Including The Family
Perhaps one of the most important assets of a Volunteer Fire Department is the comradery and the family-like atmosphere. It’s a bond much like our real family. So, why not include our real family? Without our families and the support they give, putting in enough time to the Fire Department to make a difference would be a challenge. We must learn to include our families as much as possible in many ways. Bringing our families together will strengthen the bond between all of the members, which will reinforce the Fire Department as a whole.
Our families can be brought together in many different ways. Some of the more popular and easy opportunities would be on holidays. Christmas parties are a common event that can be easy to set up. If your Fire Department participates in any town Memorial Day celebrations such as parades or ceremonies, invite the families to come along and honor our fallen soldiers with you. They can be there to help set up, hit everyone’s uniform with a lint roller or take photos of the members in their uniforms.
Each member and their family could reserve a particular holiday as “their holiday” and host a party at their homes each year. My family hosts a huge cookout every Memorial Day after the parade, complete with a bouncy house and a bon fire. This brings the bonding time away from the firehouse and in a more personal setting.
It is important to involve our children as much as possible as well. After all, they often miss out on quality family time when the tones hit and you have to leave on a call. Introduce them to the other members and their children. Strong lifelong friendships can develop with other children of Firefighters. Birthday Parties are good opportunities to bring the children together.
If your Fire Department doesn’t have an annual awards ceremony, it may be time to consider it. An annual awards ceremony and banquet is a perfect way to bring everyone together in a positive way, while recognizing your members for the good jobs they have done throughout the year. It gives everyone a chance to dress up, eat great food and dance to a live band or DJ.
It goes without saying that the Fire Department is a large family, but it wouldn’t be possible if our real families didn’t support us. By bringing our real families and our Fire Department family together, you will strengthen your membership greatly and help retain your members for years to come.
