Bad News

While I appreciate that this chief gets the SoldierFirefighter connection, he also thinks Volunteer Firefighters need a name change to put us on par with our partners in the military reserves. What do you think? http://www.firerescue1.com/volunteer/articles/1883831-How-to-rid-fire-service-of-rivalry-with-a-name-change/

As happens pretty frequently, I had a fire chief call recently to ask for some advice on what has become a bit of an arresting matter in his volunteer fire department. It appears that a prospective candidate for membership was being ...

According to this report released at NVFC.org, there were 44,000 fewer volunteer firefighters in 2010 compared to 2009, a reduction of 5.4 percent, according to the U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2010, an annual report that was recently issued by ...

This article was originally published November 29, 2009 at www.TigerSchmittendorf.com. Rather than keep creating new posts on this subject, I intend to re-publish this post as opportunity presents itself to learn from best — and not exactly our best — ...

There’s been plenty to tweet about lately regarding recruitment and retention in the fire service. Some of the info shared is good news and some is bad news, regardless, it all contains lessons we can learn from. Sometimes there’s so ...

Is it just me, or does any one else smell opportunity? You say you don't have enough volunteers? Here's an idea, take those donations and invest them in a VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN!!!! As I've spoke and written of many times before, why is it that we spend the thousands and sometimes millions of dollars to support the inanimate objects of our jobs that are entirely useless without the proper quantity and quality of firefighters to operate them?

"I urge all fire service leaders to develop, establish, disseminate, abide and enforce a Fire Service Code of Ethics.” Kelvin Cochran-United States Fire Administrator.

And while I think the author is right on the mark that prospective candidates should do their homework before signing on the dotted line, I disagree with emphasizing and entering fundraising into the conversation so early. There are too many other positive parts of our business that could be used to highlight the benefits of volunteering. Fundraising is one of those functions that some volunteers must do when they're not doing what they signed up to do -- fighting fires and providing emergency services.