Omakau's brigade covers three roles: urban fire, rural fire and first response in emergency situations, including medical call-outs - the only brigade in Central Otago to do so.
Omakau Chief Fire Officer Sam Leask said the new recruit would not cover all three roles but function as a first-response volunteer only.
The brigade did not have enough volunteers, he said.
''We need more young people. The youngest has been in the brigade for over five years.
''[There are] not the people around to be in the brigade these days. No-one has the spare time.''
Trained in pre-hospital emergency care, the brigade's new recruit would be able to provide first aid but not fight fires.
The brigade needed three to four new members but the situation was not dire yet, he said.
Omakau's need for new volunteers did not affect its ability to attend callouts at the moment because it had enough numbers to cover the area, so there was no need for public concern, Mr Leask said.
Alexandra's volunteer fire brigade provided back-up for it during the daytime.
Serving the three roles of urban and rural firefighting and first response made training ''very'' difficult, because everyone had to know everything, he said.
First response involved call-outs to emergency situations, including medical incidents when requested by St John ambulance.
''We need new guys to be enthusiastic. [It] would be better if we had a few new recruits. We have the expertise but need the people to train.''
On average, the brigade would attend about 12 call-outs for fire a year and about three times that for first response. Volunteers working out of town and a lack of jobs for young volunteers in the area caused problems for the brigade but it was well supported by the community, Mr Leask said.
Roxburgh Chief Fire Officer David Rooney said the Roxburgh brigade faced the same shortages as the Omakau brigade.
The brigade was about three volunteers short, with a crew of 19.
''Apart from that, everything is pretty good for us,'' he said.
New Zealand Fire Service Central Otago volunteer support officer Mark Hutton said other brigades in Naseby, Ranfurly and Millers Flat were adequately staffed, but Clyde required five members.
New Zealand Fire Service Central North Otago area manager Keith McIntosh said fire brigades in the region would ''love'' to hear from people interested in volunteering.
The Roxburgh and Clyde brigades would be running recruitment drives soon.
