Recruitment Efforts Strengthen Department, Hopes for the Future

On August 2, 2009, the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department lost all career staffing as part of Fire Chief Eugene Jones’ new staffing plan. This has had a tremendous impact on our ability to provide consistent service to the citizens of Capitol Heights and surrounding communities. While the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department has always actively recruited, it was clear that our recruitment efforts would have to take on a whole new dimension for us to survive as a department. The department has actively recruited in the community, at George Washington University, Catholic University and by reaching out to family and friends. New recruitment efforts, coupled with our will to survive and our passion for the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department and the citizens we serve, has made us a better department. However, we are not out of the woods yet.