Hello shadowchild007-ga,
There are a variety of ways that local ambulance associations recruit
and retain volunteers. They primarily fall under five categories:
-Printed advertisements in a local paper
-Recruitment "Drives"
-Online web sites
-Open Houses/Community Involvement
-Referral by family and friends
Below, I will briefly detail each recruiting strategy and it's effectiveness:
Printed advertisements in a local paper: Several sites I checked
indicated that it is common practice for a EMS service or fire
department to place an advertisement in the local paper. However, one
page, based upon a survey of EMS providers, indicated that such ads
aren't very effective as a recruitment tool. The site suggests that
many times a breakdown occurs after individuals have responded to an
ad, as the department does not have a set plan for dealing with the
prospective volunteers. The site also provides a wealth of
information on EMS recruitment, especially how to plan the process for
success.
"Volunteer EMS Recruiting - Rural Health EMS System Overview"
http://www.ruralhealthresources.com/EMSreview/Volunteer_EMS_Recruiting.htm
Recruitment Drives: Other fire departments/EMS services participate in
recruitment drives, sometimes by themselves and other times in
conjunction with a number of other EMS departments. These drives
involve utilizing existing volunteers to find potential members,
launching an advertising campaign, or working with a larger
organization or EMS association to provide publicity for the drive.
For example, the state of Wisconsin holds a yearly state-wide EMS
recruitment drive. For more information, see the following:
"Statewide EMS Recruitment Drive"
http://www.wisconsinems.com/docs/Recruit.htm
Online Web Sites: A number of departments have online websites which
provide information for those considering joining as a volunteer. The
web site is promoted by having it painted on vehicles, the building
itself, and in all advertisements to recruit volunteers. Sample
websites can be seen below:
"Chesterfield County, Virginia | Fire & EMS - Volunteer Fire & Rescue"
http://www.co.chesterfield.va.us/publicsafety/fire/squads.asp
"Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department - Volunteer Recruitment"
http://hvfd.com/join/
Open Houses/Community Involvement: Many departments hold "open houses"
once a year in order to promote the department and educate local
citizens. During these open house sessions, the department will
showcase what they do, sometimes putting on demonstrations for public
view, and educating citizens on safety issues. Additionally, they
will provide information on how to get involved in the department.
Another popular strategy is offering CPR training at the department,
giving the EMS/Fire service public exposure and generating interest.
The Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council offers an excellent
guide on EMS Recruitment and Retention, mentioning many of these
ideas:
"Recruitment and Retention Resource Guide"
http://www.pehsc.org/recruitment_and_retention_resource_guide.htm
Referral by family and friends: According to most EMTs surveyed by the
Rural Health Network survey (link to site provided above under printed
advertisements), most became interested in becoming an EMT by knowing
a family or friend who was involved in the EMS service. The site
suggested that the EMS service give each member business cards that
they can give to prospective volunteers.
Additionally, the following two resources have excellent guides on EMS
Volunteer retention:
"Member Retention - Rural Health EMS System Overview"
http://www.ruralhealthresources.com/EMSreview/Member_Retention.htm
"Recruitment and Retention Resource Guide"
http://www.pehsc.org/recruitment_and_retention_resource_guide.htm
SEARCH STRATEGY
I entered the term "EMS Recruit Volunteers" into Google and researched
the pages that were displayed.
I hope you are satisfied with my research. If you have any additional
questions, feel free to request clarification.
rmn-ga |
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