1.
EVERYTHING YOU
WANTED TO KNOW
ABOUT YOUR VFD–
BUT WERE AFRAID
TO ASK
Local Government’s Role in Sustaining
& Growing Your Volunteer Fire Department

2.
FIRSTARRIVING.COM

3.
SIZE-UP:
Burning Questions & Forecasts
PERFORMING THE 360:
What will the Market Bear?
INVESTIGATION:
True Costs of Not Supporting your VFD
TACTICS:
Local Government’s Role & Opportunities
AAR-All About Recruitment:
Expectations, Evaluation & Awareness
INITIAL REPORTS:

4.
95% OF THE
FIRES WE FIGHT ARE:
A. ON THE FIREGROUND
B. IN THE FIREHOUSE

5.
FORECAST:
“As the Fire Department struggles
to be everything it once was to the
community, today’s volunteers
struggle to be everything
they once were to the
fire department.”
[2001]

6.
FORECAST:
“The survival and success
of the volunteer fire service
relies on our ability to create
MORE opportunities
for MORE people to
volunteer LESS time!”
[2001]

7.
FUN FACT:
“Nobody signs up to be a
Volunteer Firefighter
with aspirations of one day being
promoted to Bingo Chairman.
But somebody needs to be the
Bingo Chairman!”

8.
THE C-WORD
OF THE
FIRE SERVICE…

9.
Phoenix AZ Fire Chief Alan Brunacini
“Firefighters only
dislike two things:
Change…
and the way
things are!”

10.
“If you don’t like change,
you are really going
to hate obsolescence.”

11.
Change typically comes
in one of two forms:
EVOLUTION

12.
Change typically comes
in one of two forms:
REVOLUTION

13.
Change typically comes
in one of two forms:

14.
DECISION TREE
“If your decision-making process doesn’t start
and end with ‘What’s right for the customer?’
– there’s a real good chance
you’re not making the
right decisions.”

15.
If you’re not focused on
Recruitment & Retention…
What are you focused on?

16.
PERFORMING
THE 360:
WHAT WILL THE MARKET BEAR?
Local Government’s Role in Sustaining
& Growing Your Volunteer Fire Department

17.
Is it:
A Fire Department that also provides EMS? -OR-
An EMS Provider that occasionally goes to fires?

18.
Is it a Fire Department or Fire Insurance?

19.
What will the
market bear?

20.
What will the market bear?
• A highly dedicated, loyal,
passionate, caring workforce
staffed by volunteers

21.
What will the market bear?
• Lack of consistency
and continuity:
• Service Delivery
• Leadership

22.
What will the market bear?
• WE can’t hide behind:
“We’re JUST Volunteers”
• YOU should never forget:
“We ARE Volunteers!”

23.
What will the
market bear?
$15-20K

24.
What will the market bear?
$600-800K $750K $250K

25.
What will the market bear?
$600-800K $750K $250K
160,000
Pancake Breakfasts
83,333
Chicken BBQs
16,666
Raffle Tickets

26.
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT HIGHWAY POLICE FIRE
Save lives  
Save tax dollars  
Provide volunteer labor 
Obligated to underwrite cost of service delivery X
What will the market bear?

27.
What will the
market bear?

28.
INVESTIGATION:
THE REAL COSTS
OF NOT
SUPPORTING
YOUR VFD
Local Government’s Role in Sustaining
& Growing Your Volunteer Fire Department

29.
What are the true costs of your
volunteer fire department being:
• Under-staffed
• Under-funded
• Under-valued

30.
Job
Family
Friends
Firehouse
Finances
What will the
market bear?

31.
Peace at Home=Peace at the Firehouse
Integrate the Family

32.
TACTICS:
LOCAL GOV
ROLE &
OPPORTUNITIES
Local Government’s Role in Sustaining
& Growing Your Volunteer Fire Department

33.
• GET ENGAGED
• COMMUNICATE
• BE SUPPORTIVE
• BE REALISTIC IN YOUR EXPECTATIONS
• INVOLVE THEM IN YOUR
BUDGET PROCESS
• NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH
• EXPECT ACCOUNTABILITY
FROM BOTH SIDES

34.
TRULY PARTNER:
• BE INCLUSIVE
• EXPEDITE APPLICATION & ONBOARDING PROCESSES
• LEVERAGE NETWORKS TO SUPPORT VOLUNTEER
RECRUITMENT & SUPPORT
• CONNECT WITH YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES
• ADVOCATE FOR YOUR VFD

35.
OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER:
• ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
• GRANT WRITING SERVICES
• STRATEGIC PLANNING
SERVICES & SUPPORT
• LEADERSHIP TRAINING
• IN-HOUSE OR CONTRACTUAL
MARKETING SERVICES

36.
OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER:
• RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
• TAX BREAKS
• DISCOUNTED SERVICES
• MUNICIPAL PASSES
• INCENTIVES FOR VOLUNTEERS
& THEIR FAMILIES
• LOSAP

37.
• HELP THEM ADAPT AND FOCUS ON OUTCOMES
• ENCOURAGE YOUR VFD TO APPOINT
A LIAISON TO YOUR BOARD
• PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SAFETY/
EM COMMITTEE
• PRESENT SCHEDULED REPORTS
TO THE GOVERNING BODY
• INVOLVED IN DECISIONS AFFECTING PS
• NETWORK WITH TOWN SUPERVISOR/
MANAGER/MAYOR/BOARD CHAIR TO KEEP
LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS OPEN

38.
• ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCEPTANCE OF CITIZEN AND GOV
INPUT INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT:
• HAVE AT LEAST ONE CITIZEN
MEMBER ON THE VFD’S BOARD
• HOLD CITIZEN’S FIRE ACADEMY TO
GROW ADVOCATES AND EDUCATE
THE PUBLIC ON WHAT VFD DOES
• IF ASKED, SHOW THE PUBLIC WHAT
THE NON-PROFIT’S FINANCES ARE
AND WHERE THEY ARE

39.
REDUCE FUNDRAISING BURDEN:
• COST SHARING:
• LEVERAGE MUNICIPAL DISCOUNTS &
BULK PURCHASING AGREEMENTS
• FUEL
• EQUIPMENT
• EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & INCENTIVES
• EAP
• MEDICAL PHYSICALS
• HEALTH INSURANCE
• AD&D INSURANCE

40.
REDUCE FUNDRAISING BURDEN:
• ENCOURAGE AND ALLOW MUNICIPAL
EMPLOYEES TO VOLUNTEER
• PARTNER/UNDERWRITE
RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
• DO WHAT YOU DO BEST
– OUTSOURCE THE REST

41.
REDUCE FUNDRAISING BURDEN:
•FACILITATE CONSOLIDATION
•INCREASE FUNDING
•BEAR THE COSTS
OF THE ALTERNATIVES

42.
AAR-ALL ABOUT
RECRUITMENT
Local Government’s Role in Sustaining
& Growing Your Volunteer Fire Department

43.
•
•
•
THREE TIER APPROACH
TO RECRUITMENT SUCCESS:

44.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

45.
TREAT EVERY PUBLIC INTERACTION:
•
•
•
•
IT STARTS WITH AN ATTITUDE.

46.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

47.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

48.
•
•
•
•
•
•