Lancaster County, PA, Departments Ask Lawmakers for Firefighter Recruitment Help

Jul. 30—Lancaster County first responders want greater collaboration with their communities and school districts to grow the ranks of young recruits and address declining membership at local fire departments and police stations.

East Hempfield Township fire Chief John Kottmyer told a panel of state legislators during a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing in West Earl Township on Wednesday that recruitment tactics haven't changed much since he began volunteering decades ago. Strategies need to modernize to attract younger people, he said, as membership numbers dwindle.

"It's kind of a different era, a different time, and I think we need to look at some of the ways that we're thinking about recruitment or retention," Kottmyer said. "How do we keep these people?"

Lancaster County's problem is not unique. First responders across Pennsylvania and the nation have struggled to recruit new members, particularly in volunteer fire companies, for years.

A 2018 report by the state House of Representatives found that the number of volunteer firefighters statewide fell by about 260,000 over 40 years. Many local fire officials attribute the sharp decline to the long hours that come with volunteerism due to intensive training and fundraising.

Youth programs

Jamie Rohrer, chief of East Petersburg Fire Company, encouraged legislators in attendance, including county lawmaker Sen. James Malone, to put more money into public safety education programs. He said volunteer fire companies like his can't afford to do the heavy lifting on their own.

"Once (youth) get a little bit of the emergency services in their blood, it catches on quick," Rohrer said.

A bill currently circulating in the Senate, co-sponsored by Lehigh Valley Sen. Nick Miller, chair of the Democratic Policy Committee, would provide more funding to community colleges for public safety training.

Pennsylvania Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook said his office is engaged with 28 school districts across the state to implement public safety training programs that have proven successful. Similar programs are likely to start up in other districts in the future, he said. Cook encouraged first responders to be active in their communities to promote interest.

Jerry Ozog, public safety specialist for the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors, said successful community collaborations happen when school districts work directly with fire departments. The Senate committee expressed interest in aiding those discussions.

A study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police last year found that 70% of agencies surveyed reported more difficulties recruiting officers compared to five years ago. Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Chief Josh Kilgore attributed the low numbers of prospects to a negative perception of policing and called on state officials to publicly support their local police.

Like firefighters, Kilgore said, police officers want to reach people when they are young. He said it's necessary for police to have a presence in schools so children can develop a positive relationship with them.

Malone, who represents the northern half of Lancaster County and is a member of the Senate committee, said he supports more state funding for public safety recruitment. He said a social media ad campaign funded by the state, suggested by Rohrer, could be a possible solution to target young people.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Republican state Rep. David Zimmerman, whose district includes West Earl Township, said more state dollars should support recruitment programs that target young people. He praised Garden Spot Fire Rescue's annual summer camp cadet program, which introduces children aged 10 to 14 to fire services. Zimmerman said he volunteered with Blue Ball Fire Company as a teenager, which later merged with New Holland Liberty Fire Company to create Garden Spot.

Pennsylvania State Police also host an annual camp cadet program for Lancaster County children to learn about law enforcement.

Regional solutions

Officials Wednesday also emphasized the need for different agencies and municipalities to work together to improve recruitment rates.

Kilgore praised the regional police model, saying it saves money for local governments and attracts new members. A regional police department is bigger than a municipal police force, he said, and can offer more desirable benefits, including career development opportunities.

Lancaster County currently has three regional police departments.

Ephrata police Chief Chris McKim said contracted police services, when a police department agrees to provide coverage to surrounding municipalities, offers a similar benefit. The state needs to offer more incentives to encourage regional contracts, he said. Ephrata covers the borough, Ephrata Township, West Cocalico Township and Adamstown Borough.

Kottmyer said regionalization could be the future for volunteer fire companies, too, to share equipment and costs as fire trucks become more expensive. Several local fire companies have merged in recent years, a process West Hempfield Township and Mountville Borough are currently undergoing.

"We have to figure out a better model and a better way to do this, and it's not just buy and buy and buy," Kottmyer said.

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