The Vashon fire department has recently made offers to bring on 10 new volunteers.

“We’re very happy,” said Ross Copland, the recruit and retention coordinator at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue (VIFR). “It was a good bunch to pick from.”

The volunteers will start  with department once they have completed all their training, said Assistant Chief George Brown.

VIFR closed its most recent application process on June 30 and had 24 people apply for firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT) and support positions, Copland said. Fourteen individuals were from off-island and 10 from Vashon.

Among those selected are six firefighter/EMT applicants, two who will attend the King County EMT class and two who intend to serve as firefighter support, he noted.

Those who are already certified as EMTs will start with the district by going through VIFR’s own EMT academy, a three-month program.

“We have to make sure they are up to our standards, which are higher than county standards,” Copland  said.

Across the country, fire departments that rely on volunteers face recruiting challenges, and VIFR has been no different. However, Copland said, this year the number of applicants for volunteer positions more than doubled from last year, when only 10 people applied. He attributed the increase  to some stepped-up recruiting efforts at the department, including joining the National Volunteer Fire Council, which helps departments recruit and retain personnel; placing job postings in  a national fire-related news source and reaching out to local colleges.

Looking ahead, Copland said VIFR officials are  evaluating using volunteers for other work at the department, including in administrative support roles.

VIFR is currently accepting applications for firefighter, EMT and fire support positions for 2016; an application deadline has not yet been set. For more information, see vifr.org.