NVFC Releases New Report on Volunteer Fire Service Recruitment and Retention

June 16, 2026

Research is a critical component to fully understand why people volunteer with a fire department, why they leave the volunteer fire service, and barriers to making the commitment to volunteering. The NVFC recently conducted surveys and focus groups with prospective, current, and former volunteer firefighters to gain new insights to help departments optimize their recruitment and retention efforts.

Key findings from this research include:

• Awareness is lacking – more than half of people don’t know they can volunteer as a firefighter and almost two-thirds are unsure if their department is seeking volunteers
• Prospective volunteer firefighters want clarity on the required time investment and day-to-day tasks of volunteering
• Prospective volunteer firefighters want to know the department will provide support to help them with the emotional and physical demands of firefighting
• Volunteers want to serve in a department where they are valued and supported
• Programs that prioritize social and emotional support – such as mentorship and family engagement – can improve retention

View the full report. Short on time? Check out this infographic for the highlights, and read this synopsis from FireRescue1.