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Volunteer Fire Service in PA Facts, Myths, Complaints, and Innovative Solutions

Volunteer Fire Service in PA Facts, Myths, Complaints, and Innovative Solutions . Facts: Volunteers. Decrease in # of volunteer firefighters 300,000 in 1970s 70,000 in 1990s PA State Fire Commissioner Edward A. Mann estimates about 50,000 volunteer today

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Volunteer Fire Service in PA Facts, Myths, Complaints, and Innovative Solutions

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  1. Volunteer Fire Service in PAFacts, Myths, Complaints, and Innovative Solutions

  2. Facts: Volunteers • Decrease in # of volunteer firefighters • 300,000 in 1970s • 70,000 in 1990s • PA State Fire Commissioner Edward A. Mann estimates about 50,000 volunteer today • 2,400 fire departments across PA’s 67 counties

  3. Facts: Local Government • Municipal governments responsible for fire protection & emergency medical services (EMS) • Volunteer fire services save local governments about $6 billion in avoided costs • Estimated hourly value of PA volunteer firefighter is $20.51

  4. Facts: Funding • PA Volunteer Firefighter Relief Association Program and Volunteer Ambulance Service Grant Program • Programs provide $150 million a year to volunteer fire service

  5. Myths and Misconceptions • Myth: Local services tax funds fire departments • Myth: State training requirements hinder recruiting efforts • Myth: Volunteer fire departments are in great financial health

  6. Myths and Misconceptions • Reality: Volunteer fire departments do not receive any local service tax revenue • Reality: Pennsylvania does not require any level of training for state firefighters • Reality: Many volunteer fire departments face dire financial circumstances. Local governments must create career fire departments if they lose volunteer service.

  7. Complaints and Concerns • Fundraising requirements • Dissatisfaction with time spent on fundraising (chicken barbecues, bingo games, etc.) • Firehouse politics • Bureaucratic red tape (4 month process to replace a lost glove in Montgomery County, PA) • Both cited as main reasons for leaving departments

  8. Innovative Solutions

  9. Retention • Exit surveys to determine why people are leaving • Example: Montgomery County, Pennsylvania • Fire department reduced bureaucratic red tape after exit surveys frequently cited it as reason for leaving

  10. Recruitment: Without Legislation • Shorten application • Quick and personal follow up with applicants • Establish Citizen’s Fire Academy • Market to “millennial” generation • Diverse and tech-savvy demographic group • Value: recognition, little bureaucracy, friendly work environments

  11. Retention and Recruitment: Without Legislation • Selective paging reduces # of volunteers for unnecessary runs • Climate & exit surveys to assess retention needs • Highlands Emergency Services Alliance • EMS and firefighting training to high school students during school • Essentials of Fire Fighting and Emergency Response certification • Many later serve as junior firefighters

  12. Training: Without Legislation • Online training options • O’Hara Township • Points-based gift card incentive system • Awarded points for tasks such as training and EMS shifts • Customize training to dept & community needs • Montgomery County, Virginia • County-wide Volunteer Orientation teaches basics of firefighting & emergency response

  13. Community Relations: Without Legislation • Build strong relationships • Work with local elected officials & community groups • Department tours, better communication, etc • Reach out to community for non-firefighting jobs • fundraising, financial reports, administrative, etc

  14. Recruitment: With Legislation • Create incentives for different age groups • Younger: Tuition breaks • Middle-age: Student loan forgiveness • Older: Length of service awards or retiree stipends

  15. Recruitment: Expand FireVEST • Allegheny County Scholarship for volunteer firefighters • 65-credit Associate’s Degree at Community College of Allegheny County • Covers tuition, fees, & books • Must meet minimum 2.00 GPA • Must commit to 5 years of fire service • FireVEST scholars represent 60 Allegheny County companies and 14 CCAC academic programs • 60% current participants have GPAs above 3.0

  16. Recruitment and Retention: With Legislation • Implement recommendations in Senate Resolution 60 report • Tax and insurance incentives for volunteer firefighters • local income tax breaks • forgiveness of local fire tax • state income tax breaks • municipal group medical insurance rates • state grant programs • local matches for Length of Service Award Programs • Albemarle County, Virginia • Funds incentives and cost recovery so volunteers don’t spend money to volunteer.

  17. Training: with Legislation • Tax foreign fire insurance to fund volunteer training • Albemarle County, Virginia • County funds volunteer leadership and management programs

  18. Community Relations: with Legislation • Establish state-funded regional support network • Help with technology, administration, accounting, time consuming projects • Restructure Volunteer Loan Assistance Program

  19. Planning for the Future • What can we do? • As citizens… • As volunteers… • As elected officials… • How can we help? • As citizens… • As volunteers… • As elected officials…

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