The International Association of Fire Chief’s Volunteer and Combination Officers Section this week the hosted the National Volunteer Fire Service Summit, which brought together 125 fire and emergency-services leaders, as well as public-safety and government officials from across the United States and Canada. The three-day “The Heartbeat of America: Preserving the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service” aimed to address the challenges facing the volunteer fire service and explore ways to move volunteer and combinations departments forward in the 21st century —inclusive of volunteer, on-call and part-time personnel.

“Many volunteer fire departments are at a crossroads: the economy, the increasing demand for local and regional emergency services, new roles in national preparedness and response and changing social norms are creating shifts in the way we do business,” VCOS Chair Tim Wall said. “These changes aren’t necessarily good or bad in-and-of themselves, but it’s clear that if we are dedicated to continuing our tradition of service and excellence, we need to bring the community together look at what works in this new environment and what new ideas are out there.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, volunteer firefighters 93% of America’s fire departments use volunteers, saving the nation $37 billion each year, yet the overall number of volunteers has declined 10% since the 1980s.

“What have you done to my fire service because it’s not the same one I started 300 years ago,” said American fire service founder Benjamin Franklin (a dressed-up Ronny Coleman) said. Franklin explained that when he started the American fire service, “it was the responsibility of each individual to have his own fire bucket and salvage bag. … We’re talking about neighbor helping neighbor.”

Among the topics addressed at the summit were the impact of the new economy, recruitment and retention, firefighter health and safety, local government relations, and national legislative issues impacting volunteers. Participants — who were largely nominated to attend by state and national fire service organizations — spent the majority of the time in small groups that were be tasked with developing recommendations that will be incorporated into a national report issued by VCOS.