NFPA Journal - September/October 2012 - (Page 21)

firefighters to people who aren’t firefighters but would very much like to assume these tasks. If that happens, I think we can solve the time crunch. How do these issues tie in to an apparent decline in volunteer firefighters? go a long way toward providing decent equipment for personnel, but there’s also an element of “thank you” in that. When you can provide volunteers with new equipment, they see that as a community saying thank you. With SAFER, some of those funds are Based on NFPA reports, particularly the U.S. Fire Department Profile Through 2010, what we’re seeing for the third straight year is a pretty significant decline in the number of volunteer firefighters. I’m reading into that a number of different things, but I have a suspicion that what we’re seeing with the national volunteer fire service is an aging population. We’re seeing older firefighters retire. What we’re not seeing is an equivalent number of young firefighters entering the volunteer ranks to make up that difference. That presents us with some pretty significant challenges. Trying to figure out how to Stittleburg says the recruitment of younger people into the volunteer fire service is a key challenge. recruit younger people—what “What motivates the 50-year-old might not motivate an 18-year-old to join,” he says. interests them, what motivates them, and what can keep them here—is a challenge that we have to meet. What motivates the 50-yearset aside for volunteer recruitment. NFPA, old might not motivate an 18-year-old to along with the other major fire service orgajoin. One of the ways we’re getting there is nizations, has been advocating for AFG and through NVFC’s National Junior Firefighter SAFER for a number of years. Program, which has seen some pretty significant success [in preparing teens for It seems as if you get the same type of excitement when hearing “thank you.” potential careers as firefighters by learning from active members of the fire service]. This I tell people that what really motivates volsort of early recruiting really does have a unteers is payday. People look at me and positive effect. say, “Payday?” When you work for free, “thank you” is payday. When you cut someHow can NFPA help with efforts affecting body’s kid out of a crashed vehicle, and the volunteers? parent comes up to you and says, “Thank NFPA has been one of the advocates in proyou for saving my kid’s life.” Or when you moting the Assistance to Firefighters Grant save someone’s house from burning, and (AFG) program, as well as the Staffing for someone says, “Thank you for saving every Adequate Fire and Emergency Response treasure I have here on Earth.” You can really (SAFER) Grant programs. What you really work very hard for a long time for that kind need to keep volunteers going are two of payday. things: decent equipment to work with and the occasional “thank you.” AFG and SAFER —Interview conducted by Fred Durso, Jr. Photograph: Peter Thomson SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012 NFPA JOURNAL 21

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - September/October 2012

NFPA Journal - September/October 2012
Contents
First Word
Mail Call
In a Flash
Perspectives
Firewatch
Research
Heads Up
Structural Ops
In Compliance
Buzzwords
Outreach
Electrical Safety
Wildfire Watch
Lessons of Comayagua
After Waldo Canyon
Catastrophic Multiple-Death Fires in 2011
Fire Loss in the United States in 2011
Section Spotlight
Research + Analysis
What’s Hot
Looking Back

NFPA Journal - September/October 2012