Panelists: Firemen ranks thin

Time, money constraints drive volunteer shortages in state

Saturday, May 24, 2014

ROGERS -- Rural fire departments around the state are having a difficult time recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters, several experts in Arkansas firefighting said this week.

Representatives of several state agencies and rural volunteer fire departments addressed a small audience Thursday to emphasize ways of strengthening rural fire departments across the state, explaining that the staffing problem is twofold: lack of departmental funding and trouble finding people with the time to train and volunteer.

Charles Gangluff, rural fire protection program manager for Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils, said about half of all people approached by their local volunteer fire department decline to join because of time constraints, especially when a potential recruit already has a family and is employed full time.

"It can be very difficult today to find time for everything we want to do," Gangluff said. "But if your passion is for fire service, you'll find the time. You have to fit all those pieces of the puzzle together."

About 86 percent of the approximately 14,900 firefighters in Arkansas are volunteers, Gangluff said, surpassing the national average of 76 percent.

Much of what rural departments are tasked with is quelling wildland blazes. Kevin Kilcrease, who coordinates the Firewise program for the Arkansas Forestry Commission, said the commission relies heavily on rural departments to stop small wildland fires before they ignite large swaths of woodland areas throughout the state.

"There's no way we can cover every inch of the state of Arkansas, and put out all the wildland fires that occur without the fire departments," Kilcrease said.

According to the Arkansas Forestry Commission, commission personnel have responded to more than 970 wildfires in 2014, already exceeding the total number of wildland fires in 2013. Wildfires have so far burned almost 15,000 acres in the state.

Gangluff said rural departments are also faced with recruiting from a steadily aging population, as younger people move to urban areas, typically for employment.

Particularly small departments face additional funding challenges. Act 833, adopted by the state Legislature in 1992, redistributes a 0.5 percent tax on homeowner's insurance to counties for the purpose of buying equipment and paying for training at volunteer fire departments. But to qualify for 833 funding, Snyder said, departments must have at least six firefighters who have each received at least 16 hours of training.

Considering ways to motivate and retain volunteer firefighters, Gangluff said that some departments offer modest monetary compensation for answering fire calls, although that practice can become problematic.

"Let's say I give you $10 a call for every call you make," Gangluff said. "That's going to be great for a couple of months. After a couple of years, you're going to say, 'This $10 isn't worth it. Can we get $20?'"

Gangluff said that managing relationships within departments is also key to retaining personnel.

"A fire department is a family. And like all families, we have internal conflicts," Gangluff said. "We have our disagreements in little arguments, and two or three days later, we kiss, hug and get back together. But if you've got good leadership, you can keep those conflicts to a minimum."

Metro on 05/24/2014