To address a diminishing candidate pool in an aging community, Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue has evolved over the years in how it recruits volunteer firefighters.

Yet, like other volunteer and combination fire service agencies across the country, Central Whidbey still struggles to find prospects.

Jerry Helm, the captain in charge of the department’s recruitment and retention, is hopeful that a unique opportunity will bring new tools to tackle a decades-old problem.

Central Whidbey Fire & Rescue was one of 10 fire service agencies in the United States recently selected to participate in a two-year pilot program aimed at helping to recruit volunteer firefighters.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs is sponsoring the program, which addresses the nationwide need of volunteer firefighters at the local level, placing an emphasis on recruiting more women and minorities.

Helm only learned about the program a month ago, then teamed up with two volunteer firefighters to write essays as part of the application process to be considered for the grant.

By being selected, Central Whidbey Fire will receive marketing tools, materials and training to enhance their recruiting efforts and look at the process in new ways.

Helm will attend two national workshops to gain new perspectives and learn new recruiting methods.

“This is an extremely rare and valuable opportunity for a small department on little old Whidbey Island to have some national help addressing a problem that volunteer and combination departments across the country are experiencing as well,” Helm said. “It doesn’t happen very often where you can get direct help from big brother, so to speak, on getting your message out and things like that. For us to be able to have that opportunity, I think, is pretty special.”

As part of the program, Central Whidbey Fire will receive assistance in public outreach efforts and access to an online management system to help track and manage potential volunteer candidates.

Helm will serve as project manager. Fire Chief Ed Hartin and Fire Commissioner Steve Hutchinson also will actively participate in the program. Hutchinson served 27 years as a volunteer firefighter with the department.

Central Whidbey Fire serves roughly 8,200 residents with a department made up of paid (full-time and part-time) and volunteer firefighters.

Since the mid 1990s, the department has struggled with declining numbers of volunteer firefighters and currently has 20.

Factors that have impacted volunteer recruitment include an aging demographic and more two-income and commuting households, leaving little time to volunteer, Helm said.

The fire department has made changes in recent years to attract more candidates interested in specific roles as opposed to becoming certified firefighters or emergency medical technicians. Such roles have included helping as a driver of a water tender or assisting with geographic information system (GIS) mapping.

Ultimately, Central Whidbey Fire is seeking ways to target a younger, more diverse demographic to get more volunteer recruits into the joint fire academy it holds with South Whidbey Fire/EMS.

In the current academy, which started in February, it has only two candidates.