Indiana-Based Tech Leads National Firefighter Retention Push
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – An international fire chiefs association has debuted a new national digital toolkit to support firefighter retention, a tool that was inspired by a successful volunteer recruitment program developed right here in Indiana.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) unveiled its free “National Volunteer Firefighter Geospatial Recruitment & Retention Toolkit” at the Indiana Fire and EMS Conference in Noblesville.
The technology behind the new national tool is a companion to a pre-existing Indiana-specific GIS toolkit for recruiting volunteer firefighters, which was created to support departments across the state.
The national toolkit, which serves as a data-driven resource for department leadership, was presented to an audience of Indiana first responders. The focus on retention is critical to public safety, as volunteers make up more than 80 percent of Indiana’s first responders.
“Recruiting new volunteer firefighters is essential, but retention is what keeps our communities safe,” said Megan Thiele, Indiana Fire Chiefs Association Executive Director. “Every trained and experienced volunteer who stays brings knowledge, leadership, and trust that can’t be replaced overnight.”
The new national toolkit is designed to help departments strategically plan to keep their teams strong, ensuring the investment in training and experience pays off. Thiele highlighted that volunteers are a vital component of public safety and can fill a variety of roles beyond fighting fires, including administrative and grant-writing duties.
The national toolkit is now available for departments across the country, building on Indiana’s efforts to support its volunteer first responders.
More details about the Toolkit can be found HERE.
Indiana-Based Tech Leads National Firefighter Retention Push was originally published on wibc.com
