The doors of volunteer fire and rescue companies around the country will be open Sunday as they participate in a nationwide effort to recruit members.
Recruiting and retaining volunteers are two of the toughest challenges facing the fire service, officials at the National Volunteer Fire Council say.
“Nearly 70 percent of firefighters in the U.S. are volunteers, protecting their communities from hazards and emergencies of all kinds. Nationally, these volunteers save communities an estimated $140 billion a year. However, the number of volunteers has declined by about 12 percent in the past three decades while call volume has nearly tripled. At the same time, the average age of the volunteer fire service is increasing. It is critical for the safety of our communities and our nation that we continue to have a strong volunteer fire service now and in the future,” according to NVFC statistics.
Meanwhile, the NFPA painted a similar picture during recent studies saying there are about 786,150 volunteer firefighters serving in 27,575 fire departments across the country, including 19,807 fire departments staffed by volunteers only.
In an effort assist with keeping the volunteer force viable, Congress is being asked for help as well.
Among the bills recently introduced was The Volunteer Emergency Responders Tax Deduction Act which would allow personnel to claim the first 300 hours per year of services that they provide as charitable donations worth $20 per hour, according to Heather Schafer, NVFC executive director.
The NVFC will be launching a nationwide recruitment effort next week, she announced Friday.
During a recent survey, the organization determined the ages of those typically stepping up are 18-34. Marketing methods need to be adjusted, and the NVFC is addressing that as well.
Here’s what else the NVFC’s survey – released earlier this year – showed:
- 29% of the U.S. population as a whole is either “definitely interested” or “might be interested” in volunteering as responders in the fire and emergency services. The highest interest is among the 18-34 age bracket, with 13% definitely interested and 31% possibly interested in operational roles.
- There is considerable interest among minority groups, with 7% definitely interested and 29% possibly interested. The current make-up of the fire service suggests that this is an untapped recruiting market.
- Based on a target of younger, interested individuals, Salter>Mitchell has identified the initial target market as over 34 million individuals. This number is comprised of adults in the 18-34 age range who have shown at least some interest in volunteering as well as adults in the 35-49 age range who have shown a high interest in volunteering.
- The research confirmed that there is indeed low awareness of the volunteer fire and emergency service and a lack of knowledge about the national need for volunteers. When asked, 41% of survey participants were unsure if their local department was volunteer, combination, or career, and 79% of participants did not know if their department was seeking volunteers. This means that a large portion of the potential recruit market is unaware that their department is staffed by volunteers and that volunteer opportunities are available.
