Values of Volunteer Firefighters

The study below looks specifically at firefighters and volunteer firefighters. The vast majority of firefighters in this country are volunteers. We have more fires happening, and they are becoming larger and more common. At the same time, budgets are increasingly constrained, so people are volunteering their time and putting themselves at risk to help their communities.

(Illustrative Only)

Firefighters do a lot
of other important work
beyond fires. 
Ki Ki the kitty
is thankful. 

What makes volunteer and part-time firefighters different? They tend to carry strong pro-social values. They want to help their communities, make a commitment to one another within their fire departments, and build trust. These commitments often reflect a broader way of looking at the world and their responsibility to others.

Read the study below, and if you would like to donate to a local fire department or help in some way in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, I know a great one. Send me a message to the right. They have a lot of young people compared with many other fire departments, and those firefighters need training, resources, and equipment. If you would like to provide tax-deductible support, I can point you in the right direction.

Values in the Activities of Volunteer Fire Brigades: A Collective Case Study

• Volunteer fire brigades (VFBs) operate as self-organizing community entities that fulfill essential safety functions while simultaneously acting as key cultural and social hubs for local residents.

• Members view their commitment strictly as an unpaid public service, mission, or calling rather than work, which fosters personal virtues such as self-discipline, courage, generosity, and loyalty.

• The core organizational values driving these communities include trust, friendship, kindness, solidarity, respect, and collaborative ties with other local institutions and civic groups.

• Beyond emergency response, firefighters actively engage in community work, such as local infrastructure repairs, educational workshops, social events, and charitable projects.

• Long-term sustainability and local rootedness are maintained by passing down family traditions, preserving historical artifacts and chronicles, and integrating youth through Youth Fire Brigades.

Wrona, S. (2020). Values in the activities of volunteer fire brigades: A collective case study. International Journal of Contemporary Management, 19(4), 21 40.   https://doi.org/10.4467/24498939LJCM.20.012.13483