When fires happen, the firefighter risking their life to run into the smoke and flames may be someone volunteering their time and effort. But recruiting and retaining volunteers has been an issue in many areas for years.
The Elizabethtown Fire Department joined the Volunteer Workforce Solutions campaign almost two years ago, in an effort to recruit more volunteer fire fighters and keep them coming back to respond to the next call.
“90% of the fire department is volunteer, and so it’s very important for communities like ours that we rely on volunteers,” said Elizabethtown Fire Department Chief Nick West.
The campaign helps recruit volunteers like Maliek Huff — he’s just starting out as a volunteer firefighter at EFD.
“Going through the training is a great opportunity because we train everyday to make our jobs efficient, to better do our jobs,” said Huff.