Use Fire Prevention Week to Get New Volunteers

September 15, 2015

A recent National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) survey found that 79% of people don’t know their local department is seeking volunteers. The NVFC is trying to overcome this disconnect and help departments find recruits with its new national volunteer recruitment campaign.

With Fire Prevention Week right around the corner (October 4-10), now is a great time to focus on raising awareness in your community about the work your department does as well as the need for volunteers. Sometimes all it takes to reach a new recruit is a personal invitation. The NVFC’s research shows that personal invitations are more likely to result in a commitment to your department than less personal approaches.

Use your planned Fire Prevention Week activities – such as open houses, booths at fairs or festivals, or programs with community groups – to let your community know they can make a difference by joining your department. The NVFC offers free, professional-looking recruitment materials that you can customize to distribute to your community members. You can also post your volunteer needs so that potential recruits can easily search and connect with your department.

Join the campaign now and access all of these resources and more at portal.nvfc.org. Want to learn more about the campaign? Check out this video.