VFCA2017

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Floor Plan Buzz

The Professional Volunteer Fire Department (Room 3C)

25 Feb 17
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Speaker(s): Tom Merrill
The main purpose of this presentation is to deliver the message that being a professional firefighter has nothing to do with earning a paycheck but has everything to do with attitude, appearance, commitment, and dedication. It includes how members approach the job, how they prepare and train, how they take care of their equipment, how they treat the public and their own members, and how they behave and interact with the public both on and off duty. The presentation begins by stressing the importance of embracing the responsibility that comes by wearing the title of firefighter. These responsibilities are reviewed and feedback and comments are welcome and encouraged in an attempt to gain audience support for the main message. In addition to defining and citing examples of professional behavior, the audience is provided with a series of ideas or building blocks to assist with developing and maintaining a professional operation in their own department. The presentation examines how prospective members are attracted to the fire service and how new members are introduced not only to the unique volunteer fire service culture, but to the general fire service as well. It discusses the importance of regular and organized training drills and offers ideas on how to make them creative and pertinent and how that can help lead to better drill attendance and ultimately better on scene performance. It reviews today's viral appetite for instant (sometimes inaccurate) news and examines how social media can both negatively and positively impact a department's professional reputation. The importance of good solid customer service skills (called social fitness in the presentation) are reviewed as well as how attending community events and details can also enhance a department's professional image. One of the building blocks focuses on leadership training and the importance of implementing sound officer development programs within our departments. The program concludes by discussing the importance of celebrating fire service history and heritage and promoting the student's own department's unique history and heritage. Class participants will learn that successfully creating and maintaining a professional image can help with membership recruitment and retention; fund drives; and building political support within the community. Attendees will walk away from the presentation with a clear understanding that developing, maintaining and upholding a professional reputation is the duty and responsibility of all firefighters – paid or volunteer.