BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – As volunteer fire departments across the country grapple with staffing shortages, Botetourt County is rolling out a new incentive program aimed at attracting and retaining more volunteer firefighters.
The new pay-per-call initiative, which takes effect July 1, will offer volunteers between $5 and $20 per call depending on their certifications and experience.
“There’s just over 100 volunteers system-wide throughout the county, and we’d love to see that number increase significantly,” said Botetourt County Fire & EMS Chief Jason Ferguson.
According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, 65% of all firefighters in the U.S. are volunteers. But the number of volunteers reached a 37-year low in 2020, while call volumes have more than tripled in recent decades.
The Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department is one of several in the county hoping the new program will help close the gap.
“Most of our volunteers just have the community heart to serve and do this and none of this is really done for the money,” said Fincastle Fire Chief Bobby Simmons. “It’s done for our community and this is just a little bonus on top of that to help out and incentivize and show appreciation and support for our volunteer system.”
Volunteers may also be eligible for additional bonuses—up to $1,000—for completing major certifications and staying active within the department.
“We have a lot of extra costs that accrue throughout the year, and this definitely helps, between, like I’ve said, fuel, equipment, food—anything and everything helps,” said volunteer firefighter Dustin Fox.
The county is also launching a new volunteer fire academy in August to help bring in fresh recruits.
“Nobody does this for the money, but certainly we hope that it helps in that aspect of folks that are in need of additional funds,” Ferguson said.
For information on how to apply to become a volunteer firefighter, click here.