So from what my experience has been is that the on-call and combination Fire Departments in my area, the Metrowest region of Massachusetts between Framingham and Worcester, have zero need for people applying with previous experience. I have been rejected by all five communities surrounding my town and six if you add the town I live in. By what I mean by previous experience I have ten years with two previous departments, FF I/II, Fire Service Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Pump and aerial operator certifications, my NREMT license and have just completed my paramedic school, my final exams are about two weeks away. I also have many other academy issued certificates for other classes. I have grown increasingly frustrated. Ultimately I do plan to pursue a career position but it seems the fire service wants nothing to do with someone with my training and experience to aid them as a on-call member.
Why is it acceptable to accept a ?! No matter how you cut it, if someone decides I don’t want to go tonight then who goes? We are far past the idea of volunteer recruitment. We need to focus on the very small amount of people who want to volunteer and start forcing our communities leaders to hire career firefighters. Let’s embrace the people who want to volunteer and at the same time make sure Mr and Mrs Smith have someone coming
This is no saving the volunteer fire departments. You can do some things to drag it out for a while longer but volunteerism is essentially dead. Furthermore I would say a good portion of so called volunteer fire departments are paid per call, for training, tax credits and so on. Good luck but most areas need to look at paid regionalization fire departments with paid call companies. This is the future if people want some form of public safety.
I'm 46 years old I wish I new about live in programs when I started the Fire Servce in 1992. I would have been like BYE!
Need to find a way to get the younger generation to join and participate
So from what my experience has been is that the on-call and combination Fire Departments in my area, the Metrowest region of Massachusetts between Framingham and Worcester, have zero need for people applying with previous experience. I have been rejected by all five communities surrounding my town and six if you add the town I live in. By what I mean by previous experience I have ten years with two previous departments, FF I/II, Fire Service Instructor I, Fire Officer I, Pump and aerial operator certifications, my NREMT license and have just completed my paramedic school, my final exams are about two weeks away. I also have many other academy issued certificates for other classes. I have grown increasingly frustrated. Ultimately I do plan to pursue a career position but it seems the fire service wants nothing to do with someone with my training and experience to aid them as a on-call member.
Why is it acceptable to accept a ?! No matter how you cut it, if someone decides I don’t want to go tonight then who goes? We are far past the idea of volunteer recruitment. We need to focus on the very small amount of people who want to volunteer and start forcing our communities leaders to hire career firefighters. Let’s embrace the people who want to volunteer and at the same time make sure Mr and Mrs Smith have someone coming
Fire extinguisher firetrucks 🚒
This is no saving the volunteer fire departments. You can do some things to drag it out for a while longer but volunteerism is essentially dead. Furthermore I would say a good portion of so called volunteer fire departments are paid per call, for training, tax credits and so on. Good luck but most areas need to look at paid regionalization fire departments with paid call companies. This is the future if people want some form of public safety.