volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention strategy

Tool: Dialogue Guide for Informing Current Firefighters of theRecruitment DriveUsed by: Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, all members of fire departmentWhen to use: Use when beginning to implement the Recruitment andRetention Strategy.Learn more: Recruitment and Retention Strategy, page 10Informing current firefighters of the recruitment drive should take place at a regularly scheduledmeeting. It is recommended that this discussion take place at the same meeting the FireDepartment Climate Evaluation is administered (see tool: Fire Department Climate Evaluation).The Fire Chief and Volunteer Coordinator (where applicable) should both have had time tofamiliarize themselves with the Recruitment and Retention Strategy. The following guide willhelp facilitate department discussion of the upcoming recruitment drive. It is critical that currentfirefighters understand that they are not being replaced; that the recruitment drive will help thedepartment gain more resources in order to continue serving the community with excellence.BackgroundVolunteer Alberta contracted to create a Recruitment and Retention Strategy forVolunteer Firefighters in response to AFCA concerns about these issues;Report suggests several initiatives that can be undertaken by the AFCA, as well as localdepartments to improve the recruitment and retention of volunteers;The Anytown Fire Department appreciates the commitment current volunteers haveshown to the department, and wants input as to what the fire department can do to aid inthe recruitment and retention of volunteers;The recruitment drive will help the department gain more resources in order to continuea standard of serving the community with excellence, as well as result in reduceddemands on current firefighters‟ time.Administer Fire Department Climate EvaluationExplain that the climate evaluation will assist the fire department in assessing whatcurrent volunteers think about different aspects of the department;Responses will be anonymous. The Volunteer Coordinator will be administering theevaluation, including compiling the results. There will be no retribution for honestresponses;At a future meeting the evaluation results, and possible options for action, will bediscussed by the fire department. A plan will then be made for how the department canimprove recruitment and retention.Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Strategy & ToolkitPrepared by Volunteer Alberta for the Alberta Fire Chiefs’Association44