What the New Recruitment Research Is Really Telling Us

August 11, 2026

By Walter A. Campbell

Not long ago, a fire chief said to me, “Walt, nobody wants to volunteer anymore.”

I asked him one question.

“How many people in your community know you’re looking for volunteers?”

He smiled and admitted, “Probably not many.”

I’ve had that conversation more times than I can count. It’s also one of the reasons the National Volunteer Fire Council’s new research on recruitment and retention caught my attention. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, I encourage you to do so. As I read through the findings, one thought kept coming back to me.

Many departments don’t have a recruiting problem. They have a communication problem.

For years, we’ve blamed recruiting challenges on changing generations, busy schedules, social media, or the economy. Those factors certainly play a role, but the research points to something much more encouraging. People still want to serve. What they’re looking for is clarity.

One of the most significant findings was that more than half of prospective volunteers didn’t know they could volunteer as firefighters in their communities, and nearly two-thirds weren’t sure whether their local departments were looking for volunteers.

Think about that for a moment.

We tell ourselves recruitment is getting harder, yet many of the people we hope to recruit don’t even know the opportunity exists. That’s not a recruiting problem. It’s an awareness problem.

Departments spend thousands of dollars on apparatus, equipment, and training, yet many spend very little time making sure their own community knows they’re looking for volunteers. If people don’t know you need help, they can’t answer the call.

I also can’t tell you how many departments have told me they’re worried people won’t volunteer because the commitment is too demanding. I don’t think that’s the issue.

People aren’t asking for less commitment. They’re asking for fewer surprises. They want straightforward answers.

How much time does this really take?

What does training look like?

Can I volunteer if I work full-time?

What happens if I miss a call?

Those aren’t objections. They’re reasonable questions. Yet many departments expect someone to submit an application before answering them. The research found that uncertainty about the time commitment and day-to-day responsibilities is one of the biggest barriers to people taking the next step.

Another finding made me think less about prospective volunteers and more about ourselves. Many people questioned whether they were physically strong enough or emotionally prepared for the job.

So I asked myself, what message are we sending?

If every recruitment photo, every video, and every social media post only shows firefighters crawling through smoke or stretching hose lines, we’re unintentionally telling many good people they don’t belong.

The reality is very different. Every department needs firefighters and EMTs, but they also need drivers, instructors, administrative volunteers, fundraisers, community educators, and countless others who simply want to serve. When we recruit for only one role, we overlook people who could become outstanding volunteers.

The research also reinforced something I’ve believed for years. People don’t volunteer simply because they want excitement. They volunteer because they want to make a difference, learn valuable skills, and become part of something bigger than themselves.

That’s why our message matters.

Too often, our recruitment message is, “We need volunteers.” That’s about us.

Instead, tell people what they’ll gain. Tell them what they’ll learn. Show them how they’ll make a difference. Help them picture themselves wearing your department’s T-shirt, serving alongside neighbors, and becoming part of something meaningful.

Recruitment starts long before someone fills out an application. It starts the moment someone thinks, I can see myself doing that.

To me, that’s the biggest takeaway from this research.

The National Volunteer Fire Council’s research confirms something I’ve believed for years. The people we’re looking for are already in our communities. They’re coaching Little League, volunteering at schools, serving in churches, mentoring kids, and looking for meaningful ways to give back.

Our job isn’t to convince them to care. They already do.

Our job is to communicate the opportunity clearly enough that they can see where they fit.

That’s how recruitment starts.

Walter A. Campbell is a recruitment and retention strategist with Responder Max. He works with fire and EMS departments nationwide to strengthen volunteer recruitment and retention through practical strategies that help departments attract and engage committed members.