Volunteer Firefighting Recruitment and Retention

I've responded to many threads on this site, but I've never actually started one. I have put a lot of effort into keeping my volunteer company healthy and active, and have come up with some of the things people dothat seem to be aimed at trying to intentionally kill a volunteer company.(  

(NOTE: Two weeks ago I posted the 13 ways to kill a Volunteer Department. Bonnie sent me this response, and I loved the positive response and positive attitude. So here's a few words from the other side. -JZ)  

As I sit here in the cold, rainy, unpredictable weather of Connecticut, I cannot help but look forward to the next ‘Cruisin for Solutions’… We had a great week of fun and sun, oh yeah, and we learned quite a bit from each other.  

Over the past two weeks we have discussed the importance of good management, and the qualities that make a good officer. This week I will look at how to actually get that ‘good’ officer into the position.  

There comes a time in each department when for one reason or another they would be better off without Joe Blow. While some may think it is impossible, you can fire a volunteer. It is also possible to turn down an application, but both firing and hiring are sensitive issues.  

The career fire service in America is comprised of approximately 350,000 fire fighters. The volunteer fire service numbers over 800,000.   

It is natural throughout our time as volunteers to phase in and out of the department. As our family and work schedules change, our time commitments change.   

Most departments consider finding new members a challenge, when the real challenge is in turning these new members into productive, lifelong members.  

Nice Job. Good Work. Well Done. It is amazing how much two words can say, and it is even more remarkable how rarely any of these phrases are used.   

Over the past year I have talked quite a bit about making your department better. By improving the environment in your department, you have now prepared it to receive new members. Creating a receptive and positive environment is key before you do any type of recruitment.  

  

Everyone joins volunteer departments for different reasons, but if we did it for the money, we would be career firefighters. So why do volunteers volunteer?