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.
Steven Boo was on his way to a county fair when the crash occurred; his girlfriend was also in the car but was not hurt
The volunteer firefighter was driving the fire truck when a tree broke and fell into the roadway
The fire burned two cars and damaged a fire truck; about 70 firefighters are battling the blaze
The Yantic, Taftville, Laurel Hill and Occum volunteer departments say Norwich officials did not negotiate in good faith over the city’s unified command policy
This is the fifth year that MSA Safety has teamed up with the NVFC to give away helmets to volunteer firefighters
Bringing back family-focused values may be the enticement prospective members seek – or the glue that holds together the organization
Inevitable or misguided? Supporters see stipends as necessary while critics question the impact on tradition
The 2026 honorees include longtime volunteer Roger Beedy, health and safety advocate Frank Leeb, junior firefighter Grace Isakson and Plano Fire Explorers Post 215
Smith Valley Fire Chief Amy Beick says the moment highlights growing representation in the fire service and aims to inspire more women to join
Goldsby firefighters Todd Pendleton and Bryan Jenkins died when their tanker left the road and struck a tree while they were responding to a structure fire
Norwich and four volunteer fire departments are set to begin mediation over the city’s unified command policy and the closure of Yantic Fire Engine Co.
Bartenders, hotel workers and taxi drivers who serve as volunteer firefighters run drills to prepare for protecting Michigan’s historic Mackinac Island
$50,000 in fire department grants and 350 pancake breakfast fundraiser kits will be awarded
The new Quick Response Unit designation allows Ferndale firefighters to respond to medical calls and reduce long ambulance wait times in their rural community
The state is sending funding to 114 volunteer fire companies to help pay for wildfire gear, equipment, communications tools and training ahead of peak spring fire season.
The National Volunteer Fire Council is calling on firefighters to contact lawmakers as the DHS shutdown has delayed grants and shuttered the National Fire Academy
The National Volunteer Fire Council is looking for volunteer firefighters to share personal stories for a new mental health video series aimed at raising awareness and encouraging wellness support
Attorneys for Norwich and Yantic Fire Engine Co. No. 1 agreed to mediation, delaying a hearing over the city’s seizure of the volunteer department’s fire trucks and equipment
Volunteer fire departments across New York are pushing for legislation that could allow stipends of up to $12,000 a year as recruitment and retention struggles deepen
Lee County’s new weekday strike teams and Saltillo’s first stand-alone fire station are boosting coverage, cutting response times and aiming to lower insurance ratings
Norwich officials offered a path to reinstate Yantic Fire Engine Co. No. 1 as volunteers press lawsuit over Unified Command and question public safety, costs
Yantic Fire Engine Co. No. 1 hired Gaffney Bennett after Norwich shut the company down over a Unified Command agreement
Bedford County officials unanimously backed a community risk assessment that recommends adding a peak-hour ambulance, new staff positions and future career engine companies
Yantic, Taftville, Occum and Laurel Hill departments allege the Norwich city manager and fire chief exceeded their authority by imposing a unified command policy
While not always obvious, our commanders-in-chief and firefighting have intersected throughout history
Police, fire and EMS leaders in Baraboo, Portage and Lake Delton say rising training requirements, regionalization and workload increases are forcing new strategies to recruit and retain responders
Norwich public works employees drove away fire apparatus after the city shut down Yantic Fire Engine Co. No. 1
Norwich officials removed the department from emergency response, froze funding and moved to reallocate city-owned equipment after leaders refused to sign an agreement under the new unified fire structure
FireRescue1 readers share when they joined, what “ready” really means, and why leadership, mentoring and mental health support matter
