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Retention & Recruitment

Guides and Resources 

  • Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges and Solutions (Second Edition)
    The NVFC, in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration, has released an in-depth guide on two of the biggest challenges facing the volunteer fire and emergency services – retention and recruitment. This guide addresses the primary challenges departments face regarding retention and recruitment and then outlines proven solutions to overcome these obstacles. This valuable resource is designed for all volunteer and combination departments who are experiencing retention and recruitment challenges.
  • State Benefits Guide
    This online tool provides information on types of benefits and incentives each state offers their volunteer firefighters. These include retirement, tax incentives, liability coverage, worker's compensation, death benefits, education, and more.
  • 1-800-FIRE-LINE National Recruitment Campaign
    1-800-FIRE-LINE is a nationwide recruitment campaign managed by the NVFC through Fire Corps in an effort to boost the ranks both operationally and non-operationally in the volunteer fire service. 1-800-FIRE-LINE is a toll free number citizens can call from anywhere in the country to learn about the volunteer emergency service opportunities in their community. The campaign also includes resources for implementing and marketing the 1-800-FIRE-LINE.
  • Fire Corps
    Fire Corps is a program under the Citizen Corps initiative that connects resource-constrained departments with community members to assist in non-emergency roles. This allows first responders to focus on training and operational duties while also increasing the department's capacity and services. Fire Corps members can assist with administration, fundraising, public fire safety education, apparatus maintenance, and much more.
  • National Junior Firefighter Program
    Getting youth involved in the fire and emergency services fosters the next generation of first responders and community supporters of the emergency services. The NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program serves as an umbrella for junior firefighter programs nationwide to promote youth participation within the fire and emergency services community. In addition, youth can use the program to locate a local junior firefighter program, keep track of their hours of service, and earn motivational rewards for their participation.
  • New Tools
    New Tools contains recruitment press releases and camera ready artwork for print in local newspapers.
  • Cost Savings Calculator 
    The Cost Savings Calculator allows fire and EMS departments to determine the specific cost savings their department provides to the local community. This can help make the case for increased funding and community and governmental support for the department.
  • SAFER Retention and Recruitment Project Ideas 
    SAFER grants fund retention and recruitment efforts that can help volunteer fire departments thrive. Get the creativity flowing with these ideas for SAFER-funded projects, as well as tips for securing funding for your department.
  • The Ever Changing Challenges of Recruitment and Retention in the 21st Century: A Brief Look at Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Heading, By Eric Germaine of the Carver (MA) Fire Department, December 2007 (Word) 
  • Recruitment & Retention of the Volunteer: The Missing Piece of the Fire Service, Prepared by: Franklin Woodrow Wilson II, Lieutenant, Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue, August 2002 (PDF)

Best Practices

 

Videos and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) 

Link to these videos and PSAs from your department's web site or contact your local radio or television and cable stations to air the PSAs. Unlike advertisements, many local radio and television stations and cable networks will donate the air time for showing PSAs, reducing or eliminating the cost to your department. You can use the PSAs as is or you can customize them to include your department's name and contact information.

  • Junior Firefighter Program Recruitment Video
    Junior firefighter program advisors and department leaders can use this 4-minute video, which features juniors participating and explaining their interest in junior firefighting and their plans for their future, to recruit youth for their program at the local level. The video can be downloaded and taken to schools, community organizations, or department open houses to educate youth and adults about the benefit of junior firefighter programs. Sponsored by Tyco International
    WMV Format


     
  • Retention and Recruitment in the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services
    This 6-minute video for volunteer and combination departments explains why retaining and recruiting volunteers is important and provides departments with ideas on how they can overcome the challenges as they search for more volunteers. 
    MPG Format (94KB)


     
  • Video PSA featuring Brian Williams - Fire Corps
    NBC newscaster Brian Williams recorded this video public service announcement you can use in your community to target potential Fire Corps volunteers and garner support for your local Fire Corps program. Fire Corps members assist departments with non-emergency tasks, helping departments to increase their capacity and services while allowing first responders to focus on training and emergency response.
    MPG Format (3MB)
  • Radio PSA featuring Erron Kinney - 1-800-FIRE-LINE
    Firefighter and former NFL player Erron Kinney recorded this radio PSA alerting the public to the 1-800-FIRE-LINE number that anyone can call from anywhere in the country to learn about volunteer emergency and non-emergency opportunities available near them.
    MP3 Format
  • Radio PSA featuring Erron Kinney - Fire Corps
    Firefighter and former NFL player Erron Kinney recorded this radio PSA focusing on the need for community members to play a role in the non-emergency functions of their fire/EMS department through Fire Corps.
    WAV Format
 

Podcasts and Radio

  • Junior Firefighter Programs - Podcast
    Youth programs are critical to the long-term health of the fire service. This podcast offer insights and best practices for establishing and managing a local youth program within a department. It can be used as a resource for departments who are thinking of establishing a youth program as well as those who already have a program in place. Join Heather Schafer, Executive Director of the NVFC; Jim Williams, NVFC’s New York Director; Jeff Cash, NVFC’s North Carolina Director and Fire Chief of the Cherryville Fire Department; Allen Metheny, NVFC’s Alternate Director from Delaware and Past Chief and Past President of the Hartly Volunteer Fire Company; and Mike Barnett of the Elkridge (MD) Volunteer Fire Department as they introduce the National Junior Firefighter Program and discuss best practices for local programs.
    MP3 Format
  • Retention and Recruitment - Podcast
    Join Dr. William Jenaway as he moderates a discussion into the key findings of a new U.S. Fire Administration/NVFC retention and recruitment study, solutions to some of the retention and recruitment obstacles, and the overriding concept of leadership. Philip C. Stittleburg, Chairman of the NVFC and Wisconsin Director; Jack Carriger, Second Vice Chairman of the NVFC and Oregon Director; and E. James Monihan, past Chairman of the NVFC and current Delaware Director, discuss some of the best practices they are seeing in their states to address the retention and recruitment challenges as well as how leadership plays an important factor in the solution.
    MP3 Format
  • NVFC Featured on Community Alert Radio Program (January 2009) (MP3, 42.1MB, 46mins)
    In this radio interview on KZSB-AM's (Santa Barbara, CA) Community Alert program, NVFC California Director Vern Losh discusses many issues relating to the volunteer fire service, including retention and recruitment, training, strategic planning, insurance/liability concerns, and more. He draws on specific examples from California , Sonoma County , and the California State Firefighters Association.

Sample Ads

The NVFC has gathered retention and recruitment ads from fire departments and state assosciations to serve as examples for others looking to do a retention and recruitment campaign. These sample ads are available on the Members-Only section of this web site. If you are currently an NVFC member, click here to log in and then go to Members-Only Resources to access the ads. If you are not an NVFC member, click here to learn more about membership and join.

  Articles