Firefighter Cameron Borchert is conducting a research project to explore the possible relationship between increasing incidences of litigation in the fire service and its impact on fire officer recruitment and retention. Borchert theorizes that, like most disciplines, as incidences of litigation increase within the discipline, that the pool of qualified candidates willing to accept the increased liability becomes smaller. This has occurred in particular in the health care industry.
Borchert speculates that the fire service may find be at a crossroads where there are too many leadership vacancies and not enough candidates to fill them. Fire service leaders must understand this added dynamic and put in place strategies to ensure that there is a sustainable pool of qualified firefighters who also understand the evolving litigious environment in which we work. By completing this survey, Borchert hopes the fire service can begin a new thread of research into what can be a difficult and uncomfortable predicament.
Please take a few minutes to take this survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JHTL8H2.
Cameron Borchert is a graduate student of the Eastern Kentucky University Safety, Security, and Emergency Management Program.
