnout Sizing Chart on the next 

page and turn it into the Assistant Chief ______________

• Personal Protective equipment will be given to the most qualified 

(training certified) individuals first. ______________

- Additional equipment will then be given to other fire fighters. ______________

- Juniors Fire Fighters can then use any surplus. ______________

- From time to time, equipment may have to re-distributed to those that 

are more qualified or to new firefighters. In which case, you could be 

asked to return equipment that you have in your possession. We will 

do everything in our power to keep this from happening but we want 

you to be aware that it can happen. ______________
 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

Who we are and what we do... Our Initials

• Members are responsible for all equipment issued to them, and when 

their membership is terminated shall return all department property.

• Issue you a Department T-shirt.

• The department supplies you with one shirt. If you want an additional 

shirt, you may purchase one. If you tear up or lose the one the 

department gives you, you may purchase a replacement.

• Official Department Pocket T-shirt, Long-sleeve T-shirt, or sweat shirt can 

be ordered (price list not yet available), as requested.

______________

______________

______________

______________

• Communications equipment (radio and pager) and its proper uses.

• Radios are for Fire Department Business Only.

• If you encounter an accident and using your radio can expedite 

assistance, use it. Other wise, call dispatch at 631-8800, or 911 and 

report it. 

• If Fire tones go out, unless you are going for a truck (certified driver) 

stay off the radio. Go to the incident or go to the station. Dispatch keeps 

track of apparatus, not personnel.

• If you are first on scene report to Dispatch what you have. Protocol is 

“your number, Dispatch, state what you have found (or didn’t find)”

• If you have a problem with your pager, go to Ans-All (Doc’s) and ask 

Chris to fix it. We can’t fix pagers.

• Incident Command System

• Discipline policy of the department

______________

______________

______________

______________

______________

______________

______________

______________

Steve Johnson-‐Treasurer

He keeps up with our money. Most importantly, he makes sure the bills are 

paid and we have water, electricity and heat at the station and he keeps a 

record of it.

Aline Griffin-‐Secretary

Her duties include recording all business and board meeting minutes. 

Basically, she keeps all the other records of the department.

Cody McKellar-‐Board Member (1)

Shelton Raner-‐Board Member (2)

Board members are responsible for assisting with all general and specific 

departmental business, subject to the general membership.

Our Exceutive Board members are elected by the membership for two (2) years terms and 

each position has specific duties and responsibilities that are addressed in the department 

By-Laws is enclosed. Please read them and ask your mentor, or one of the board members 

any questions that you may have.
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 7

There are also some other people that you need to meet. Some of them have specific duties 

and responsibilities as outlined in the Department By-Laws, and others individuals have 

duties and responsibilities outlined in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or Standard 

Operating Guidelines (SOGs). 

Who we are and what we do... Our Initials

Captain-‐Mike Russell

Captains are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the “Fire” 

part of the Fire Department. ______________

Training Officer Captain-‐Aline Griffin

As well as the duties of a Captain, the Training Officer is tasked 

with maintaining an efficient, effective, and safe Fire Fighter Force, 

through training. ______________

Operation Support Coordinator--Vivian Raner

Non-Fire Fighter Support Personnel assist the fire department in dayto-day duties. As well as provide Support at Fire Scenes by providing 

Fire Fighters with rehabilitation, re-hydration, and first aid services. 

Support personnel also provide comfort to victims of incidents. ______________

Junior Fire Fighter Coordinators-‐Bobby and Rae Rufus

Jr. FF Coordinators oversee the training and skills of our Jr. FF Corps. 

They also coordinate with the line officers and board members to 

instill responsibility in our Jr. Corps by finding responsible tasks for 

them to accomplish at the station(s). ______________

App

1) Application Completed and Returned

2) Personnel Officer Reviews

3) Information Complete

4) Request Police Background Check

a) Review / Evaluate Report

5) Contact References

a) Review/Evaluate Comments

6) Interview Applicant

a) Inform about department commitment

i) Recruit Class requirement

ii) In-service training requirement

b) Inform about cost of orienting a member

c) Inform about expectations of the member

i) Recruit Class requirement

ii) In-service training requirement

(1) Expectation to respond to 

emergency calls at a variety of 

times and conditions.

(2) Probationary Requirement

(3) Probationary Evaluation Process

i) Inform Board of Directors/ Remove 

from Probationary Status

ii) Issue Badge/Uniform Jacket

d) Evaluate level of commitment

e) Inform about process and timeframe

f) Determine Departmental Need

7) Prioritize based upon

a) Where the applicant lives

b) Available during the daytime

c) Personal interview

d) Make offer to candidate

e) Complete physical activity relationship 

questionnaire

f) Complete physical agility evaluation

8) Contact Applicant to Schedule Recruit Class 

start day and time

9) Complete Orientation Checklist
8 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

M

Personal Information

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number ______________________________________________________________

Spouse / Parent Name ____________________________________________________________

Occupation

Employment____________________________________________________________________

Employer Address________________________________________________________________

Employer Telephone______________________________________________________________

Immediate Supervisor ____________________________________________________________

How long currently employed? _____________________________________________________

Work Shift? ____________________________________________________________________

References:

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone _____________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone _____________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone _____________________________________________________________________

Do you know any current members of the department? Whom? ___________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Have you ever been convicted of a felony?  Yes  No

Do you realize that volunteer fire fighters are expected to respond to emergency calls at a wide 

variety of hours?  Yes  No

The department is offering you an opportunity to volunteer by signing this application.

______________________________________________________________________________

Signature Date Signed

Please provide the following information so that your membership can be processed.

Will you grant the us authority to request a police background check?  Yes  No

______________________________________________________________________________

Social Security Number Drivers License Number
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 9

INTER

EMERGENCY SERVICES VOLUNTEER CANDIDATE

Date_____________ Interview Location ______________________________________________

Name of Candidate ______________________________________________________________

WORK EXPERIENCE

Present Position _________________________________________________________________

Past___________________________________________________________________________

Availability: Daytime ________ Nights ________ Weekends ________

EDUCATION: 

High School____ Jr College or Tech____ Other____ Licensed or Certified____

Beneficial to the organization:

Experience _____________________________________________________________________

Knowledge ____________________________________________________________________

Skills _________________________________________________________________________

Expertise ______________________________________________________________________

MEMBERSHIP LEVEL:  Fire/Rescue  EMS  Fire Police  Administrative  Support

 Specialist ____________________________________________________________________

VOLUNTEERED BEFORE

Type of organization _____________________________________________________________

Likes_________________________________ Dislikes___________________________________

Why did you leave? ______________________________________________________________

What would you like to gain by volunteering with this organization? _______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

What brought you to our organization? ______________________________________________

What part of the work most interests you? ____________________________________________

Did you consider other organizations?________________________________________________

What are your hobbies? __________________________________________________________

Do you prefer to work alone or in a team? ____________________________________________

Do you feel you can meet the expectations of the organization? ___________________________

Do you have any questions about the interview, membership process, or the organization? 

______________________________________________________________________________
40 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

CANDIDATE

ASSESSMENT:

DOCUMENTATION:

 Driver’s License  Proof of Insurance

BACKGROUND CHECKS:

 Dept of Motor Vehicle Check  Police Check  Work Verification

 Other Organizations

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

 Recommend for Membership  Do Not Recommend

 Schedule for Second Interview after Checking References  Research Further

NEW MEMBER CHECKLIST FOR:

ITEm DATE COMPLETED COMPLETED BY:

Application Accurate and Complete

Added to Member Database

Application Filed

Assign Call (Radio) Number

Issue Accountability Tag 

(with receipt of Turnouts)

Training File Folder

Hanging File Folder Tag

Mail Slot

Copy of By-Laws and SOP’s

Copy of Coverage Area Maps

Update and Post Members Call Out List
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

PhYsician’s release

I ________________________________________________ to the best of my ability believe that 

 (Physician’s Name Printed)

_____________________________ can perform the following activities for the German Township

 (Name of patient printed)

Volunteer Fire Department.

 Structural Firefighter --Has the physical and mental capacity to perform 20 minutes 

of strenuous physical activity while wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus at an 

emergency incident and has the ability to handle high stress situations and make rational 

decisions in unsupervised areas.

 Support Personnel Unsupervised --Can perform activities with some physical 

limitations only outside hazardous areas at an emergency incident. Able to follow written 

and verbal directions with no supervision required.

 Support Personnel Supervised --Can perform activities outside hazardous areas at 

an emergency incident. Able to follow written and verbal directions with supervision 

required.

 Not recommended to perform any activities on an emergency incident.

______________________________________________________________________________

Physician’s Signature: Date:
4 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

R

This form is used to assure minimum is acquired before new members are allowed to 

respond to incidents.

Candidate: _____________________________________________________________________

Officer: _______________________________________________________________________

ORANGE COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES 

DISTRICT #1 RECRUIT ORIENTATION

PASS/FAIL SUBJECT HOURS INITIALS

_________ Safety 4 ________

_________ PPE 6 ________

_________ Fire Behavior 4 ________

_________ Hose 4 ________

_________ Ventilation 4 ________

_________ Ladders 4 ________

_________ IMS 2 ________

_______________________________________ has passed/failed the recruit orientation.

Signature:______________________________________________________________________

 Candidate

Signature:______________________________________________________________________

 Officer
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 4

F

Areas to be Evaluated Strongly

Agree-4

Agree3Disagree2

1. Quality--extent to which a Firefighter’s work is accurate, thorough 

and neat.

2. Productivity--extent to which a Firefighter produces a significant 

volume of work efficiently in specified time.

3. Job Knowledge--extent to which a Firefighter possesses the practical/

technical knowledge required on the job.

4. Reliability--The extent to which a Firefighter can be relied upon 

regarding task completion and follow up.

5.Attendance--The extent to which a Firefighter is punctual, observes 

prescribed work break/meal periods and has an acceptable overall 

attendance record.

6. Independence--The extent to which a Firefighter performs work 

with little or no supervision.

7. Creativity--extent to which a Firefighter proposes ideas, finds new 

and better ways of doing things.

8. Initiative--extent to which a Firefighter seeks out new assignments 

and assumes additional duties when necessary.

9.Adherence to Policy--extent to which a Firefighter follows safety and 

conducts rules, other regulations and adheres to company policies.

10. Interpersonal Relationships--extent to which Firefighter 

demonstrates the ability to cooperate, work and communicate with 

coworkers, supervisors, subordinates and/or outside contacts.

11. Judgment--extent to which a Firefighter demonstrates proper 

judgment and decision-making skills.

12. Leadership--The extent to which a Firefighter demonstrates 

leadership qualities and values consistent with the mission of the fire 

department.

13. Honest--do you trust the Firefighter with your life?

13. Honest--do you trust the Firefighter with your money?

14. Dependable--does the Firefighter do what they say they will do?

15.Training Attitude--do you believe that the Firefighter has the 

German attitude about training?

16. Responsible--do you believe that the Firefighter would empty the 

trash can if it was full?

17.Appearance--does the Firefighter demonstrate a professional 

appearance in hygiene and clothing?
44 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

How many times have you done CPR on a real person? 1+ 5+ 10+

How many times have you pumped an Engine on a emergency response? 1+ 5+ 10+

How many times have you used the jaws of life to remove a door from a 

vehicle while patients were in the vehicle?

How many times have you been inside the vehicle taking care of the patient 

while the door/roof was removed from the vehicle?

How many times have you been the nozzle person on a structure fire?

How many times have you coached a firefighter to improve their personal 

performance on the fire department?

How many multi-department structure fires have you attended as a 

firefighter?

How many times have you flowed the monitor nozzle on a truck?

How many times have you raised a ladder to the second story of a building 

for the purposes of climbing?

How many times have you opened a fire hydrant to supply water to a vehicle?

How many times have you donned a SCBA for a working fire structure?

How many times have you completed an EMS patient report?

How many times have you completed a NFIRS response report?

How many times have changed the chain on a chain saw?

How many times have you changed the blade on the K-12 saw?

How many times have you worn the ice rescue suit in training?

How many times have you ventilated using the positive pressure ventilation fan?

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

1+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

5+ 10+

1

1

1

1

1

1

3

3

3

3

3

3

5 More than 5 How many times have you flowed the monitor nozzle on a 

truck? 1

5 More than 5 How many times have you flowed the monitor nozzle off the 

truck? 2

5 More than 5 How many times have you been on the nozzle on the first attack 

line on a structure fire?

3

5 More than 5 How many times have you been on the nozzle on the first attack 

line on a vehicle fire? 4

5 More than 5 How many times have you raised a ladder to the second story of 

a building for the purposes of climbing? 5

5 More than 5 How many times have you opened a fire hydrant to supply water 

to a vehicle? 6
Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 245

1 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you donned a SCBA for a working fire 

structure or car?

7

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

0

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

5 More than 5 How many times have you donned a SCBA in training? 8

5 More than 5 How many times have donned your protective clothing for an 

incident? 9

5 More than 5 How many times have you donned your protective clothing for 

training?

10

5 More than 5 How many times have you pumped a truck for a working 

structure or car fire?

11

5 More than 5 How many times have you used the jaws to extricate someone 

from a car? 12

5 More than 5 How many times have you started the brush rig pump? 13

5 More than 5 How many times have you started the power unit for the 

extrication equipment?

14

5 More than 5 How many times have you lost a piece of your protective 

clothing? 15

5 More than 5 How many times have you drove into a field in 4-wheel drive? 16

5 More than 5 How many times have you pulled a 1 3/4” preconnect? 17

5 More than 5 How many times have you pulled a 2 1/2” preconnect? 18

5 More than 5 How many times have you flowed water from a 2 1/2” 

preconnect?

19

5 More than 5 How many times have you used the defibrillator in training? 20

5 More than 5 How many times have you used the defibrillator on a real 

person?

21

5 More than 5 How many times have you performed CPR on a real person? 22

5 More than 5 How many times have you been in Command of extrication 

event?

23

5 More than 5 How many times have you been in Command of a car fire? 24

5 More than 5 How many times have you been in Command of a structure fire? 25

5 More than 5 How many times have you completed an EMS patient report? 26

5 More than 5 How many times have you completed a NFIRS response report? 27

5 More than 5 How many times have you changed the chain on a chain saw? 28

5 More than 5 How many times have you changed the blade on the K-12 saw? 29

5 More than 5 How many times have you repacked the 5” hose bed? 30

5 More than 5 How many times have you raised a pole light? 31

5 More than 5 How many times have you looked up a road in the road book? 32
4 aPPendiX i: Examples Received from the Field

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you set up and operated the Pro-Pak foam 

system?

33

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you driven first due engine to an 

emergency?

34

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you drafted when pumping? 35

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you set up the fold-a-tank? 36

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you estabilished a water supply system 

using a nose to butt operation? 37

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you estabilished a water supply to the 

sprinkler system? 38

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you worn the ice rescue suit in training? 39

0 3 5 More than 5 How many times have you ventilated using the positive pressure 

ventilation fan? 40