5Points Creative and the IFCA created a campaign to showcase the need for volunteer first responders and the vital role they play in public safety. The campaign utilized a mix of tactics designed to help the association reach new audiences, but the overarching goal was to create a recruitment drive that departments and Idahoans could talk about, then give department leadership the best language to use (and post online). This campaign was multifaceted and required coordination across (at least) four segments of 5Points Creative’s areas of work—marketing, communications, digital, and advertising.

1. The 5Points team met with IFCA officers and leadership multiple times via Zoom. A significant challenge to launching this campaign was the number of stakeholders. While not everyone needed to be on board with the expenditure and effort, there could be no loud detractors. By taking the time to answer questions and building consensus, the association was convinced of the path forward. 5Points then spent time with the recruitment committee to craft the correct language that would support career departments while recruiting volunteers. They also adopted a proven creative campaign concept from 5Points to reduce costs for the IFCA.  

2. The strategy was to inform Idahoans of the need for firefighters and EMTs by creating a conceptual event and give everyone the same language to share. 5Points and the IFCA scheduled a statewide open house in April 2025, which then gave the IFCA and individual department spokespeople something concrete to point to as part of their messaging. It was a circular message, but in the same way a tornado circulates:

3. We created a single page microsite (www.IdahoVolunteerResponders.org) to serve as a collection point and central hub for interested parties. The website had four features:  

1. A list of all fire departments participating in the April 2025 statewide open house provided by the IFCA.  

2. A resources document with detailed information on how volunteer fire departments help the state, information on apparatus types, and details on firefighter personal protective equipment costs provided by the IFCA.  

3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about being a volunteer firefighter. Since all departments operate in a slightly different manner, the answers were broad enough to provide education without creating unrealistic expectations.  

4. A contact form where prospective firefighters and emergency medical technicians could indicate their interest and be connected with their local departments. The IFCA monitored and responded to the form fills and connected the prospects with their local departments. This allowed departments to easily capture application information, removing a point of friction at the local level.  

The communications strategy relied on “air cover” to be provided by broadcast television in the two largest TV markets in Idaho: Boise and Idaho Falls-Pocatello. Recruitment is telling the story of the need and why someone should be a part of the solution, so 5Points Creative created TV commercials that emphasized the need for more first responder volunteers and referred interested people to the microsite. Working with media partners at KBOI (CBS), KNIN (FOX), and KYUU (CW) in Boise and KIFI (ABC) in Idaho Falls-Pocatello, 5Points launched a broadcast television media campaign that began in early February and ran a six-week flight.  

To hit home the opportunity to volunteer, 5Points ran a paid digital advertising campaign targeting multiple datasets we suspected might target prospective firefighters including fitness enthusiasts, outdoorsmen, and people who drive big trucks. The paid television and digital campaigns were further supported by paid social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram.  

The IFCA and 5PC wanted to create impactful and consistent communication that would inspire people to volunteer, so we crafted press releases that emphasized why volunteers are critical to Idaho’s emergency services as well as spotlighted current volunteers and their experiences. The goal was to have everyone speaking the same language and supporting the overarching message. Behind the scenes, the IFCA was organizing the independent fire departments for the open house (assisted by 5Points) and working their own media contacts for earned media pieces.  

Finally, the 5Points Creative team designed rack cards for firefighters to distribute to prospective members before or during the open house if they wanted further information about how to become a volunteer. The rack cards gave firefighters a tangible tool to assist the one-to-one recruitment efforts and served as a physical reminder of the need.  

The campaign garnered significant news coverage as well as support from the governor of Idaho, who proclaimed March 9 through 15 as Idaho Volunteer First Responder’s Week. Fire stations reported a positive turnout, showcasing on social media people getting a head start on training and people of all ages checking out the emergency vehicles.

• Microsite: 7,635 page views, 6,632 individual users, and 182 form fills

• TV Impressions: 246 total commercials and over 1.6 million impressions

• Digital Display: 502,993 impressions with 289 clicks and 324 attributed website visits

• Social Media: 890,743 impressions and 9,597 clicks

The most significant results were within the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association. According to IFCA Executive Director Patty Morgan, “This campaign accomplished more than we set out to accomplish, and the impact was bigger than the numbers.” In previous months, monthly recruitment committee attendance averaged 20 people, but since the start of the campaign, the association has been seeing upward of 60 attendees looking to get involved and learn how their departments can bring in new recruits, building stronger ties between departments and connected chiefs across the state. The campaign created momentum that is having a lasting impact on the state.  

By focusing on the issue, prioritizing the message, and engaging people where they are, 5Points Creative launched volunteer fire and EMS recruitment in Idaho in early 2025, and this is only the beginning of the Idaho Fire Chiefs Association’s efforts to solve the recruitment problem and close the staffing gap.