Volunteer Fire Service
Volunteer firefighters provide fire suppression, rescue and emergency medical services in communities of all sizes. Volunteer firefighters, motivated to help others and serve their community, balance training and service with jobs and family obligations. Learn more about latest volunteer fire service news, access FireRescue1 training resources and explore funding and recruitment resources for volunteer fire departments.
Four common retention pitfalls, plus simple solutions for improving department culture and keeping firefighters happy
Developing a firefighter recruitment plan starts with getting real about why people aren’t joining the fire department
Town of Ulster officials are allowing a property tax reduction to first responders who live in a district other than the one they serve
The study will assess current fire service response, identify strengths, make comparisons to benchmarks and make suggestions for future fire service response
Terry Gough, 52, has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatality accident
Anthony Jackson joined the Pedricktown Fire Co. as a junior firefighter and was serving as an assistant chief for the company at the time of his death
Sgt. James Johnston, an explosive ordnance disposal specialist and volunteer firefighter, was killed in south-central Afghanistan
Firefighter Dan Ravenhorst was responding to a mobile home fire when he suffered a heart attack
Dakotah Mingee, 19, pleaded no contest to setting fire to a building on a remote road
James Devane responded to a 2011 house fire that earned three New Hyde Park firefighters the Gold Medal of Valor for Devane’s and another firefighter rescue
Rep. Chris Sainato’s House Bill 1834 will extend the expiring Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Grant program if it passes the floor vote
Nicholas Leone, 22, and Dylan Dalessio, 19, allegedly caused a fire that destroyed a furniture store in January
Reading Firefighter Robert Louis Berger was operating a tractor with a backhoe attachment and was digging a hole when he became pinned
Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s proposed legislation would reduce restrictions on how firefighters spend state aid money
In his resignation letter, Savage Fire Chief Andrain Roach criticized the on-call model and recommended transitioning toward a full-time duty crew
Pennsylvania has more fire companies that any other state, but they are comprised primarily of volunteers
Each of the departments that responded to a mutual aid request put in early in the battle against the blaze will be receiving reimbursement
Volunteers cleaned the station, brought in an exterminator and treated the area with high temperatures to get rid of the bed bugs
VCOS chair explains how existing members can serve as ambassadors for next-generation volunteers
The action comes as fire departments and ambulance corps are finding it harder to recruit new members
The HELP Award is jointly offered with the National Volunteer Fire Council to support volunteer departments serving small populations
Gary Firefighters Union Local 359 and the Gary Fire Department partnered with the Gary Parks Department to host a park clean-up Friday and Saturday at Buffington Park
A tragic incident in which a NY firefighter was killed by ambulance should have your department reviewing post-accident/incident plans, EVOC and safety courses
The Dodge County Executive Committee understands the staffing need, but is still uncertain what the county’s role in the process should be
How volunteer fire chiefs can effectively serve their communities and value their members
The Town Council has already provisionally approved $170,540 for the Prudence Island Volunteer Fire Department in the fiscal 2020 budget, a 1.03% increase over last year
The department was selected to receive $48,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to eye air quality improvements at the fire hall
Cumberland County’s first-responder team includes 32 trained emergency medical responders from the Cumberland County and Fairfield Glade Volunteer Fire Departments
If the proposal is approved, firefighters would get top priority to those seeking affordable housing solutions
Preston Superintendent Roy Seitsinger incorporated health training into staff professional development last year, including CPR and bleeding control classes
Prior to joining Willow Street Fire Company, William N. Franck was a member of the Saint Michaels Fire Department in Maryland
The bill would allow volunteer firefighters and EMS workers to receive refundable tax credits for equipment purchases and for education-related activities and travel
A town hall audience of about three dozen fire company representatives opened up with questions, gripes and suggestions in a wide-ranging, two-hour exchange
