Nationally, fire departments are closing, and some departments are finding it challenging to recruit young people to enter the field.
O’FALLON, Ill. — The O’Fallon, Illinois, Fire Department is tackling a problem head-on through intention and meeting people where they are. This is as the industry battles a nationwide shortage. It’s O’Fallon Fire Chief Brad White said he needed to get creative to lure more firefighters to the field.
When a fire emergency strikes, they’re there to save lives, yet White said noticed a problem.
“There are departments that are closing around the nation that have been there a hundred years or more … People age out who are currently with them, and they can’t get young people in. It’s a problem here in St. Clair County for sure,” he said.
It’s why he’s getting creative by investing in social media and innovative recruitment with a focus on matching new hires with their interests.
“We have QR codes on our trucks to go to the websites,” White said. “We have poker chips with QR codes telling people we’re recruiting. Anything and everything we can put in front of people or hand to them, we have advertising out there.”
That includes an online promotional video highlighting how firefighters are diverse.
“We are teachers, business owners, health care professionals, craftsmen, parents,” the video’s narrator says while showcasing a variety of faces.
“As soon as he asked volunteers, I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ My hand went up,” volunteer firefighter Aaron Clearly said.
He will soon help man the department’s drone, used for search and rescue efforts.
“I work on commercial aviation as my day job, so I’m kind of using that skill set to help with our drone program,” Clearly said.
It’s this kind of intentional recruiting that’s helped the department soar from 19 firefighters to more than 60 over the last several years. Right now, a dozen more are going through the academy.
“The industry is not dying,” White said. “I just think it needs some fresh blood and fresh ideas … The technology changes. The safety changes, but someone still has to show up when things go wrong and that’s what the fire department does every day.”
In September, 5 On Your Side reported the Pocahontas-Old Ripley Fire District in Illinois let go of all its volunteer EMTS. The district ran out of money to hire full-time paramedics.
5 On Your Side checked with the St. Louis Fire Department, which said it was short about 100 firefighters. The lead instructor of the Fire Academy said this week, 56 fire recruits started. The department also started an EMS New Employee Class with 15 EMTs and three paramedics participating.