'No Problems Here'
When I visit departments across the country, it always starts off the same: "We have no problems here," people tell me. I have been to enough departments and have heard this comment enough to know that it is not true. The reality is that we all have problems but we do not necessarily want to share them with others as we "keep our trash at home."
Where Did You Come From?
I was recently doing some yard work when I looked across the street and saw an elderly gentleman fall at the corner store. He had been walking up the stairs and must have lost his footing, but was somehow holding himself horizontally half way up the stairs on the railing. It appeared he was ready to continue his fall head first into the concrete.
Find Solutions With Member Exchange Programs
We all have very similar or even the same volunteer issues across the country. Whether they be related to department structure or the firefighters themselves, it's fair for me to say after six years of writing on the topic that these difficulties are universal.
Social Gatherings Hold Departments Together
Some volunteer departments are legendary for their parties and some of us have gained a bad reputation because of it. These parties can go overboard in some cases, but social gatherings are often the glue holding volunteer departments together. The get-togethers we have had over the years may have been our best retention tool and can be seen as a barometer of our current department membership health.
Firefighter health a hot topic at FDIC 2008
There's never been more attention on health and wellness in the fire service. And the increased focus was reflected at FDIC. The issue was the theme of several education sessions and exhibits at the conference, with Sacramento, Calif., Fire Captain Shawn Perry insisting health and wellness programs at departments are making a difference.
