recruitment and retention in the volunteer fire service instructor andrew coll

Recruitment and Retention In The Volunteer Fire Service

Instructor

Andrew Coll

Definitions of Recruitment and Retention

• Recruitment - the process of finding possible candidates for a job or function.

• Retention - the act of keeping in your possession

The Recruitment and Retention Problem: Causes and Effects

Time Demands

• Two income families

• Additional demands in the department

Training Requirements

• Higher training standards

• Greater public expectation

• Recertification Demands


Increasing Call Volume

• Assuming wider response roles

• EMS calls

• AFA’s

Changes in the Nature of the Business

• No emphasis on volunteering


Changes in Sociological Conditions• Loss of community pride• No “I” in teamLeadership Problems• Poor Leadership• Unwillingness to adapt to changeFederal Regulations• OSHA, EPA,NFPA etc…


Combination Departments

• Friction between both groups

Higher Cost Of Living

• Volunteers can’t live in the community

Aging Communities

• Older Generation

• Economy

Retention Problems and Solutions

Leadership

• “A fire department’s ability to retain volunteer members is its ability to manage people”

Department Image

• How do we improve our department image?


Attitudes and Motivation

• Ask members what they think of their department.

• What motivated members to volunteer?

Cohesiveness

• This is essential to make the department successful.

• We need to work as a team.


Emotional Support

• Be supportive all the time!

• Act like a family.

Training Requirements

• Increased training can lead to the loss of members

• Make training less burdensome and more fun.


Time Demands

• How can we make time demands more bearable?

Recognition/Incentives

• Volunteers want to be appreciated and recognized for their service to the community.

• Use incentive programs to retain members


Make Volunteering Fun

• Create activities outside of firefighting to ensure members have fun.

Risks

• The risks of being a volunteer can be reduced with good training and equipment, and effective leadership.


Relocation• Volunteers move for various reasons.• Make the transition a smooth one.Diversity• Accommodation is key!Consolidation• All ramifications of a consolidation must be

considered ahead of time. (Good vs. Bad)

Recruitment Problems and Solutions

Qualities and Skills to Look for In Volunteers• Education, Daytime Availability, Location,

Jr. Firefighters, Special SkillsWho Should do the Recruiting?• All members should be recruiting all the

time!Where to Look• Where are we going to find new

members?


Recruiting Messages• Volunteer departments need to determine

what messages to send out to prospective recruits. (Slogans)

Use of Various Media• There are many forms of media that can

aid us in recruiting. (i.e. TV, radio, newspapers, videos, direct mail, websites, advertisements on apparatus)


Informational Sessions

• Set aside one night every month or every few months for information sessions.

Screening Recruits

• Who are we going to accept into our department, and how can we identify the best candidates?


Follow Through• We should follow up with prospective members

and current members.Barriers of Recruiting• FD’s must consider barriers to recruiting as they

formulate the recruiting process.Recruiting Special Groups• Society’s diversity is not as well reflected in most

volunteer fire departments as it is in the general workforce.

Putting it All Together

• A successful recruitment program is ongoing all year. Individual departments must assess their needs each year to determine what recruitment approach will be most effective for them.

• Attached at the end of each your handouts is a sample recruitment and retention calendar.

Identify, Recruit, Deploy

recruitment and retention in the volunteer fire service instructor andrew coll

Documents