You Can’t Be What You Can’t See: Building the Next Generation of Firefighters
Key Takeaways
- In an evaluation of its approach to recruitment, the Chattanooga, TN, Fire Department (CFD) decided that the matter isn't just a department issue; it's a community issue. Interactions with the public were evolved to be trust-building endeavors.
- The CFD began to create community-targeted programs that are designed to spark and sustain interest. Its Summer Outreach Safety Festival (S.O.S. Fest) is one of the department's most effective engagement and recruitment tools. The five advantages that the event provides are meeting families where they live; providing the public with the means to engage with firefighters; introducing the opportunity of a career in public safety; creating mentorship opportunities; and strengthening public trust.
- Five keys to the city of Chattanooga's AS-1 Community Kickball Game in the effort to expose the public to careers in public safety are breaking barriers; building trust; creating opportunities for conversations; showing first responders as neighbors, mentors, coaches, parents and role models; and creating pathways for future engagement.
One of my favorite quotes from James Baldwin reads, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
When I look at recruitment in today’s fire service, I see numbers that are declining rapidly. It makes me ask what happened to the days when kids grew up wanting to be firefighters? At one time, in the eyes of a child, being a firefighter was about as close as you could get to being Superman.
Somewhere along the way, the fire service became complacent.
Building trust
Today’s world offers more opportunities than ever before, many of them more visible, more accessible, and in some cases, more appealing to the next generation. People now make careers out of playing video games, building platforms as social media influencers and competing in events that draw massive crowds. I remember watching ESPN one day and seeing an air guitar competition that was packed with spectators. The reality is this: If we are competing for attention, we are competing with everything. So, what do we do?
When I stepped into the role of community outreach and recruitment coordinator, I went back to that quote from Baldwin.
In the fire service, when a truck won’t pump, the rule of thumb is simply to shut everything down and start over (i.e., go back to the basics). That was the approach that I took with recruitment.
For me, getting back to the basics meant getting back into the community. I went to barbershops and posted “We Are Hiring” flyers. I visited churches, attended community meetings and showed up anywhere that people were gathering. If there was an opportunity to be present, I took it. I even attended a political forum. When it came time for questions, I stood up and said, “I need your help.” I said this not as a pitch but as a call to action. Recruitment isn’t just a department issue; it’s a community issue.
I’ll be the first to admit that I ran myself into the ground at times, attending two or three events per day, working after hours and weekends. However, one thing that I quickly realized is this: In today’s environment, you must be seen, because, ultimately, you can’t be what you can’t see.
What also changed was the nature of the conversation. It no longer was just about recruiting. It was about connecting. Instead of leading with “We’re hiring,” I started with, “How are you doing? How is your family? What are your goals?”
From there, the question became “How can I help you?” Whether that meant guiding someone toward the fire service or connecting them with another opportunity or resource, the focus shifted from filling positions to serving people. The fire service always has been about family. So why not demonstrate that level of care on the front end?
Not everyone who I met wanted to be a firefighter, and that’s OK. However, every interaction became an opportunity to have an effect. If someone walked away feeling supported, encouraged or connected, I already was building something bigger than recruitment. I was building trust.
Showing up once isn’t enough
What happened next was a natural progression. We began to build programs that are designed to spark and sustain interest. We partnered with organizations throughout our community and launched annual events, such as the Summer Outreach Safety Festival (S.O.S. Fest). This event serves as a kickoff to the summer, to bring together a wide range of safety education efforts (e.g., gun safety, swim safety, elderly care and hands-only CPR). It became a one-stop opportunity for families to engage, learn and connect with those who serve them. More importantly, it became a platform to build trust.
As trust grew, the conversations began to shift. Instead of us asking people to consider the fire service, the community started coming to us: “I have a son (or daughter or grandson or neighbor). I think that they’d make a great firefighter.”
We also made a deliberate effort to engage with our youth. That meant being present in schools but also partnering with youth organizations to create meaningful experiences. Events, such as the AS-1 Community Kickball Game, allowed firefighters and police officers to step out of uniform and simply connect: playing, laughing and building relationships. Most of us can point to one adult who sparked our interest in something when we were a child. These moments create those opportunities.
One of the most important lessons that we learned is this: Showing up once isn’t enough. Some communities don’t just need presence. They need consistency. They need commitment. Above all, they need to know that what we bring is genuine.
Recruitment is a culture
When it comes to recruitment, we all want the best of the best. What if we shifted our mindset a little bit? Instead of waiting for the best to find us, let’s invest in our community so that we can now develop the best.
What if we intentionally built a pipeline that’s based on trust, commitment and community and developed programs that are built to last and relationships that can sustain for years to come? Recruitment isn’t just a division or a single position; it’s a culture. It must be priority from the fire chief to the newest fire cadet. For me to have strong recruits, I must have a strong connection to the community.
The next generation is out there, and they are waiting and watching. So, let me ask you this: If members of your community don’t know you, trust you or see themselves in you, why would they ever choose to join you?
5 Steps to Engagement
The Summer Outreach Safety Festival (S.O.S. Fest) was created to bring safety awareness directly into the communities that the Chattanooga, TN, Fire Department (CFD) serves at the start of the summer season. The event is designed to serve residents of all ages by connecting them with valuable resources and safety information. Through partnerships with local hospitals, public health organizations, law enforcement and community groups, attendees receive information on injury prevention, seat belt safety, senior services, fire safety, overall community wellness and other topics.
Although the goal of S.O.S Fest is education and prevention, it also has become one of the CFD’s most effective engagement and recruitment tools.
- Meeting families in their community. Instead of asking residents to come to a fire station or to travel to an event downtown, the CFD brings the event directly into the neighborhoods that it serves. Hosting S.O.S. Fest in the heart of the community allows families who might have transportation barriers to simply walk out of their home and participate in a free, family-friendly event.
- Hands-on experience. Many people never had the opportunity to interact with firefighters outside of an emergency. S.O.S. Fest gives families the chance to engage with firefighters, explore apparatus and equipment, and participate in hands-on safety activities. These experiences help to create positive and lasting impressions of the fire service.
- Introduction to a career in public safety. One of the most valuable aspects of the event is the opportunity to share information about careers in public safety. Firefighters can tell their personal stories and demonstrate that a career in the fire service is attainable. This is particularly impactful when firefighters engage in neighborhoods where they grew up or have strong community ties. Seeing someone from a similar background serving as a firefighter helps young people to envision themselves in that role.
- Mentorship connection. S.O.S. Fest creates opportunities for meaningful relationships to develop. Whether a young person is interested in becoming a firefighter or simply needs a positive role model, the event allows community members to connect with firefighters who can answer questions, provide guidance and serve as mentors long after the event ended.
- Lasting community relationship. The relationships that are built through S.O.S. Fest extend far beyond a single day. These interactions strengthen trust between the fire department and the community, encourage future participation in department programs, and create pathways for continued engagement, recruitment and partnership opportunities.
S.O.S. Fest has evolved from a community safety event into a workforce development and relationship-building initiative. By bringing firefighters and residents together in a positive environment, the event creates opportunities to educate, inspire and connect with the next generation of public safety professionals.
Community Engagement to Strengthen Relationships
The AS-1 Community Kickball Game was created to bring together youth families of Chattanooga, TN, with firefighters, police officers and community leaders in a positive environment outside of emergency situations. Although the event centers around recreation and fun, its larger purpose is building relationships, creating trust and exposing community members to careers in public safety.
- Breaking barriers. One of the greatest benefits of the kickball game is allowing youth and their families to see firefighters and police officers outside of emergency calls. When we are playing on the same field, laughing and interacting with families, the uniforms become less intimidating and genuine connections happen more naturally.
- Building trust. Trust is built through positive interactions, not a single emergency response. The AS-1 Community Kickball Game creates opportunities for community members, public safety personnel and community leaders to interact in a relaxed setting to begin to develop relationships over time. Such positive experiences help to strengthen the trust between first responders and the communities that they serve.
- Creating opportunities for conversation. The event provides a comfortable environment for youth and families to ask questions about careers in the fire service and law enforcement. These conversations often happen more naturally than they would at a formal career fair, which allows us to share our experiences and provide guidance to those who might be interested in public safety careers.
- Showing the human side. The AS-1 Community Kickball Game allows people of all ages to see us as more than first responders. They see firefighters and police officers as neighbors, mentors, coaches, parents and role models who genuinely care about the people who they serve. These interactions help to humanize the profession and to strengthen community relationships.
- Creating pathway for careers and future engagement. The connections that are made during the event often continue long after the final game was played. The relationships that are developed create pathways not only to careers in the fire service and public safety but also to volunteerism, mentorship and community involvement. The event demonstrates the importance of giving back and investing in the neighborhoods where firefighters and police officers live and work.
The AS-1 Community Kickball Game has become much more than a recreational event. It serves as a community engagement tool that strengthens relationships with youth and their families while introducing the next generation to careers that are built on service, leadership and a commitment to the community that they call home.
About the Author
Damien Vinson
Capt. Damien Vinson is the community outreach and recruitment coordinator for the Chattanooga, TN, Fire Department. He leads initiatives that are focused on community risk reduction, recruitment strategy, and building sustainable pipelines through outreach, partnerships and engagement.