NJFEMSI Hosts Summit on Volunteerism in Emergency Services
February 26, 2011 - The New Jersey Fire & Emergency Medical Services Institute hosted a summit of leaders of volunteer fire companies and first aid squads from across New Jersey to discuss the looming crisis of volunteer shortages in local communities. The meeting was held on Saturday, February 26th from 9am to 1pm at the Middlesex County Fire Academy in Sayreville.
“We continue to hear of greater difficulties encountered by local fire departments and rescue squads to attract and retain volunteers. There are a score of theories as to why this is occurring and we must take some immediate action,” asserted NJ Fire and EMS Institute President Carl Christensen. “At a time when the public is questioning the dependability of a timely and adequate response for a fire or medical emergency due to budget cuts, New Jersey can ill afford to see an increasing drop off in volunteer firefighters and EMT’s.”
Christensen noted that a healthy volunteer corps in emergency response actually saves taxpayers’ dollars. A recent NY state study documented a savings of over $7 billion dollars in property taxes averted because of the contributions of volunteer firefighters in that state. “That figure would have been significantly higher had EMS also been included in their study,” said Chrisensen, himself a former volunteer Chief in Iselin. “While no such figures are available for New Jersey,” continued Christensen, “we know that New Jersey’s percentage of volunteer fire departments is similar to New York’s at 90%. In this or any economic climate, these are significant savings generated by our volunteer service.”
The meeting was geared toward fire department and squad officers, those most likely to deal with volunteer recruitment, and advanced registration is required. The goal of the Summit was to develop a series of recommendations leading to more effective volunteer recruitment and retention by local emergency service organizations. The New Jersey meeting precedes a national summit, “Preserving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service” to be held in Washington, DC in March, 2011, sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The New Jersey event is cosponsored by the Institute, the State Fire Chiefs Association and the NJ State First Aid Council.
The New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute is an umbrella organization for many of the state’s fire and emergency medical services organizations. Its mission is to inform and assist legislators and other government officials regarding issues, and to serve as a liaison with the fire and emergency medical services. For more information about the Institute or to register for the New Jersey Summit on Volunteerism in Emergency Services, visitors are invited to the Institute’s website at http://www.njfemsi.org or to send an email to info@njfemsi.org.
Read More“We continue to hear of greater difficulties encountered by local fire departments and rescue squads to attract and retain volunteers. There are a score of theories as to why this is occurring and we must take some immediate action,” asserted NJ Fire and EMS Institute President Carl Christensen. “At a time when the public is questioning the dependability of a timely and adequate response for a fire or medical emergency due to budget cuts, New Jersey can ill afford to see an increasing drop off in volunteer firefighters and EMT’s.”
Christensen noted that a healthy volunteer corps in emergency response actually saves taxpayers’ dollars. A recent NY state study documented a savings of over $7 billion dollars in property taxes averted because of the contributions of volunteer firefighters in that state. “That figure would have been significantly higher had EMS also been included in their study,” said Chrisensen, himself a former volunteer Chief in Iselin. “While no such figures are available for New Jersey,” continued Christensen, “we know that New Jersey’s percentage of volunteer fire departments is similar to New York’s at 90%. In this or any economic climate, these are significant savings generated by our volunteer service.”
The meeting was geared toward fire department and squad officers, those most likely to deal with volunteer recruitment, and advanced registration is required. The goal of the Summit was to develop a series of recommendations leading to more effective volunteer recruitment and retention by local emergency service organizations. The New Jersey meeting precedes a national summit, “Preserving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service” to be held in Washington, DC in March, 2011, sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The New Jersey event is cosponsored by the Institute, the State Fire Chiefs Association and the NJ State First Aid Council.
The New Jersey Fire and Emergency Medical Services Institute is an umbrella organization for many of the state’s fire and emergency medical services organizations. Its mission is to inform and assist legislators and other government officials regarding issues, and to serve as a liaison with the fire and emergency medical services. For more information about the Institute or to register for the New Jersey Summit on Volunteerism in Emergency Services, visitors are invited to the Institute’s website at http://www.njfemsi.org or to send an email to info@njfemsi.org.
