Firefighter Or?

From Afterthought to First Choice: How Do We Make Firefighting a Career Destination Again?

In firehouses across the country — and here at home in St. George — one question keeps coming up again and again:

“Where are the next generation of firefighters?”

Recruitment has become one of the greatest challenges facing the fire service today. Gone are the days when dozens of candidates lined up for each opening, waiting anxiously for a shot at joining the brotherhood and sisterhood of the fire service. Today, the candidate pool is shrinking — and for many departments, including ours, that means tough staffing decisions and long-term concerns about sustainability.

So why aren’t young men and women choosing this path like they once did?

For many graduating high school students, firefighting simply isn’t on the radar. It’s not talked about in classrooms. It’s rarely promoted in guidance offices. And compared to other high-demand industries like nursing, the skilled trades (electrical, HVAC, plumbing), or industrial giants like ExxonMobil or Turner Industries — firefighting can often look like the riskier, less secure path. And yet, it’s one of the most noble and necessary professions in any community.

The truth is, we’re not just competing for workers — we’re competing for ambition, stability, purpose, and paychecks.

A young person today might ask:

• Why become a firefighter when I can work in a plant and make six figures with less physical risk?

• Why join a department that’s been in headlines over lawsuits and leadership turmoil?

• Why choose a job where I’ll work 56 hours a week and still struggle to support a family?

These are fair questions. And until we start answering them — boldly and honestly — we will continue to lose talent to other fields.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

So how do we fix it? How do we restore the fire service as a front-line career choice, not a fallback?

We want to hear from you — firefighters, citizens, parents, business leaders, students.

💬 What do you think it will take?

💬 How can we attract the next generation?

💬 What would have made you choose the fire service sooner?

Let’s start a real conversation. Because the future of our department — and public safety itself — depends on it.

— St. George Professional Firefighters Local 4524