About Us | Members-Only Site | Member Benefits | Training | Events | Resources  April 1, 2025 Top Stories  Empowering Heroes: State Farm® and NVFC Team Up to Give $1 Million to Volunteer Firefighters State Farm® and the NVFC teamed up to launch the Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program in 2024. In the inaugural year, 100 volunteer fire departments were each awarded $10,000 grants, for a total of $1 million provided to help local departments purchase needed equipment to increase safety and efficiency and better serve their communities. The program will expand to $1.5 million in 2025. Read article.  NVFC Members Have Four Chances to Win an MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet in 2025 MSA Safety and the NVFC have partnered to give away four MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmets in 2025. The helmet showcases the iconic traditional design with innovative features that address today’s fire service needs. The first entry period is now open through April 30, with additional entry periods in June, August, and November. Eligible entrants must be active U.S. volunteer firefighters and NVFC members. Read article.   Applications for Nutella® Stacks for Giving Back Grant Due April 30 Nutella® has teamed up with the NVFC to provide $25,000 to volunteer fire departments in 2025. Eligible departments can apply for the chance to receive a $5,000 grant to help fund equipment, gear, training, or other department necessities. Learn more and apply by April 30. You can also nominate your local department for the chance to win a Nutella Pancake Breakfast Kit to help with their next fundraising event. Nominate here.  NVFC Supported Bill Re-introduced to Increase State Pension Access to Nonprofit Fire Departments Last week Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC) reintroduced a bill (H.R. 2382) to amend both the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code to allow paid firefighters in nonprofit fire departments access to a state’s public pension system. The NVFC strongly supports this legislation. Read article.  Finding Balance as a Volunteer Firefighter: Serve with Passion and Purpose When thinking about member retention, it’s important to remember that many of the factors that determine whether a volunteer will stay with a department come from home, not the firehouse. It’s important that volunteer responders find a healthy balance to maintain long-term well-being and effectiveness and avoid burnout. This article for Firefighter Nation by Matt Aalto provides tips to build balance into your life in order to maximize your volunteer service.  Resources for Families of Volunteer Responders When someone joins the volunteer fire, EMS, or rescue services, it impacts the entire family. The NVFC recognizes the importance of family support and keeping family relationships strong. That’s why the NVFC Family Task Force created a resource center with tools to help families adjust, stay connected, and thrive. Resources include a new family guide and training, behavioral health support, family engagement ideas, and more. Read article.  Take the Survey on the Role of Training in Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment & Retention Your feedback is needed! The Fire Protection Research Foundation, in collaboration with the NVFC and North American Fire Training Directors, is working with researchers from the Social Sciences Innovations Corporation to conduct a survey to understand the role that training has on volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention. All responses will remain confidential and anonymous. The survey takes about 30 minutes to complete. Take the survey now.   Get Ready for National Volunteer Week, April 20-26 National Volunteer Week is a great time to recognize the dedicated volunteers in your fire or EMS department as well as let the community know about the volunteer opportunities your department has. From recruitment tools and training to recognition ideas and mental health support, NVFC offers a full suite of resources to help departments make the most out of the week of April 20-26 and enhance recruitment and retention throughout the year. Learn more.  Watch Webinar on Pipeline Safety and Emergency Response April is National Safe Digging Month, and you can use this time to learn how your department can be best prepared for pipeline incidents. The recorded webinar, Pipeline Safety and Emergency Response, delves into how to identify if your community has pipelines (and what’s in them), how to identify transmission versus distribution and gathering lines, working with pipeline operators, and effectively training for a pipeline event. Watch now. Find additional resources and training here.  Raise Awareness to Prevent Distracted Driving Thousands of people are killed in accidents involving distracted drivers each year. These drivers also put responders working roadway incidents at risk. You can take action by educating your community on the dangers of distracted driving and how to safely pass an emergency scene. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The NVFC provides resources to make your community – and your crew – safer on the roadways. Read article.    Clearing the Air: Addressing Pipeline Misconceptions Are myths about pipeline incidents holding back your fire department’s response planning? Join the NVFC and a panel of subject matter experts for this Roundtable Talk on April 16 at 2pm ET to learn about common misconceptions surrounding pipeline incidents and how to better prepare your first responders. Register. This event is sponsored by Buxus.  Emergency Vehicle Safe Operations Each year responders are killed or injured while responding to, or returning from, incidents. These incidents often involve rollovers, intersection locations, and firefighters being ejected when not wearing proper restraints. This course reviews 11 best practices to reduce the number of emergency vehicle collisions. For a limited time, this course is being offered free to all in the NVFC Virtual Classroom. Industry News Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant Application Opens April 3 FSRI Fire Safety Academy: Tactical Considerations for Research-Based Public Safety Education 6 Steps to Think Like a Strong Incident Commander Reading the Fireground: Tactical Comprehension Bringing Mental Health Help Straight to the Station The Evolution of Fitness in the Fire Service What to Say to a Colleague After a Difficult Call Podcast – The Professional Volunteer Fire Department: From Recruitment to Response Optimization NH FF-Paramedic Recognized for Off-Duty Cardiac Arrest Save Upcoming Free Hazmat Response Training from TRANSCAER    Join the Conversation in Volunteer Voices How do you convince your city council that your station needs funding for renovations or improvements like mold remediation? Do volunteers in your department receive property tax exemptions, and if so, does that help with recruitment and retention? Chat about these topics and much more in the NVFC’s online member community, Volunteer Voices. Not a member? Join for just $24 to access Volunteer Voices and other exciting benefits.  Volunteer Spotlight: Calvin Globek Calvin Globek is fire chief of the Tiawah Fire Department in Claremore, OK. A volunteer firefighter for 34 years and chief for 24, Calvin is driven by a deep commitment to helping others and making a positive impact in his community. Under his leadership, the department has expanded services, improved its ISO rating, and built strong mutual aid partnerships. Read his full Volunteer Spotlight here. NVFC Corporate Sponsors                       View a complete list of Corporate Members and support those that support the voice of the volunteer emergency services. STAY CONNECTED:       |
