The volunteer fire service is experiencing its biggest challenge to date with volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention. With today’s era of competing demands for the volunteer/potential volunteer firefighter, the question becomes, how can departments cost effectively and successfully recruit and retain volunteer firefighters? This workshop is based on a three-year doctoral study on firefighter retention and offers participants research-based/proven strategies to reduce turnover and increase recruitment among all generations of volunteers. These strategies are not based on costly recruitment campaigns and incentives; they offer practical professional applications that can be easily deployed. Students will learn strategies to help overcome the biggest barriers to retention and recruitment and, through discussion and hands-on activities, will draft a personalized plan to increase and maintain members.They will be provided with a planning document to create their own plan and will leave with easy-to-implement strategies designed to fit their department needs.
