BY CHARLIE HEFLIN
When I joined THE Emergency services in 1987, I thought the procedures of our small-town ambulance service and fire department were the results of years of perfecting the system. I soon discovered the world of emergency services would be a much different landscape 20 years later. However, one thing has not changed much: volunteers, who still make up an estimated 75 percent of our response agencies. In the fire service alone, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) estimates there are about one million firefighters, with approximately 750,000 of these being volunteers. The volunteer percentages are about the same in the emergency medical services (EMS).
Volunteer management consists of many challenges. The toughest of these challenges is the motivation of volunteers. Motivation is especially difficult for departments that do not routinely respond to calls. Other significant problems that volunteer leaders face include staffing, funding and training issues, nonexistent or insufficient delineation of rules and regulations, and even a lack of support from the senior leadership. The success of a volunteer or combination department ultimately lies in how much involvement and support the senior leadership is willing to provide.
How many times have you looked at your department’s roster and said, “Wow, I have X number of volunteers, but only a handful of them actually participate in department functions”? In some cases, you may not see a volunteer except for those “good” calls, like structure fires. Typically, departments are forced to limit their memberships because of funding restraints. Therefore, it is critical to get as many members as possible involved in their department.
Motivation starts with a clear definition of what you expect of your volunteers. In most cases, motivating volunteers takes some creativity; this is especially true in departments with limited budgets. Your programs should have some variety, be available to all members, be dynamic, and be measured for success. After polling numerous volunteers and volunteer managers, I realized that the most effective programs are those the membership actually develops together, along with direction from the leadership. Programs tailored to the membership tend to be much more successful in the long run than those that are “forced down their throats.”
START WITH THE BASICS
Probably the most important aspect of motivating the volunteer members is establishing clear and measurable rules and regulations. This should include department standard operating guidelines (SOGs). Volunteers, as well as paid staff, want to know what you expect of them; they want to know how the department functions and how they fit into its success. Rules and regulations provide not only direction for staff but also a framework for a safe working environment. SOGs provide guidance and support the overall direction for the department; they also help ensure safety, which fosters a better work environment. Rules should be measurable and have reasonable consequences for deviation. Clearly defined department goals and objectives should also be measurable, attainable, and regularly monitored to ensure department success.
PARTICIPATION THROUGH TRAINING
Now that you have measurable goals and objectives, you must train the membership to understand and work with them. As I mentioned earlier, departments with low call volumes have limited opportunities for membership involvement; that is where an effective training program comes in. Volunteers will tell you, “I want to learn something at department training sessions, not just sit around and talk shop.” Development of an effective training program involves not only teaching a specified curriculum but incorporating your department’s SOGs and objectives. Members will have a better understanding of the tasks they will perform, and they will feel safer doing such tasks. For some members, the only time they may perform certain tasks will be at training sessions. Make it fun and interesting, but do not sacrifice safety for enjoyment.
Leadership involvement will help promote membership participation. When the department officers actually participate in the training activities, they help build better rapport with their subordinates, which removes some of the barriers that members will put up toward nonparticipating officers.
A truly effective training program consists of numerous elements that are outside the scope of this article. Tailor your program to involve all members, making it something they look forward to attending every time.
REWARDING PARTICIPATION
Most departments have monthly business meetings. Typically, these are humdrum sessions and rarely attract a majority of the membership. Try to make the meetings a little more inviting by feeding or rewarding attendees. How many volunteers will turn down free pizza? Some department budgets cannot afford to provide meals for every meeting; however, it is not always necessary for the department to pick up the entire tab. Create partnerships with your local pizza parlors or fast-food restaurants to get food at reduced costs. Sometimes they will provide you with discounted meals in exchange for free CPR courses or distributing their coupons at community events. If your department allows, do a 50/50 drawing at each meeting. Only members present would be allowed to purchase a ticket. Someone walks away with half the “pot,” and the department has money to put toward the meal for next month’s meeting.
Obtaining small rewards does not always mean department expenditures. Every department needs to purchase supplies and equipment for their response units. Have your vendors provide promotional items and give them away as door prizes to one or two members at each meeting. If you give away two items at each monthly meeting, you will need only 24 donations from your vendors. Keep the door prizes secret. Members will be less likely to choose which meeting they will attend if each door prize is a surprise. Eventually, word will spread and the meeting climate will change.
A Christmas party at the end of the year for members and their families is always a nice way to celebrate the previous year. Remember, your volunteers are giving up not only their time but also their family time. Reward the entire family for the member’s dedication. Members are more likely to support the department if they have support at home. If it is feasible, this is where your budget could actually allow you to purchase some nicer gifts to give away.
If you cannot afford gifts, create a recognition award, which can be as simple as a framed certificate. Reward the person who responded to the most calls or took the most classes in the past year. Let the membership vote on Firefighter of the Year or EMT of the Year, and give away certificates for these honors. You can choose the recipient by secret ballot at the last meeting before the party. Again, allowing the membership to vote will make them feel more involved in department events. Frames and certificates are inexpensive and readily available.
MORE INEXPENSIVE REWARDS
Volunteers love monetary rewards, but many organizations’ budgets do not allow for this. This is where creative budgeting comes into play. Allocate funds in your budget for funding of certain professional organization memberships or magazine subscriptions. You might tie eligibility for these rewards to completion of state-level certification programs. For instance, a member who receives an EMT or firefighter certification will get a year subscription to an industry related magazine, such as Fire Engineering. This is a fairly inexpensive reward, yet one that will last an entire year and maybe even get members more interested in their particular field. It might also make great door prizes for meetings.
Paying for training is another way to encourage membership participation and increase the effectiveness of your department. Have your training budget include enough funding to provide assistance for at least one class per member per year. You can also base the amount of external training hours members can receive on the number of hours they volunteer at the department; external training budget funds not used at the end of the year can be allocated toward purchasing training aids, such as DVD sets or materials to build training props. Typically, getting money approved for training-related items is much easier than getting monetary rewards approved.
Two more inexpensive rewards include sponsoring a golf team for a local golf fund-raiser or, if your state provides these, paying for the annual renewal of firefighter license plates for each member.
A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
In most cases, volunteer stations are not staffed around the clock. Of course, this increases response times. What if your station was more like a home than a firehouse? Does your station have places where the volunteers can hang out and watch TV or study? How about a kitchen area? If members have access to some of the amenities they have at home, they may be more likely to hang out at the station with other members.
One of my previous departments had several volunteer members who were also students at the local university. We converted an old storage area to a TV and study room. This was done primarily with donations from department members. Instead of throwing away your old recliner or entertainment center, donate it to your station to make it seem more like home. Almost every department has a handyman who can do the work necessary to convert station areas into recreation areas, and most members will be willing to help with construction and painting if they know the improvements will benefit them in the future. The more your station encourages members to hang around, the more likely your department will reduce response times.
USE INTERNET RESOURCES
There are many online resources available to educate your response teams, but does everyone in your department have Internet at home? DSL and cable TV Internet service are becoming more readily available throughout the country. Most cable TV providers offer high-speed Internet service, and some will provide volunteers basic cable for free or at a drastically reduced cost.
There is a huge volume of resources now available online. E-mail, for instance, is a valuable resource for people who are always on the go and a great means of communicating with your membership between meetings. To reward those who always check their e-mail, hide a message in an e-mail giving those who read it an extra ticket in your door prize drawings. Also, if you make truck assignments at training sessions, the first person who can tell you the hidden message, perhaps a secret word buried in the e-mail, gets the nozzle seat for any emergency calls that might come in during the training session. The first time the members start talking about the hidden messages with rewards, the others will be encouraged to check their e-mail.
Use online training resources to educate your staff. These resources are especially beneficial for members who cannot make all the training meetings. Develop quizzes based on the online training classes you require members to take. Have them print any certificate they may get at the completion of the courses, assuming the course provides one. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has many classes available on its independent study Web site. Remember, if you provide the membership with Internet access, take the necessary steps to prevent unauthorized online activities. If you are unsure of the necessary precautions to take, contact your local library, school system, college, or university; they typically have someone that deals with these issues and can advise your department accordingly.
SIMPLEST MOTIVATION
How often have you seen a member clean up around the station or wash a response unit without being directed to do so? More importantly, how often have you said, “Thank you”? Your membership wants to know that their participation is appreciated. Remember, without volunteers, you have no department. You may have a building and response vehicles, but the equipment and structure are worthless without the trained and dedicated staff. Take the time to thank your staff verbally and publicly. Give members a pat on the back every now and then. Leaders not only convey quality leadership skills when they provide decisive direction, but they also build rapport and respect when they are emotionally supportive. It may not seem like much, but recognition goes a long way toward recurring participation.
We face numerous challenges in the world of emergency services. Everything from financial constraints to regulatory compliance can make even the savviest leaders feel overwhelmed. With all the other issues you face, getting people to show up should be the least of your concerns. Motivating your staff does not have to be difficult or expensive, but it does take initiative and some creativity. The suggestions here merely scratch the surface in the realm of motivational techniques.
CHARLIE HEFLIN is a 20-year veteran of volunteer fire and EMS departments, serving as a volunteer firefighter with the Patoka-White River Township (IN) Fire Department and as a volunteer reserve firefighter with Princeton (IN) Fire Territory. He is also citizen corps coordinator for the Gibson County Office of Emergency Management and has an honors associate’s degree in fire service technology from Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. He has numerous high-level Illinois firefighter/officer certifications.
