The IAFC volunteer firefighter recruitment toolkit gives fire departments a complete, ready to use set of campaign materials for recruiting the next generation of volunteers. Every asset comes from the national A Hustle Worth Having campaign, and every piece is customizable so your department’s name, logo, and local story stay front and center.
Why this toolkit exists
More than 60% of fire and EMS departments in the United States are staffed by volunteers, and in some states that number climbs past 80%. Call volumes have tripled in recent years while the number of people stepping up has declined, putting response times and public safety at risk. A Hustle Worth Having was built to reverse that trend by speaking directly to Gen Z and younger millennials, an audience where more than 60% already have a side hustle, and showing them that volunteer firefighting is the one that pays back in purpose, skills, and community.
The campaign was developed over several months of research with firefighters and emergency responders across the country, and it features real volunteers telling their own stories. Read the campaign launch announcement for the full background.
What is in the volunteer firefighter recruitment toolkit
- Ambassador guide. Start here. A short overview of the campaign, the tools available to you, and how to get your department and your community involved.
- Social media guidelines and graphics. Platform strategy recommendations plus ready to post graphics in 1×1 and 9×16 formats for feeds, stories, and reels.
- Image gallery. High resolution campaign photography you can use in local media outreach, on your website, and in print materials.
- Video PSAs. Broadcast ready spots in 15, 30, and 60 second cuts, available to stream or download for local TV, digital advertising, and event playback.
- Flyers. Six designs, including editable templates you can drop your department information into.
- Posters. Four large format designs for stations, schools, town halls, and community bulletin boards.
- Postcards. Four front designs and two backs, sized for direct mail and event handouts.
- Business cards. Front and back designs so recruiters and ambassadors always have something to hand over.
- Yard signs. Four designs to put the campaign in front of every neighbor who drives past.
- Pop-up banners. Three designs for recruitment events, fairs, and open houses.
- Presentation template. A branded PowerPoint deck for briefing your command staff, town council, or community groups.
- Printing instructions. Specifications and guidance so your local print vendor delivers materials that look the way they should.
How to use it
Start with the ambassador guide to understand how the pieces fit together, then choose the mix that matches what you are trying to do. Departments running a recruitment push often lead with the video PSAs and social graphics to build awareness, then follow with flyers, yard signs, and postcards to drive local sign-ups. If you are briefing elected officials or community partners instead, the presentation template and posters carry the message on their own.
The editable templates are where the toolkit does the most work for you. Add your department name, contact information, and application link so every impression sends people to your door rather than a generic national page.
When you are ready to send candidates somewhere, point them to the volunteer firefighter interest form, and explore the IAFC’s broader volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention resources for help with what comes after the first conversation.
Download the toolkit
Download the complete toolkit as a single ZIP file, or visit the campaign resource library to grab individual assets. Please credit “International Association of Fire Chiefs” when using campaign photography, video, or graphics.
This campaign is funded by a FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. Questions about using the toolkit in your community? Contact the campaign team.