Academic literature addresses paid worker motivation in depth. Occasionally this literature has extended to specifically look at the volunteer service. Very rarely if at all has volunteer motivation been studied within the volunteer fire service. This study sought to determine the functional motivations of volunteer fire cadets using the Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI). The VFI assesses motivations along six facets: Values, Understanding, Social, Career, Protective, and Enhancement. In addition to the motivations, this study examined cadet and fire academy characteristics. Bivariate analysis, logistic regression and logit analysis looked at the relationship between successful completion of fire academy, motivations and cadet characteristics.

Surveys were collected from cadets attending 13 different fire academies during 2016. At the end of those academies, a follow up survey was sent to each academy coordinator to collect information on successful completion of academy by cadets. Of the 99 participating cadets, 70 (71%) cadets successfully completed academy. In a well-fit model, Social (OR = 1.12) and Career (OR = 1.09) motivations as well as having at least some college education (OR = 3.27) significantly and positively predicted the completion of academy. Protective (OR = 0.83) motivation as well as living with an unmarried partner (OR = 0.17) and having a friend or family in the fire service (OR = 0.26) were significant negative predictors.

These findings support the use of the VFI in research of motivations within the context of volunteer fire academies. Based on the findings of this study, volunteer fire academies may want to ensure academies focus on skills that would be transferable to the career market, and opportunities for socialization that enhance the collective ethos of hard working volunteers. This research also provides a model by which to pursue future longitudinal studies of the volunteer fire service.