Many industries are struggling to attract new employees. Firefighting is among them.
The Spokane Valley Fire Department is recruiting for its annual late winter and spring training session. It’s finding the number of applicants is much lower than in past years.
As of Tuesday, Spokane Valley Fire Chief Frank Soto, Jr., said his department had received applications from 322 people interested in firefighting careers.
"In the yesteryears, I would be, like, why isn’t that number 3,022?" Soto said. "But, you know what, we will settle on 322 because that is a lot more than what people normally get.”
Soto thinks the lack of interest in his industry is a generational thing. Young people are spending more time with their technology than out doing physical things and a dangerous career like firefighting is much less enticing to them.