You’ve got a new lead. They filled out your “Join Now” form. You’re excited. You can already picture them in uniform at the next drill night.
You send a message.
Nothing.
You call. Voicemail.
You email — still nothing.
Sound familiar?
In the world of public safety recruitment, getting ghosted is practically a rite of passage. But the solution is not to give up. It’s to follow up. The key is doing it in a way that builds a connection without sounding desperate.
Whether you’re a recruiter for a volunteer fire department, a career EMS agency, or a law enforcement organization, these follow-up strategies will help you stay top of mind, build trust, and get responses from your leads.
1. Follow Up Fast (Because Cold Coffee and Cold Leads Get Tossed)
If someone takes the time to fill out your interest form, that means something. You’ve got a spark. Your job is to keep it alive.
Responding within 24 to 48 hours significantly increases your chances of engagement. Wait too long and you’ll lose their attention or give them the impression you don’t want them.
Most departments are stretched thin. You’re juggling calls, admin work, training and trying to recruit on top of it all. That’s why AI and automation tools are a recruiter’s best friend.
Use:
- Automated email responses to thank leads and let them know what’s next
- AI-powered texts that introduce your agency and invite a response
- CRMs or simple Google Sheets automations to track and manage follow-up
Try this:
“Hey [Name], just saw your interest form come in. We’re excited to connect. Want to hop on a quick call or schedule a ride-along?”
Speed builds trust. Silence leads to second thoughts, or worse, no thoughts at all.
2. Use Multiple Channels (But Don’t Blow Up Their Phone)
Let’s be honest. How many of us answer phone calls from unknown numbers? Exactly. According to a 2023 study from Zipwhip, over 85 percent of consumers ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers. But 90 percent of text messages are read within 3 minutes.
So when you call a lead and it goes to voicemail, which it probably will, immediately follow up with a text. Keep it short, friendly, and to the point.
Try this:
“Hey [Name], this is Chief Campbell from Elk Grove Fire. You filled out our form last week. Just wanted to say thank you and see if you had time to chat or come to our info session Thursday night. I’ll follow up with a quick email too.”
Pro tip: Keep every message warm and human. You are not a telemarketer. You are inviting them to join a mission-driven team.
3. Add Value in Every Message (Not Just “Checking In”)
“Just checking in” is the most forgettable line in the follow-up playbook. It adds no value and sounds like a sales call.
Instead, use your messages to offer something helpful or invite them into your world:
- A behind-the-scenes video of your department
- A personal story from a recent recruit
- An invite to your next drill night, info session, or ride-along
Try this:
“We’ve got a hands-on drill night next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. We’re cooking dinner and letting people suit up and try some gear. Want to come check it out?”
That is not pressure. That is an open door.
4. Understand Ghosting (And Don’t Take It Personally)
Let’s talk about ghosting. It happens. A lot. And not just to you.
Leads go quiet for all kinds of reasons:
- They got busy
- They got nervous
- They were just curious and didn’t expect someone to respond so fast
- They were just looking for information and not ready to commit
Just because someone filled out a form does not mean they’re ready to suit up.
Do not fall in love with every inquiry. Stay excited, but stay grounded. Treat each one like a seed, not a guarantee.
Here’s the mindset:
Your job is not to force a decision. It’s to create a space where the decision feels right when the timing is.
5. Create a Sense of Urgency (Not a Gimmick)
Look, we have all seen those “Everything Must Go” signs at the local furniture store that has been going out of business for five years. That is not urgency. That is noise.
But in public safety recruitment, a real deadline can be the difference between “maybe later” and “I’m in.”
I call it a sense of urgency. It works best when it is framed around opportunity, not pressure.
You are not saying “act now or lose everything.” You are saying, “This is a great time to jump in, and here’s why.”
Try this:
- “Our next Firefighter 1 class starts in September. If you’re interested, now’s the perfect time to apply.”
- “We’re hosting one final info session before we lock in our fall training roster. Want me to save you a seat?”
- “We’ve got 3 spots left in our EMS scholarship program. Want one of them?”
These are not tricks. They are honest nudges. They help your lead feel the timing and see the opportunity, instead of forgetting they ever filled out your form in the first place.
So yes, urgency works. Just don’t slap a red banner on it and yell “LIMITED TIME ONLY” like a mattress liquidation. You are not selling a recliner. You are offering a chance to serve.
Remember – Be Present, Not Pushy
The leads coming through your site, your social ads, or your recruitment events are not random. They raised their hand. They saw something in your agency worth exploring.
Your job is to meet them halfway.
Be the reason they say yes, not the reason they lose interest.
Follow up with heart, humor, and purpose. Because your next firefighter, EMT, or officer might be one message away from raising their hand again.
By Walter Campbell, Recruitment & Retention Strategist
Following up with leads doesn’t have to feel like guesswork or ghost chasing. At First Arriving, we help departments like yours turn interest into action with proven, people-first strategies that actually work.
Whether you’re building your volunteer roster, hiring for career positions, or just trying to get someone to return your text, we’ve got your back.
Let’s connect. Email us at Getstarted@FirstArriving.com to build your follow-up game plan.
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