NVFC Releases New Volunteer Recruitment Video

February 1, 2016

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has released a new two-and-a-half minute video to introduce members of the public to the fire service and encourage them to find local volunteer opportunities. The video is part of the NVFC’s Make Me A Firefighter recruitment campaign.

Volunteer departments across the country are struggling to find new recruits. NVFC research shows that many people, including underrepresented groups such as Millennials, women, and minorities, are interested in volunteering but simply don’t realize their local department needs volunteers. Another obstacle is that people unfamiliar with the fire and emergency services aren’t sure if they can do the job required.

The video features several members of the fire service explaining why they decided to volunteer and the many benefits that come from volunteering as a firefighter or EMT. The message aims to increase awareness about the need for volunteers and reinforces the idea that anyone who has the motivation and will to volunteer can serve their local fire department.

At the end of the video, viewers are directed to go to www.MakeMeAFirefighter.org to learn more and find local volunteer opportunities. Register your department with the campaign for free at http://portal.nvfc.org and post your volunteer opportunities so that these potential volunteers can find you. The department portal also features customizable tools and resources to help implement a local recruitment campaign.

Use the video on your web site, at recruitment events, and in other department outreach efforts to help encourage community members to volunteer. The video is available for download from the department portal and can also be viewed and shared from YouTube and on the MakeMeAFirefighter.org web site.

A 30-second public service announcement (PSA) is also available. Additional PSAs will be released soon.

About the Campaign
Volunteers make up the majority of the U.S. fire service, yet face challenges including declining numbers, aging population, and increases in call volume. To help departments meet their recruitment and retention needs, the NVFC launched the Make Me A Firefighter campaign in 2015 thanks to support from a federal SAFER grant. Through the campaign, departments can go to portal.nvfc.org to sign up, post their volunteer opportunities, and access resources including a materials generator, tools for recruiting diverse audiences, and other resources to recruit and retain members. Potential volunteers can go to MakeMeAFirefighter.org to find volunteer opportunities, connect with departments, and learn what it takes to be a volunteer responder.