Volunteer Firefighters Save America $139 Billion Dollars Every Year

Educating people about how important volunteer firefighters are to to America, especially the $139 Billion Dollars they save us in these times of budget problems. 

Volunteer Fire Service Fact Sheet

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. Organized in 1976, the NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer fire and emergency services in the national arena and provides invaluable tools, resources, programs, training, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Each state firefighter’s association elects a representative to the NVFC Board of Directors.

We welcome you to browse our web site at www.nvfc.org to learn more about the volunteer fire and emergency services and information regarding membership, training, legislation, and meetings.

This Fact Sheet was produced in order to provide an overall picture of today’s volunteer fire and emergency services.

• Volunteers comprise 69% of firefighters in the United States. Of the total estimated 1,140,750 volunteer and paid firefighters across the country, 786,150 are volunteer.1 • Communities served by volunteer firefighters depend on them to be their first line of defense for many types of emergencies. Volunteer firefighters are summoned to a wide array of emergencies across the country every day including fires, emergency medical incidents, terrorist events, natural disasters, hazardous materials incidents, water rescue emergencies, high-angle and confined space emergencies, and other general public service calls. The public relies on the volunteer emergency services to be their first line of defense in these emergencies. Volunteers spend an enormous amount of time training to prepare for these emergencies.

• The majority of fire departments in the United States are volunteer. Of the total 30,052 fire departments in the country, 19,807 are all volunteer; 5,797 are mostly volunteer; 1,971 are mostly career; and 2,477 are all career.

The volunteer fire service has challenges with recruitment and retention, but the option is what? Please educate your self about volunteer firefighters and the $139 Billion Dollars they they save the nation each year.
More Fire Service Statistics and Fact Sheets HERE