Emergency Medical Services Recruitment and Retention

USFA, in partnership with the Transportation Research Center of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, performed a study of EMS recruitment and retention. From this study, a guidebook intended for use by managers and recruiters of volunteer personnel in organizations that provide EMS was developed.

The Emergency Medical Services Recruitment and Retention Manual provides guidance for managers of EMS organizations in the recruitment and retention of volunteer personnel. The knowledge gained from research concerning the use of volunteers in both public and nonprofit agencies has been combined with the experiences, practices, and ideas of EMS agencies that have successfully recruited and retained volunteer members. Practical solutions to common problems in the use of volunteers are suggested, and examples of effective recruitment and retention techniques that may be adopted by a variety of communities are described. The manual does not specify a single, correct way to recruit and retain EMS volunteers. Rather, the ideas and alternatives presented for EMS volunteer recruitment and retention are possibilities, which EMS managers may consider and adopt according to local needs, preferences, and limitations.