The Recruitment and Retention Award

A joint venture of the OAFC and VFIS

Volunteer firefighters are an invaluable asset to the fire service. These individuals give freely of their personal time to ensure others are protected from fire and educated about fire safety. They often enter dangerous situations and put their own lives at risk for the safety of others. Volunteer firefighters have families and friends and often work ‘day jobs’ before tending to their duties as a firefighter.

They are integral to a fire department and it is becoming increasingly important that fire chiefs have recruitment and retention programs/strategies in place to keep a full roster and available resources ready and able to answer a call at any time of the day.

This award recognizes those fire chiefs and their departments for their efforts in both recruiting volunteer firefighters and retaining them. There are many factors that contribute to the success of a volunteer recruitment and retention program, including (but not limited to) good communications, open door policies and transparency, training programs, recognition programs, encouraging camaraderie within the department, unique and innovative recruitment methods, and/or the use of best practices when it comes to recruitment and retention.

Do you know a fire chief who has had measurable success with recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters? Do you know someone who has implemented innovative and creative ways to recruit volunteer firefighters? Are the volunteer firefighters in a particular department happy to go in to work every day; do they enjoy their job and the people they work with?

If you know of someone who has done a remarkable job in recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters to their department, please complete the nomination form below, including supporting documentation and submit it for consideration. An accurate, persuasive and well-documented justification that provides examples of how the nominee meets one or more of the above attributes and criteria is an essential part of the nomination and selection process. Each nomination will be considered on its own merits.

Previous Recipients of the Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment and Retention Award

Previous Recipients
Department Name	Year
Cameron Morehouse, South Dundas Fire & Emergency Services	2022
North Frontenac Fire Department	2018
New Tecumseth Fire Rescue	2017
Otonabee-South Mongahan Fire and Emergency Services	2016
Kingsville Fire Department	2015
County of Lennox & Addington	2014
Saugeen Shores Emergency Services	2013

This award is based on the merit of received submissions; therefore, the award may not be given out each year.

This year, the Annual Awards will be held at the OAFC Conference and Trade Show on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2023. Please ensure you submit your nomination before the deadline.

For questions regarding the annual awards, feel free to contact us at info@oafc.on.ca.