www.thebackdraftmagazine.com | A Volunteer Fire Service Publication | Volume 5 | Issue 1 | Backdraft Magazine 29
More demand, less supply
The need to retain volunteer firefighters isn't just an
inconvenience for local chiefs. It can also save cities
money - lots of money.
Equipping and training a new recruit can cost about
$7,000, said Eagan's Scott.
Firefighters go through an average of about 100 hours
of initial training before they can fight their first fire.
Then come about another 100 hours to learn how to
be first responders, deal with hazardous materials
calls and perform other varied duties.
"There's a lot more demand on a volunteer fire
department now," Scott said. "My dad was a firefighter
starting in 1971, and then you were a firefighter. Now
you have rescue, hazmat, decontamination, first aid
-- all kinds of things."
After the initial training, even the most veteran
firefighters at many stations train for two to four
hours a week.
"It's a huge commitment to be a paid on-call
firefighter," Inver Grove Heights Fire Chief Judy
Thill said.
Unusual measures
Departments are coming up with novel approaches to
rounding up and retaining new recruits.
A few recently have changed to a part-time model,
where firefighters are paid hourly to man firehouses in
shifts. Maplewood and Brooklyn Park say the switch
has been a success, and other local departments might
follow suit.
Maplewood Fire Chief Steve Lukin said some
volunteers were resistant to the idea at first, but those
who stayed with the department have been happy.
"They love the freedom," Lukin said. "They like the
fact that they can control their hours and when they
can be with their families. They don't live by the
pager anymore like they used to."
Lukin said too few people work odd shifts in their
regular jobs anymore, which was making covering
daytime calls difficult. This way, firefighters are
always at the ready for a call.
Firefighters, who sign up for 36 hours a month,
are paid $12 to $16 an hour, depending on their
experience and position. Lukin said he can now hire
from outside the city, which also helps.
Eagan has six dorms that allow young recruits to live
at its new fire station for free. The dorms, Scott said,
assure someone is within range of the fire most of
the time. Additionally, the city can recruit from other
communities.
The program, which began in 2008 at Eagan's old
Fire Station No. 6, has been a success, Scott said.
"I wish I could expand it to two stations," he said.
Some departments that are still paid on-call are
resorting to cable television ads and Facebook
pages to bring in new recruits. Others are using non-
firefighting volunteers to handle less dangerous tasks
in-house so firefighters can spend more time with
their families.
Aiming to retain
Despite all the challenges, some local departments
have been successful in both recruiting and retaining
firefighters.
Apple Valley Fire Chief Nealon Thompson said his
department hasn't had to hire a new firefighter since
January 2009. He attributes that success to paying
close attention to morale and clearly laying out
expectations before he hires someone.
Area chiefs said giving a new recruit a clear picture
of the amount of time and effort required is crucial
to retention. Most hold informational meetings that
interested residents must attend before they can even
apply.
Lakeville's department also gets spouses involved.
"Your family plays a huge role in your being part of
the department," Lakeville Fire Chief Mike Meyer
said. "They're the ones that let you drop everything
to respond to a call."
Even if it's getting harder to find committed
firefighters, cities are unlikely to change their models
anytime soon. The National Volunteer Fire Council
estimates that volunteer firefighters save communities
in the United States more than $128 billion a year.
Besides, the chiefs say their volunteers love what they
do. "They like helping their neighbors," Thompson
said.