An assessment of retention incentives for volunteer firefighters in Virginia

Abstract

Volunteer firefighters provide fire protection for the majority of communities in the United States and often receive little compensation in return. In addition to the inherent hazards of firefighting, volunteers are challenged by increasing call volumes, training requirements, and demands from family and careers. As a result, fire department leaders often attempt to retain members through incentives.
The opinions of 108 volunteer firefighters in Virginia about which incentives will enhance recruitment and retention efforts were investigated according to personal factors such as sex, age, and rank. The analysis looked at 12 incentives and five personal characteristics and revealed only six of the 60 possible two-variable relationships as being statistically significant. In particular, younger volunteers were more likely to name training competitions, tuition reimbursement, and the opportunity to fundraise as being important factors in their volunteerism. The most significant finding of the research, however, is that a decentralized management style—manifested in the delegation of authority and participation in decision making—is important to the vast majority of volunteers, regardless of their personal attributes. Although such emphasis on decentralization will likely require a cultural shift in many volunteer fire departments, it is cost-effective and, most importantly, will en - courage the recruitment of volunteers and enhance their retention.