Recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters in Australasia: an integrative summary of research (synopsis)

This report summarises the findings of Australia's largest-ever research project investigating the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters, conducted by the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (Bushfire CRC) Volunteerism Project Team between 2003 and 2010. This project has identified a great many factors that inhibit or enhance fire service volunteerism. The report addresses three aspects of sustaining adequate numbers: (1) the level of participation of current volunteers; (2) means of retaining volunteers; and (3) more effective recruitment of suitable volunteers. The research team completed a total of 28 studies with and for volunteer-based fire agencies throughout Australasia. Volunteer-based fire agencies report three basic problems: (1) declining numbers of volunteers over the two decades to 2004; (2) difficulty getting adequate numbers of volunteers to turn out during normal business hours; and (3) static or declining and ageing populations in small, rural communities.

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