More than 60% of U.S. fire and EMS departments are staffed by volunteers, and in some states that figure tops 80%. But according to the NFPA, the U.S. volunteer fire service has lost nearly one-quarter of its members since 2008, while call volume over that period has greatly increased.
Reaching Gen Z
A recent Gallup survey of Gen Z members, defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, showed that 79% of respondents said that they wanted a job in the future that is “mainly focused on helping others or making a positive difference” in others’ lives.
These two conditions seem to perfectly match up — but how do we make that connection? A new program is trying to do just that.
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In April, the IAFC launched A Hustle Worth Having, an initiative aimed at recruiting Gen Z members as volunteer firefighters. The program, funded by a SAFER grant and employing a professional marketing firm, provides materials and support for volunteer agencies working to recruit more members in their 20s.
The program also has a special effort in place to support volunteer fire departments in this regard during Fire Prevention Week. Departments that register for this assistance through the A Hustle Worth Having website receive help with social media and marketing for any Fire Prevention Week events they host.
Why we need this program
Several factors may be in play. First, Gen Z is the most digitally focused generation. Many fire departments have not fully kept up in this medium, so younger people may not even realize the opportunities that exist for service. The materials and strategies provided by the IAFC initiative work to bridge this gap.
Perhaps more importantly, members of Gen Z live in a different world than those who might be currently leading volunteer fire departments. They face a challenging economic outlook marked by high housing costs, stagnant entry-level wages and unstable job prospects. Many young people find that they must take on a second job, or “side hustle,” just to make ends meet.
Still, even with these obstacles, the benefits of having a sense of purpose in one’s work life are not lost on this generation. Notably, 79% of Gen-Zers surveyed said they want a job focused on helping others or making a positive difference, but only 56% of employed Gen-Zers who want that type of work said they currently have it.
Additionally, the survey showed that Gen Z individuals who are confident that they make a positive difference in the lives of others are significantly more likely to feel that their own lives have meaning. These young people also report far lower rates of anxiety and depression than their peers who say that they lack a clear sense of meaning or purpose.
The new IAFC initiative builds on those needs.
A short video on IAFC TV emphasizes that volunteer firefighters find a sense of community and belonging through their work. One person said, “Being in a firehouse is like having your family nearby.”
Is it having a real effect?
Jason Caughey — fire chief of the Laramie County (Wyoming) Fire Authority and a member of the IAFC Volunteer & Combination Officers Section (VCOS) — was one of the key movers behind the new program. He reported that in his own department, it is typical to get 20 applications from prospective new volunteer firefighters in any given year. But after using the Hustle Worth Having program, they have had 60 so far this year.
Chief Caughey acknowledged that the current outreach effort is only the first step in increasing engagement among young people as volunteers in their communities. He emphasized the importance of fire department leaders being open-minded in how they interact with younger people to make the initial engagement a true connection.
“The way we led organizations 25 years ago isn’t going to match how we lead today’s workforce,” Caughey noted. He added that young people may be volunteering with other entities in their communities — their church or local animal shelter, for example — “but they’re not volunteering with you. Why? The first thing is not to blame that generation, but to look at yourself and your organization.”
The power of a side hustle
The IAFC hopes that this campaign will endure long past when the SAFER grant runs out, working toward creating a universal national image for volunteer firefighting that complements any specific local efforts.
Caughey commented that one of the key points of the marketing campaign is that your job as an accountant or mechanic or whatever else is what pays your bills, “but your side hustle as a firefighter fills your heart.”
