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Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Published

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Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin. / McLennan, Jim; Birch, Adrian; Cowlishaw, Sean et al.
In: Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 24, No. 2, 05.2009, p. 40-47.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

McLennan, J, Birch, A, Cowlishaw, S & Hayes, PJ 2009, 'Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin', Australian Journal of Emergency Management, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 40-47. <http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=878631480237791;res=IELHSS>

APA

McLennan, J., Birch, A., Cowlishaw, S., & Hayes, P. J. (2009). Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin. Australian Journal of Emergency Management, 24(2), 40-47. http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=878631480237791;res=IELHSS

Vancouver

McLennan J, Birch A, Cowlishaw S, Hayes PJ. Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin. Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 2009 May;24(2):40-47.

Author

McLennan, Jim ; Birch, Adrian ; Cowlishaw, Sean et al. / Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers : adding value to the retention coin. In: Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 2009 ; Vol. 24, No. 2. pp. 40-47.

Bibtex

@article{317d48c6920c4cde92babfc01d2f7a03,
title = "Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers: adding value to the retention coin",
abstract = "Annual resignation rates for Australian volunteerbased fire agencies range from about 6.7% to 8.3% of total volunteer firefighter memberships. We report two studies investigating aspects of volunteer retention. (1) Analysis of 396 exit survey returns from former volunteers found that reasons contributing to resigning were: Work/ Family needs, 51%; Moved from the area, 38%; Age/Health issues, 28%; Dissatisfaction with the volunteer role, 25%. A major contributor to Dissatisfaction was poor brigade leadership. (2) A survey of 514 second-year volunteers found that higher levels of volunteer satisfaction, and thus intention to remain, were associated strongly with being a member of a well-led, inclusive, and harmonious brigade. Overall, the findings indicated the need for agencies to: (a) distinguish unavoidable reasons for resigning (Moved; Age/ Health issues) from potentially avoidable reasons (Work/family needs; Dissatisfaction); (b) endeavour to balance the demands on volunteers and the needs of their volunteers' work and family life; and (c) enhance the quality of brigade leadership and management.",
keywords = "Emergency management, Health risk assessment, Fire fighters, Employment, Job stress, Employees",
author = "Jim McLennan and Adrian Birch and Sean Cowlishaw and Hayes, {Peter J.}",
year = "2009",
month = may,
language = "English",
volume = "24",
pages = "40--47",
journal = "Australian Journal of Emergency Management",
issn = "1324-1540",
publisher = "Emergency Management Australia",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Maintaining volunteer firefighter numbers

T2 - adding value to the retention coin

AU - McLennan, Jim

AU - Birch, Adrian

AU - Cowlishaw, Sean

AU - Hayes, Peter J.

PY - 2009/5

Y1 - 2009/5

N2 - Annual resignation rates for Australian volunteerbased fire agencies range from about 6.7% to 8.3% of total volunteer firefighter memberships. We report two studies investigating aspects of volunteer retention. (1) Analysis of 396 exit survey returns from former volunteers found that reasons contributing to resigning were: Work/ Family needs, 51%; Moved from the area, 38%; Age/Health issues, 28%; Dissatisfaction with the volunteer role, 25%. A major contributor to Dissatisfaction was poor brigade leadership. (2) A survey of 514 second-year volunteers found that higher levels of volunteer satisfaction, and thus intention to remain, were associated strongly with being a member of a well-led, inclusive, and harmonious brigade. Overall, the findings indicated the need for agencies to: (a) distinguish unavoidable reasons for resigning (Moved; Age/ Health issues) from potentially avoidable reasons (Work/family needs; Dissatisfaction); (b) endeavour to balance the demands on volunteers and the needs of their volunteers' work and family life; and (c) enhance the quality of brigade leadership and management.

AB - Annual resignation rates for Australian volunteerbased fire agencies range from about 6.7% to 8.3% of total volunteer firefighter memberships. We report two studies investigating aspects of volunteer retention. (1) Analysis of 396 exit survey returns from former volunteers found that reasons contributing to resigning were: Work/ Family needs, 51%; Moved from the area, 38%; Age/Health issues, 28%; Dissatisfaction with the volunteer role, 25%. A major contributor to Dissatisfaction was poor brigade leadership. (2) A survey of 514 second-year volunteers found that higher levels of volunteer satisfaction, and thus intention to remain, were associated strongly with being a member of a well-led, inclusive, and harmonious brigade. Overall, the findings indicated the need for agencies to: (a) distinguish unavoidable reasons for resigning (Moved; Age/ Health issues) from potentially avoidable reasons (Work/family needs; Dissatisfaction); (b) endeavour to balance the demands on volunteers and the needs of their volunteers' work and family life; and (c) enhance the quality of brigade leadership and management.

KW - Emergency management

KW - Health risk assessment

KW - Fire fighters

KW - Employment

KW - Job stress

KW - Employees

M3 - Journal article

VL - 24

SP - 40

EP - 47

JO - Australian Journal of Emergency Management

JF - Australian Journal of Emergency Management

SN - 1324-1540

IS - 2

ER -