An interview, background check and drug screen should be part of onboarding a new member. Bring your department into the 21st Century.

Leaders that won’t support needed change are themselves afraid of loosing power. It’s more about “them” than the department being sustainable.

Resisting change when change is required is destroying the volunteer service.

Weak leaders blame everything on someone else. Strong leaders openly accept blame and learn from the experience.

Real change is not always pretty and is frequently rejected, but sometimes it’s necessary for survival.

Modernizing your department likely requires needed change. Make the changes or go into obscurity.

If your leaders are leading like their predecessors did 45 years ago, your department is likely failing.

Poor leadership can be a fatal disease. Modernize your department and create leadership accountability before it’s too late.

Maintain high standards for leadership or suffer from a failing department. They are the two choices.

When your leadership is either afraid of the cliques or a part of them, your members will quickly find their way to the front door.

If you think you’re on an island by yourself, you aren’t. Poorly trained leadership is common. It’s also fixable.

Success may attract enemies and progress may attract jealousy. But that’s exactly what our volunteer system needs!

Departments ran under the old social-club model are no longer sustainable. Shout it from the rooftops!

The volunteer system can be salvaged if we can drag ourselves away from 1980 and realize it’s 2025. Embrace the change that is necessary.

If you have members who are afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation, you have a huge internal issue.

If your bylaws do not have your Board of Directors create accountability for your Administrative and Operational leadership, it’s time they do.

Retention success is possible when leaders are fair, unbiased and non-tolerant of cliques.

The problem within the volunteer service isn’t recruitment of firefighters and EMS personnel, it’s recruitment of solid leadership. Solid leadership can solve recruitment and retention issues.

Leaders: Listen to understand, not just to respond. 🚒 Show you care about your member’s concerns. 👨‍🚒 Build trust and respect through open communication.

If your leadership needs to surround themselves with “yes” people, they are likely ineffective leaders.