Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services
The U.S. Fire Administration, in partnership with the NVFC, released this manual to help equip volunteer fire and EMS departments with the necessary tools, strategies, and insights to overcome recruitment obstacles and retain their valuable volunteers.
Fire Service Discrimination & Harassment Toolkit
This resource aims to help both volunteer and career first responders prevent, identify, and respond to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace.
Ride With Us Episodes and PSAs (Vimeo)
The NVFC partnered with Cottage Lane Productions to produce episodes of the Ride With Us series, which shows the public what it's like to train as a volunteer firefighter. In addition, several PSAs are available to encourage the public to volunteer. You can download the videos to use in your volunteer recruitment initiatives.
Ride With Us Episodes and PSAs (YouTube)
The NVFC partnered with Cottage Lane Productions to produce episodes of the Ride With Us series, which shows the public what it's like to train as a volunteer firefighter. In addition, several PSAs are available to encourage the public to volunteer. Use these videos in your volunteer recruitment initiatives.
Recruitment PSAs (Vimeo)
Download a variety of 15-second, 30-second, and 1-minute video PSAs in both English and Spanish to recruit new volunteers to your fire or EMS department. Remember to direct viewers to www.MakeMeAFirefighter.org to find your local opportunity listings.
Recruitment PSAs (YouTube)
Choose from a variety of 15-second, 30-second, and 1-minute video PSAs in both English and Spanish from this YouTube playlist to recruit new volunteers to your fire or EMS department. Remember to direct viewers to www.MakeMeAFirefighter.org to find your local opportunity listings.
Make Me A Firefighter Promotional Banner
Departments can download and print this WE'VE GOT A SPOT FOR YOU promotional banner for in-person events to encourage members of your community to become volunteers and visit MakeMeAFirefighter.org.
Innovative Recruitment Ideas
This one-pager features 10 ideas to help jump-start your fire or EMS department's volunteer recruitment initiatives.
Firefighter Strong – Issue 5
This special edition of the Firefighter Strong newsletter focuses on key issues relating to volunteer recruitment and retention, including leadership, behavioral health, mentorship programs, work-life-volunteer balance, marketing, generational considerations, and more.
Psychologically Healthy Fire Departments: Implementation Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help fire department leaders promote and foster well-being among their members and create healthy, high-performing departments.
Volunteer Retention Research Report
This report details the results from research conducted by the NVFC to gain a better understanding of the institutional drivers of why volunteers leave the fire service and what factors may improve retention in a fire department.
Volunteer Recognition Ideas
This list of recognition ideas provides ways to say thank you to your Fire Corps volunteers and assist with volunteer retention. Many of these ideas can also be adapted to recognize operational volunteers.
Fire Corps Recruitment and Retention Guide
This guide helps fire and emergency service departments understand volunteerism today and provides ideas and suggestions for recruiting and retaining volunteers for Fire Corps programs to assist with non-operational tasks.
Department Spotlight on Recruitment & Retention
Volunteer and combination fire/EMS departments across the county are using innovative methods to recruit and retain volunteers. Check out these department profiles to find inspiration for your own department.
How To Create Recruitment Materials
This video demonstrates how to create quality recruitment materials through the NVFC's Make Me A Firefighter campaign.
Recruit Volunteers Using Facebook
Facebook advertising is a simple and cost effective way to recruit volunteers. This video provides an overview of how to create and launch Facebook campaigns for your department.
Make Me A Firefighter Radio PSA
30 second audio PSA promoting the need for volunteers and the Make Me A Firefighter campaign.
How to Post a Volunteer Opportunity Listing
The NVFC's Make Me A Firefighter campaign connects prospective volunteers directly to departments. This video demonstrates how to create a volunteer opportunity listing through the campaign's department portal.
Apply for SAFER Grant Using Make Me A Firefighter
Use these tips to incorporate the Make Me A Firefighter campaign into your department's SAFER application.
‘Grow Your Ranks’ Online Recruitment Tips
Use this resource to optimize your web and social media presence to help boost recruitment.
NVFC Recruitment Formative Research Report
This report details the results from research conducted as part of the NVFC's Make Me A Firefighter recruitment campaign.
Make Me A Firefighter Video
Departments can watch this video to learn more about the tools and features offered through the NVFC's Make Me A Firefighter recruitment campaign.
Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges and Solutions (Second Edition)
The NVFC, in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration, released this guide addressing the primary challenges departments face regarding retention and recruitment. Solutions to overcome these obstacles are also discussed.
Recruitment & Retention News
Catch up on the latest NVFC news related to recruitment and retention.
What to Expect: A Guide for Family Members of Volunteer Firefighters
This resource is designed for spouses, children, parents, siblings, and significant others of volunteer and paid-on-call responders. Printed copies are available in the NVFC store. NVFC members can order up to 25 printed copies for free using the code found on the Members-Only web site.
