National Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention

Part 1- Talent Accelerator self-assessment

The first part helps fire departments address staffing crises and retain their current volunteer and career firefighters. By taking a Talent Accelerator self-assessment, you can evaluate your department against a workforce development maturity model. The maturity model will rank your fire department in four categories: Leadership, Workforce, Infrastructure, and Experience. This provides you with suggestions on how to retain your current staff.

Part 2 - National Volunteer Firefighter Survey

The second part of the toolkit is focused on recruitment. By taking the National Volunteer Firefighter Survey, you can compare your department to those in your state and others nationwide. The survey collects demographic information, including income levels, education levels, the language spoken at home, and access to transportation. With those demographics and percentages provided, it offers a breakdown of your community, helping you target your best recruitment locations and events to attend.

Training Overview: These sessions provide fire departments with direct access to tools, guidance, and technical support to strengthen recruitment and retention strategies using geospatial data. Each session will walk departments through the practical application of the toolkit, from initial assessment to implementation. Participants will gain working knowledge of how to leverage GIS mapping to identify gaps, target outreach, and improve workforce sustainability.

Delivery Format: Virtual (Live)

Audience: Fire chiefs, command staff, recruitment coordinators, and department leadership

Session Format:

• 60-minute live session
• Toolkit demonstration + guided walkthrough
• Open Q&A and discussion
• Optional follow-up support through IAFC

Upcoming Training

Mentoring Certification Program: Helping Members Find Their Spark Through Mentoring

Upcoming Courses

Questions?

Contact:
IAFC Workforce Solutions Department
ws@iafc.org