Recruitment and Retention
Recruitment and retention is one of the most critical topics in the fire service, particularly the volunteer fire service, which has long been seeking to attract and maintain members. The recruitment and retention resource page provides critical content to help fire departments manage their personnel, from articles that inform prospective members are life as a volunteer to podcasts about recruitment best practices to new techniques being used to encourage new members, and so much more.
Waterford administrator offered a plan to create a new EMS department as part of a larger reorganization
Diversity
Aldermen, residents criticized fire department leaders for not being at a meeting about race, discrimination and lawsuits in the department
The event seeks to establish a global fire service leadership network dedicated to supporting and strengthening the fire service around the world
While completing fire academy training is a rigorous challenge that’s not for everyone, it’s a necessity if you want to enter the rewarding field of firefighting
Virginia Beach Fire Chief Ken Pravetz is asking the city for 140 more firefighters after spending $3.7M in overtime
The Capital Region Firefighter program launches a 100 Teens-to-Lifesavers Challenge
Salary
Newport News officials proposed a pay raise and step plan to be more competitive with neighboring departments
Politics
Council petition seeks to cut the time spent in training in half, getting cadets into the academy faster
Budget
The Surfside Beach Town Council faces two options that will lead to increased taxes
Use this checklist to make yourself the best candidate possible for the firefighter job you want
The firefighting career field is very competitive; here’s a quick breakdown of what you should and should not do as you prepare to join the fire service
The HERo’s Girl’s Fire Camp in Solano County empowers young women to consider a career in fire, EMS
Leadership
The U.S. Forest Service has created 44 leadership teams for large fires and hopes to hire over 11,000 firefighters
Pine Hill Fire Department Chief Jessica Calandra looks at recruitment, morale and EMS challenges in the community
New Haven Fire Chief Fire Chief John Alston said the department has 15 paramedics compared to 50 the department normally has
21 Carroll County fire, EMS employees have either quit or been fired in the last 10 months
Make sure your department’s traditions, behaviors and practices aren’t putting a damper on member retention or recruitment
“What I’ve found is we’re all treated as equals here— it doesn’t matter how young or old you are —you’re a firefighter,” Cheat Lake VFD Firefighter Peggy Paulick said
The idea for a First Responders’ Village was first pitched as a way to help retain young volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel who otherwise might not be able to afford to live in town
Maui Mayor Richard Bissen pledge to focus on housing, evacuation routes and additional firefighters in address
Diversity
How random sampling at the final stage of the hiring process impacted diversity among the ranks
The Lyme Affordable Housing Commission unveiled a plan to buy property near the firehouse to create housing for volunteer firefighters
Voters in Harristown approved increases that will be used for recruitment and retention, and equipment upgrades
Salary
Beckley councilmembers unanimously approved raises for firefighters
Diversity
Madison’s plan to recruit from “communities historically underrepresented” will not list applicants from economically disadvantaged backgrounds
Chester and Blandford fire chiefs are looking at the feasibility of combined volunteer fire departments
One of the graduates, Probationary Firefighter Brian Sullivan, is the son of Lt. Christopher Sullivan of Ladder 111, who was last seen racing up the stairs inside 1 World Trade Center to help those still trapped inside
Staffing
Fifteen members of the North College Hill Fire Department cited “poor performance” and “hostile actions” from certain city leaders as factors in the resignations
