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.
Creating a mindset to achieve diverse, equitable and inclusive hiring practices
Harford County’s NEXT GEN Responders Student Loan Relief is an incentive in fire, EMS recruitment and retention
‘People don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses’ – and the fire service is no exception
Remember, the future of your organization depends on finding and keeping good people
Using social media to research potential firefighter candidates could cause problems for your department
A heightened focus on personal and organizational value ultimately impacts recruitment and retention efforts
The division chief details how Cobb County Fire retooled its hiring process to better define department excellence and representation
Four common retention pitfalls, plus simple solutions for improving department culture and keeping firefighters happy
It starts with getting real about why people aren’t joining the department
The survey measures organizational safety culture
The donation to the Stratmoor Hills Fire Protection District helps campaign funding to have increased staffing on the ballot
Harford County officials are working to counter both burnout and boredom in their efforts to recruit more volunteers
SAFER and AFG money will support 20 departments across four counties
5 ways to motivate the unmotivated, and to help those floundering to flourish
The Justice Department found Blacks disproportionately failed Durham’s firefighter test, blocking interviews, though the test wasn’t job-related
The Texas A&M Forest Service camp gave young women from several counties hands-on lessons related to wildland firefighting
The Modesto Fire Department and Modesto Junior College are holding their first Women’s Empowerment Camp introducing young women to the fire service
Federal funding through FEMA will help the Meadville Central Fire Department consistently keep crew size at four firefighters
Orlando officials approved a spending plan that will include hiring nearly 40 firefighters
CAL FIRE Local 2881 members started two years ago to get away from the current 72-hour schedule
Spokane Fire Department Chief Julie O’Berg said cutting the 2024 class saved approximately $750K
Bloomington Deputy Chief Carl Reeb said requiring applicants to have the state-issued paramedic license was one of the biggest recruitment barriers
The Anne Arundel County fire chief underscores the importance of transparency and trust when stepping into a new leadership role
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens appeared at a committee meeting disagreeing with the union about a pay study
The Iowa United First Aid program enlists volunteers who are on standby and equipped with basic first aid gear to help on EMS calls, such as heart attacks and lacerations
An increase in natural disasters has compounded problems for first responders across Texas and other states
The Amboy Fire Department will use the SAFER funding to increase staffing and ensure 24-hour coverage
Both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation are critical for keeping team members involved and prepared for the challenges they face
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- $231K grant helps Ill. FD with recruiting, equipping new firefighters
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