Retention and Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services

Retention & Recruitment for the Volunteer Emergency Services: Challenges & Solutions 5
The leadership skill of the chief is the most important factor in recruitment and retention.
The chief’s personality and competence in communications, personnel relations, and
human resource management are vital. The chief is therefore critical to successful
recruitment and retention.
The volunteer chief’s role has become much more complex than it was in the past. Chiefs
must be knowledgeable in technical issues, personnel management, health risks, budgeting,
and liability issues. The chief’s roles include being a counselor, a facilitator, and a family
member. Volunteer departments should establish chief officer selection criteria that reflect
all areas of responsibility.
While there are merits to having leaders that everyone likes, there is a strong consensus
against electing a chief solely on the basis of popularity. “Don’t just vote for your friend,”
said one chief. If the chief does not know his or her “stuff”, the members may lose
respect for him or her and quit. After reviewing NFPA 1021, Standard for Fire Officer Professional
Qualifications, the department should develop minimum qualifications that must be met by
those who wish to become chief officers. There is a need for administrative, leadership, and
management skills in addition to being a competent fireground officer.
The knowledge needed to be an effective chief cannot be gained in a short time. Most
volunteers feel that chiefs should rise up through the ranks of the department. This way
they not only gain experience, but also become familiar with the department from all
perspectives. Others also will have more respect for them because they have been a line
firefighter.
Most departments have an election process as well as minimum requirements for the chief’s
position. Some departments have evolved methods of choosing a chief that are specifically
designed to alleviate problems of bias. Many departments now use tests as a part of the
selection process. While good test takers may not necessarily make good officers, testing is
commonly recommended as one element of the selection process. In States where many
departments are part of the municipality, it is common for the city manager or city council
to have the final approval for a new volunteer chief.
In many communities, departments take pride in promoting leadership continuity from
one generation to another. However, the mantle of leadership should be earned, and
not necessarily passed on to a family member of the incumbent chief, unless he or she
is qualified and voted on by the members. There should be no “double standard” or
favoritism for family members. All candidates should meet the minimum qualifications.
As the demands on volunteer departments have increased, as well as standards regulating
them, the pressures on the chief also have increased. Some departments are finding it
difficult to find anyone who wants to be chief, especially someone who is qualified. This