The Montana State Fire Chiefs’ Association (MSFCA), supported by a SAFER grant, launched a statewide campaign to recruit 1,000 new volunteer firefighters. With nearly 10,000 current volunteers serving communities across Montana, the campaign aimed to address growing demands and an aging workforce. First Arriving partnered with MSFCA to develop and execute a marketing strategy that highlighted the critical need for volunteers while celebrating the unique impact of Montana’s fire service.
The campaign theme, “Step into Greatness,” inspired individuals to explore volunteering as a meaningful way to serve their communities. The effort included television, print, billboard, social media, and online advertising. First Arriving and MSFCA partnered to film recruitment videos at several Montana volunteer fire departments, showcasing the camaraderie, dedication, and professionalism of being a volunteer firefighter. MSFCA shared these videos and other campaign materials on social media and posted them on a new website, Join Montana Fire Service, which provided information about volunteering and allowed individuals to connect with their local fire departments.
First Arriving supported the campaign with detailed target audience research, helping to develop messaging that genuinely resonated with Montana residents. It paid off, with the campaign far exceeding its recruitment goals. Heading into the final quarter of 2024, the campaign had generated 475 leads—well above the goal of 300 for the year.
First Arriving also provided valuable training to Montana’s fire departments through two virtual webinars. The first, “Harnessing the Power of Social Media for Recruitment,” focused on using platforms like Facebook and Instagram to create engaging posts and effective targeted ads. The second, “Finding the Need Behind the Need: Passion-Driven Recruitment for Fire and EMS Volunteers,” explored how understanding people’s deeper motivations could help departments recruit individuals with a genuine passion for public safety. Reflecting on these webinars, Recruitment Strategist Walter Campbell said, “Teaching these courses was an incredible opportunity to connect with departments across Montana. Helping them see the potential in social media and the importance of finding recruits’ deeper motivations was deeply rewarding.”
By the end of the project, First Arriving had helped MSFCA establish a robust online presence with the new recruitment website and dedicated social media channels, giving the association the tools to sustain recruitment efforts into the future. The success of this campaign demonstrates how targeted marketing, inspiring messaging, and proper training can transform recruitment in the fire service and help build stronger, safer communities.
