Recruitment and Retention in the Volunteer Fire Service - Problems and Solutions Manual

The National Volunteer Fire Council and U.S. Fire Administration held a series of workshops across the country that brought together volunteer fire service members from all 50 states to discuss the problem of recruitment and retention. At each of the workshops, attendees provided reasons why people don't volunteer as much in the fire and rescue service today as they did in the past. Reasons noted most frequently include lack of time, apathy, and excessive requirements. This report discusses the core problems of recruitment and retention in the volunteer fire service, and provides solutions to these problems as suggested by fire chiefs and firefighters from all across the country. This report covers such items as: Problems and Solutions of Retention; Leadership; Attitude and Motivation Research; Emotional Support; Training Requirements; Time Demands; Incentives; Relocation; Diversity of People and Interests; The Fun Factor; Who Should Do the Recruiting; Recruiting Messages; and, much much more.