After looking to fill its chief position for nearly two years, the Monroe Fire Department is exploring a new approach to recruiting staff.
Al Rufer, MFD’s interim fire chief, said the department is looking to mix traditional ways of recruiting with new ones. Rufer said he knows of several other southern Wisconsin fire departments facing staffing shortages.
“We said you know we need to do something different,” Rufer said. “We can’t just throw the banner out front anymore and just do the Facebook stuff.”
Madison College’s fire program director Jen Roman said Monroe Fire Dept. is among many other departments trying creative ways to recruit staff.
“Fire departments are in a staffing crisis, particularly rural departments, which rely on a volunteer force,” Roman said. “We know that volunteerism statistically is down over the last two decades... the fire departments are having to do creative things and look elsewhere for volunteer.