Unemployment= volunteers?

[lilbubs52]

Since unemployment rate is at its highest volunteer departments could use this as advantage to gain members to help out since they would have time on their hand. The normal general citzen thinks that firefighters go in and put fires out they do not know how the whole fireground scene works.

With my department we are looking at it closely to recruit this way. Is it wrong in some levels maybe but look at big picture. The benefits that come out of it that you can use to gain members such as Paid training, some cases paid uniforms, issue turnout gear, in house training, etc. Only thing you pay for is the membership fee which is $3.00 a year. Which I explain to them that it goes to your pager, turnout gear and equipment that giving to you. Not much which is why many unemployments join. They can meet with people from all occupations that once you become friends with they will help you out in getting a job. Every member from each department will say the same thing "take care of your own."
I tell each person when they join the department that it is an option to go into a burning people, but continue to add in that its fun and great experience and I tell them If you can't do it there nothing to be ashame of there is plenty of jobs to do on a fire scene. I tell them you can be my hydrant guy/gal, put ladders up, drive the truck, pump the truck, man the aerial, be safety officer, manpower pull, drive ambulance, work the air bank, etc. Some join to just drive and do outside stuff which hey that works for me less I have to do to get inside.

Its an idea that volunteer departments these day need to do whatever neccessary to keep manpower up to be operational. An idea to try and save whats left of the volunteers before every department would have to have paid personnel which will benefit hopefully the ones with out a job.

[tajm611]

I tell each person when they join the department that it is an option to go into a burning people, but continue to add in that its fun and great experience and I tell them If you can't do it there nothing to be ashame of there is plenty of jobs to do on a fire scene. I tell them you can be my hydrant guy/gal, put ladders up, drive the truck, pump the truck, man the aerial, be safety officer, manpower pull, drive ambulance, work the air bank, etc. Some join to just drive and do outside stuff which hey that works for me less I have to do to get inside.

I don't think any department that promotes entering burning people is a department I'd like to join.

[LaFireEducator]

In areas with increased unemployment, increased recruiting may bring in some additional members who now have time on thier hands.

I see no problem with that.

As far as entering burning people ......

[tajm611]

Call me crazy but I'm fairly sure an unemployed person's main concern is finding a job that actually pays. If anything, some one with sustainable income and some sembelence of insurance and care would be a perfect candidate for a volunteer firefighter.

[LaFireEducator]

Call me crazy but I'm fairly sure an unemployed person's main concern is finding a job that actually pays. If anything, some one with sustainable income and some sembelence of insurance and care would be a perfect candidate for a volunteer firefighter.

Yes, the primary concern of most unemployed persons is finding a job however, I know of several members of both my current and previous departments that did become invoved while unemployed because they did have some extra time, and remained involved once they found employment.

I don't think there is anything wrong with ramping up recruiting efforts and taking advanatage of the opportunity to draw some new members in that may have the desire but have never had the time to volunteer.

[tajm611]

I have no desire to get into a childish argument with you.

[LVFD301]

I don't think any department that promotes entering burning people is a department I'd like to join.

Only if she is really really hot...

[N2DFire]

Only if she is really really hot...

If "she" is burning - how much hotter could you want?

As for the whole recruting / unemployment thing I can see both sides of the argument. Yes they have more "free time" AND they are (hopefully) more concerned with spending it finding a job.

To that end I would say not to bother targeting your recruiting efforts to unemployed specifically, but be ready to show the benefits (i.e. networking, Life skills that can be added to a resume, etc.) that volunteering could provide - while running an ongoing recruting campaign for anyone.

[Bones42]

Let's see....I lose my job yet still have to pay all the same bills....so I need to find a job again, quickly.

I can spend my time searching for work.....or

spend time hanging out at the firehouse with other unemployed guys, going to a training class to get certified that takes quite a few weeks, and have the possibility of injuring myself so that I can no longer work (if I found a job).

And then....if I do find a job...quit that volunteering thing that I didn't have time for before losing my job.


Sounds like a winning plan to me!

Hey, I'm all in favor of active recruitment...but it should be going on all the time, not just now that people are unemployed.

[tajm611]

but but but...they'll have more time to do things that don't help out their situation, like VOLUNTEER!

I'm all for building a volunteer base but it's simply moronic to assume the unemployed are the prime demographic to build upon. There's nothing wrong with being unemployed but I can't imagine a smart person spending time doing something that they neither get payed for nor helps them gain employment.

[scfire86]

Let's see....I lose my job yet still have to pay all the same bills....so I need to find a job again, quickly.

I can spend my time searching for work.....or

spend time hanging out at the firehouse with other unemployed guys, going to a training class to get certified that takes quite a few weeks, and have the possibility of injuring myself so that I can no longer work (if I found a job).

And then....if I do find a job...quit that volunteering thing that I didn't have time for before losing my job.


Sounds like a winning plan to me!

Hey, I'm all in favor of active recruitment...but it should be going on all the time, not just now that people are unemployed.

BING...FRACKING...OH!!!

Proving once again the volunteer mindset lives in Bizarro World.

[LaFireEducator]

but but but...they'll have more time to do things that don't help out their situation, like VOLUNTEER!

I'm all for building a volunteer base but it's simply moronic to assume the unemployed are the prime demographic to build upon. There's nothing wrong with being unemployed but I can't imagine a smart person spending time doing something that they neither get payed for nor helps them gain employment.

Nowhere did I say the unemployed was a prime demographic base. Nowhere did I say that recruiting efforts should target the unemployed.

I did say that if a community has a high rate of unemployment some of those may be possible members as they may actually have time on thier hands, and yes, it would be a good time to possibly increase recruiting efforts.

They are potential members.

Will all of them stay once they find a job? Probably not. But I would suspect that, depending on the community, the loss rate may not be especially out of whack wiuth the normal loss rate.

[Bones42]

BING...FRACKING...OH!!!

Proving once again the volunteer mindset lives in Bizarro World.

Just so you know...I have been a volunteer for 29 years now.

[BoxAlarm187]

Just so you know...I have been a volunteer for 29 years now.

Not to worry, scfire's interaction with the volunteers (reserves) on his former department has tainted his views of all volunteers in the US. My department included, I'm sure.

[tajm611]

Nowhere did I say the unemployed was a prime demographic base. Nowhere did I say that recruiting efforts should target the unemployed.

I did say that if a community has a high rate of unemployment some of those may be possible members as they may actually have time on thier hands, and yes, it would be a good time to possibly increase recruiting efforts.

They are potential members.

Will all of them stay once they find a job? Probably not. But I would suspect that, depending on the community, the loss rate may not be especially out of whack wiuth the normal loss rate.

When did I ever say I was speaking about you? Just because I said moronic doesn't mean I'm only talking about you. Please seek help for your attention issues. I don't have time for you.

[FWDbuff]

I know one thing....If god forbid I lose my job, the last phucking place I am going to be is at the VFD waiting for the big one. My azz is going to be pounding the pavement finding work to pay the mortgage and feed the kids.

[LaFireEducator]

I know one thing....If god forbid I lose my job, the last phucking place I am going to be is at the VFD waiting for the big one. My azz is going to be pounding the pavement finding work to pay the mortgage and feed the kids.

So would most ... ummmm many ... people. However the sad fact is there are in many areas many folks who are now among the long term-unemeployed and have stopped looking for work.

Some of these folks may in fact be looking for someplace to volunteer. I never said that they should be targeted however. If the OP has that type of a population in his area, i see now issue with ramping up overall recruiting efforts to try to draw some of these people in.

[tajm611]

So would most ... ummmm many ... people. However the sad fact is there are in many areas many folks who are now among the long term-unemeployed and have stopped looking for work.

If you're unemployed and stopped looking for work, you are unfit to be a firefighter.

I never said that they should be targeted however.

i see now issue with ramping up overall recruiting efforts to try to draw some of these people in.

That's called targeting.

[auxman]

While some unemployed may be interested in becoming volunteers those are probably the same folks that would have considered it while they had a job. I don't see any practical way to link the two issues in a recruiting campaign except for those that are interested in building their resume to apply for public safety-related jobs.

[jccrabby3084]

So who and what pays the bills to live on while unemployed and being actively recruited as a volunteer? Should unemployed thus look to stay unemployed to the max allotted time, living off the govt subsidies so that the volly dept can thus capitalize on the fact these people don't have a job, leaving them more readily available for response?

Not to mention those who have no expeirence and now being required to attend training and certification classes, and for what kind of incentive? Really, what is the incentive for unemployed to stay in a community that isn't supplying jobs, just to be a FF for the community? If about the community and "giving back" well, being unemployed kind of shoots that down don't you think?


The thing is when recruiting, there should be some form of incentive, be it for anything, job, volunteering etc. So what is the unemployed's incentive to volunteer? Just because they have the time? However, training to really be certified can take a couple months. A time frame perhaps not as condusive to seeking other employment. Sure there may be some pay for calls and training, but how much are you offering? Is it worth the time committment to get certified and able to do this?