CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County Fire Rescue will now have more time to spend money on its recent recruitment and retention program, according to department officials.
The department was awarded a 6-month extension on its nearly $1 million SAFER grant, Capt. Mark Nugent said. It was set to expire in June.
So far, Nugent says the more $500,000 being used towards a recruitment program – which encompasses all parts of the firefighter recruitment process – has already netted HCFR more than 100 applications.
“The grant folks from FEMA were very pleased with the progress. I think that played a lot into it,” he explained. “So now we sort of take a breath, another look at everything we’re doing to make sure everything’s correct on this grant.”
Nugent says the department is utilizing part of the SAFER grant funding to attract new volunteers to the department. The effort spans a broad range of media – from billboards and newspaper ads to radio commercials and social media ads.
But News13 wanted to know what happens to the effort when the department winds down its campaign in December.
“The good thing is all the material you see – the “Find Your Fire” campaign – that stays with us,” Nugent said.
The department says after December, it plans to continue utilizing the recruitment program to not only bring in additional volunteers, but career members as well. We asked how the department plans to fund the effort.
“The funding part’s been discussed obviously with our executive staff,” Nugent said. “We don’ thave a line item for that sort of stuff.”
Nugent says he hopes to see the department utilize what he calls “free” platforms – like Twitter and Facebook – and even develop better partnerships with colleges.
“A lot of (colleges) have areas or blackboards that you can advertise on. Doesn’t cost you a thing. So we’re trying to look at non-traditional ways to do something traditional – maybe a line item that works smarter,” he said.
Nugent says about 35 applicants are going through orientation right now.
“The first group is actually in a volunteer recruit school right now, so you will see them out on the street by the end of the summer,” he said.
While the department admits there can be a lag between application approval, orientation and recruit school, it’s doing its best to keep the prospects engaged.
Horry County Fire Rescue has responded to more than 22,000 calls so far in 2018. While it’s just the start of the busy season, the department anticipates it could run upwards of about 200 calls per day this summer.
