Clifton Heights—With the need to bring new members on board, the Clifton Heights Fire Company launched a volunteer recruitment campaign featuring a new slogan and a new website: www.JoinCliftonHeights.org
The slogan: “Change your life. Save a life” was developed with input from the members and touches on the mission of the fire company and the importance of the service that it provides to Clifton Heights and surrounding areas.
Clifton Heights touts its friendliness. The topnotch training and equipment are also draws for new members and no prior firefighting experience is needed. The busy 35-member fire company, which dates to 1896, handled 350 calls in 2019.
The all-volunteer company handles all types of fires, accidents, hazardous materials (HAZMAT) and other dangerous situations. Clifton Heights provides volunteers the state-of-the-art training and all the gear that they need at no charge to them.
Chief Jim Kneass has been a firefighter for 45 years.
“We have some of the nicest equipment in the county,” he said. “And some of the nicest people. There is a great camaraderie here.”
“We are a family,” said Steve Harper, a captain. “If you volunteer, you will be a part of something much bigger than just a fire company. You will learn skills that can be transferred to other aspects of life.”
The Clifton Heights Fire Company is seeking firefighters, EMTs, administrative members, cadets, junior firefighters and fire police so there are Volunteer Opportunities to match everyone’s talents and interests:
Active Firefighter
Fight fires. Perform rescues. Operate firetrucks and other apparatus. Help with accidents and hazardous materials (HAZMAT) situations. Save lives and property. We offer training, both at the academy and at the firehouse.
Junior Firefighter
Teenagers between 16 and 18 can learn how to fight fires. We provide the gear and training. While you can’t run into burning buildings, you can help with hoses and equipment to assist firefighters during fire calls. Volunteering with Clifton Heights brings a strong sense of satisfaction and is also great for your college résumé.
Cadet Firefighter
Cadets are between 14 to 16 years old. Like Junior Firefighters, cadets are firefighters in training. And along with Junior Firefighters, the cadets learn how to eventually become an Active Firefighter.
Emergency Medical Technician
Provide emergency medical care at the emergency scene and in transit to the hospital. You can help save lives.
Fire Police
The primary duty of the fire police is to ensure the safety of firefighters going to and from the fire scene. The fire police direct traffic at the scene and provide security and crowd control.
Administrative Volunteers
Not everyone needs to run into a burning building to make a difference. Help the fire company with needed paperwork, plan fundraisers or serve on the board of trustees. There is a lot you can do to help the Clifton Heights Fire Company!
Meanwhile, the need for volunteer firefighters remains great because the number of volunteer firefighters across the state has declined over the years, from 300,000 in the 1970’s to about 60,000 in the early 2000’s to about 38,000 in 2018. The reasons for this vary from the expansion of two income households, the increased demands on people’s time and more residents commuting to jobs outside the immediate area.
The Clifton Heights Fire Company received a Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response grant from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) to recruit and retain volunteers for the department so there is no cost to local taxpayers.
To help with that mission, the fire company has hired The Communication Solutions Group, a full-service public relations and marketing firm based in Jenkintown. The company has successfully mounted numerous recruitment and retention campaigns for fire and rescue organizations in Pennsylvania and other East Coast locations. In addition to the new website, the recruitment campaign will include targeted mailings, lawn signs, an outdoor display booth and street banner, a 30-second commercial and recruiting at high schools, as well as outreach to the media, among other services.
For more information about the Clifton Heights Fire Department or to fill out an inquiry form and begin the process go to: www.JoinCliftonHeights.org
Editor’s note: For more information about the recruitment campaign or to set up an interview contact The Communication Solutions Group at (215) 884-6499.