Retaining Recruiters: Keys for Recruitment and Retention
Micah Rains
Thursday, June 11, 2026
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Retaining good individuals is the key for recruiting new ones for any organization. The greatest recruitment tool is often the personnel that work within that organization. The solution to retention does not require a large budget to accomplish and most solutions are found within the leadership of organizations. This class will examine key factors that can impact getting individuals in the fire service invested in their organizations. Topics that will be discussed include developing individuals, creating a culture that is contagious, and getting your people focused on the mission of the fire service. Retaining recruiters is broader that a pay scale and deeper than a benefits package. It involves teaching personnel to become emotionally attached to the great profession of the fire service.
Micah Rains
Micah Rains is an 18-year veteran of the fire service and is currently assigned as the Captain of Westend Firehouse at Greenville City Fire Department. He is a member of the S.C. Task Force 1 USAR team and has a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership. Micah has taught at many conferences including the NFPA Fire Conference, Fire Rescue International, South Carolina Fire Rescue, Metro Atlanta Fire Conference, Florida Fire Conference, and many more. Along with this experience, Rains has had his work published by Fire Engineering and he also operates Palmetto Fire Tactics, LLC
