Recruitment and Retention
Recruitment and retention is one of the most critical topics in the fire service, particularly the volunteer fire service, which has long been seeking to attract and maintain members. The recruitment and retention resource page provides critical content to help fire departments manage their personnel, from articles that inform prospective members are life as a volunteer to podcasts about recruitment best practices to new techniques being used to encourage new members, and so much more.
From entry-level to chief, these firefighter interview questions will help prep your answers to reveal character, competence and leadership potential
HOW TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER
Make a good impression and launch your firefighter career on the right foot with these tips for probationary firefighters
The firefighter’s written exam covers everything from a math skills review to a personality assessment
Firefighter salaries and benefits vary by location and rank.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Part of building crew unity is taking the opportunity to have some fun, but there must be room for training – plus all those EMS calls
The engineer serves several roles, from equipment checks to throwing ladders, medic assists and more
The week starts with motivation, weaves through myriad activities, and concludes with a restorative weekend – and possibly some duty officer work
24 hours filled with constant alerts, plus meetings, training and little sleep
It’s one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs in the fire service
A Monday to Sunday breakdown of what’s it’s like to serve as a fire chief for a mid-size fire department
COMPLETE COVERAGE
The 2026 plan includes a move to eliminate the EMS special fund, shifting $75M in revenue to the general fund.
As veteran crews retire, the next wave is looking for mentorship, so stop blaming and start training
What’s changed since last year?
Planning to serve your community? It starts with quality firefighter training.
Not enough hours in the day? Try these tips to get you back on track
Virginia Beach’s new budget includes pay increases, boosts for public safety salaries, and funding for new firefighters and fire apparatus to ease staffing shortages and burnout
Trainee firefighters from across the Midwest gathered in Danville to battle controlled burns in a vacant house, offering a realistic, hands-on test of their fireground skills
FDNY
Carrying on a family legacy marked by heroism and heartbreak, Joseph Angelini III joined the FDNY decades after losing both his father and grandfather in the 9/11 attacks
The bill would cover tuition for firefighters, paramedics and other first responders after six years of service and their dependents after 10 years
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon said a new report on firefighter staffing should serve as a wake-up call to secure more resources for fire departments
MOST POPULAR
- What Trump’s executive orders tell us about his public safety agenda
- N.Y. firefighter killed during 3-alarm fire identified
- Mo. first responders object to bill aiming to ban Chinese-made drones
- Medical plane with 6 aboard crashes in Philadelphia, setting homes ablaze
- National Firefighter Registry for Cancer goes offline following NIOSH layoffs