Aim: To increase survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA), great efforts are made to improve the number of voluntary first responders (VFR). However, evidence of the potential utility of such efforts is sparse, especially in rural areas. Therefore, the aim was to describe and compare response times for emergency medical services (EMS), fire and rescue services (FRS), and VFR during OHCA in relation to population density.

Methods: This observational and comparative study was based on data including positions and time stamps for VFR and response times for EMS and FRS in a region in southern Sweden.ResultsIn total, 285 OHCAs between 1 July 2020 and 31 December 2021 were analysed. VFR had the shortest median response time in comparison to EMS and FRS in all studied population densities. The overall median (Q1–Q3) time gain for VFR was 03:07 (01:39–05:41) minutes. A small proportion (19.2%) of alerted VFR accepted the assignments. This is most problematic in rural and sub-rural areas, where there were low numbers of alerted VFR. Also, FRS had shorter response time than EMS in all studied population densities except in urban areas.

Conclusion: The differences found in median response times between rural and urban areas are worrisome from an equality perspective. More focus should be placed on recruiting VFR, especially in rural areas since VFR can potentially contribute to saving more lives. Also, since FRS has a shorter response time than EMS in rural, sub-rural, and sub-urban areas, FRS should be dispatched more frequently.

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of literature about recruitment, retention and resignation among non-career firefighters.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review was conducted to identify factors associated with the recruitment, retention and resignation of non-career firefighters. The authors divided the results into three topics and four levels for further analysis.

Findings

27 articles are included in the review. Most research addresses retention at an organizational level and indicates a link between job satisfaction and factors such as supervisor support, recognition and close relationships within the workgroup. Further, a recurring reason that contributes to resignations seems to be family related (e.g. partner disapproval).

Research limitations/implications

There is a lack of European and Asian research into non-career firefighters. The included research papers generally have low response rates and the sample is often mostly male and Caucasians from a limited area.

Practical implications

The identified factors offer deeper understanding and can help practitioners in their pursuit of the sustainable retention of non-career firefighters.

Originality/value

Because securing adequate numbers of non-career firefighters is important, there is a need to synthesize current evidence to identify and further understand which factors contribute to retention. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first systematic review to synthesize such evidence about non-career firefighters.

The main employers of part-time firefighters are important partners for the fire and rescue services (FRSs) in rural areas of Sweden. The purpose of this study was to identify the pivotal factors that influence the ability of main employers in rural Sweden to have employees who are part-time firefighters. A modified version of the Delphi technique was used, where opinions from a group of main employers were collected to find consensus. The Delphi technique is characterised by a number of rounds in which questionnaires are used until consensus is reached. This study identified 20 pivotal factors among the main employers. On one hand, employing part-time firefighters brought a sense of safety at the workplace but, on the other hand, there was a lack of appreciation and dialogue from the FRSss. 

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe experiences of working as a paid part-time firefighter (PTF) in Swedish rural areas.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive explorative design was used, based on interviews with 18 paid PTFs in Sweden. Data were analyzed using qualitative latent content analysis.

Findings

Three themes emerged from the interviews and describe paid PTFs’ experiences. The findings provide insights into how firefighters share a strong commitment, how support plays a crucial role, and how training and call-outs contribute to their experiences. Paid PTFs’ experiences are nuanced, ranging from personal limitations and challenges to satisfaction and the contrast with ordinary life.

Practical implications

The implications for fire and rescue service organizations are that they can encourage firefighters’ commitment and pride, as well as the commitment and support of their families and main employers. Further, highlighting the importance of support and facilitating flexibility when on call is crucial. Finally, acknowledging and promoting personal development and facilitating an inclusive culture are important factors for both motivation and satisfaction.

Originality/value

Paid PTFs are under-represented in the literature, despite the reliance on them in Sweden, and this study begins to address the knowledge gap. To improve retention, it is vital to understand paid PTFs work situation: what motivates them, what barriers they face, and how those challenges influence their experiences.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences and actions of part-time firefighters’ family members in rural areas in Sweden.Design The study had an inductive descriptive design and used the critical incident technique.Setting Rural areas, primarily served by a part-time fire station, across Sweden.Participants The study included 25 participants (21 females and 4 males) with experiences of being a family member of a part-time firefighter. Family members who themselves served as firefighters were excluded.Results Being a part-time firefighter’s family member was described into three main areas of experiences: ‘affecting everyday life’, ‘dealing with uncertainty’ and ‘being in this together’. Actions taken were divided into two main areas: ‘pursuing adaptations’ and ‘alleviating difficulties’.Conclusions Family members of part-time firefighters faced increased responsibility at home, managing personal inconvenience and frustration. They offered emotional support for the firefighter, however, expressing a need for guidance on handling firefighters’ emotions and mental health after call-outs. Despite their crucial role, they often felt unrecognised by the fire and rescue service. Nonetheless, they took pride in their firefighter’s contribution to the community and noted positive impacts on the family.