Why Volunteer Firefighting Is Declining and What It Means for Your Community

For generations, volunteer firefighters have been the backbone of public safety in thousands of American towns. But that model is under real stress. Across the country, volunteer rosters are thinning while the demand for emergency response keeps climbing. The result: longer response times, heavier mutual-aid reliance, and more communities seriously considering a transition to combination or fully career fire departments.

The Nationwide Drop in Volunteer Firefighters (What the NFPA Data Shows)

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that in 2020 the U.S. had approximately 676,900 volunteer firefighters, representing about 65% of all firefighters, while career firefighters accounted for about 35%. At the same time, NFPA notes that this total volunteer figure reflected a decline and was among the lowest reported in their historical series. (Source: NFPA “U.S. Fire Department Profile – 2020.”) NFPA U.S. Fire Department Profile (2020)

That decline is happening in a world where demand isn’t politely waiting. NFPA reports U.S. fire departments responded to about 36.4 million calls in 2020, which is more than three times the total responses in 1980. Even more telling: many departments now spend most of their time on medical calls, rescues, and “everything that isn’t a fire,” which expands training requirements and time commitment. (NFPA profile report linked above.)

Why Volunteer Firefighting Is Declining

This isn’t one single villain twirling a mustache. It’s a stack of modern pressures that add up:

• Time has gotten more expensive. Dual-income households, longer commutes, and packed family schedules make “drop everything and respond” harder than it used to be.
• Training demands are heavier. Today’s responders face more complex EMS, rescue, hazmat awareness, and continuing education requirements. That’s good for safety—but it’s tough for volunteers balancing jobs and family.
• Call volume has shifted. In many communities, the bulk of calls are EMS-related, increasing frequency and burnout risk.
• Daytime staffing gaps are brutal. When volunteers work outside the community, weekday responses can become a scramble, increasing reliance on mutual aid.
• Recruitment pipelines changed. Fewer people grow up with a built-in connection to the local department, and fewer employers can accommodate frequent call-outs.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has highlighted these recruitment and retention pressures and publishes guidance aimed at helping departments build sustainable staffing models. USFA: Retention & Recruitment Manual Overview

What This Means for Your Community

When volunteer staffing declines, the effects aren’t abstract—they’re measurable on the street:

• Response times can increase, especially during weekdays when fewer volunteers are available to staff apparatus.
• Mutual aid becomes the norm instead of the backup plan—helpful, but it can stretch neighboring departments too.
• Higher risk on the fireground if crews arrive short-staffed or delayed, particularly for structure fires where early intervention matters.
• Budget reality checks: if a community wants guaranteed 24/7 staffing, it usually means paid positions, benefits, and long-term funding commitments.

How Cities Are Funding the Transition to Career (and Combination) Departments

Moving from volunteer to paid staffing isn’t just a policy choice—it’s a financing plan. Communities typically patch together a mix of funding approaches depending on local law and political appetite:

• General fund increases: reallocating or increasing municipal budget lines to add paid firefighters, often starting with daytime coverage.
• Dedicated fire levies or special tax districts: creating a stable, protected funding stream specifically for fire/EMS operations and staffing.
• Bonds and capital financing: commonly used for stations and apparatus; staffing still needs recurring revenue, but capital improvements often arrive alongside staffing upgrades.
• EMS billing and transport revenue: where permitted and operationally feasible, this can support staffing—though it’s rarely a full solution by itself.
• Grants to bridge the gap: especially for hiring, staffing incentives, or volunteer recruitment programs.

On the grant side, FEMA’s SAFER program exists specifically to help departments increase or maintain the number of trained frontline firefighters, including support for volunteer recruitment and retention efforts. FEMA: SAFER Grant Program

Many communities don’t jump straight from “all volunteer” to “all career.” A common middle path is a combination model—adding paid staff for peak hours or guaranteed coverage while volunteers continue to serve. It’s often the most financially realistic option, but it still requires intentional planning, strong leadership, and clear expectations.

What You Can Do Locally (Even If You’re Not a Firefighter)

If your community relies on volunteers, this is one of those “pay attention before it becomes a crisis” situations. Ask your local department and city leaders: Are daytime responses staffed? Are recruitment numbers rising or falling? Is the community discussing a levy, district, or combination staffing plan? Supporting sustainable fire protection can mean voting for dedicated funding, encouraging local employers to support responders, or simply helping your department recruit the next class.

Support Firehouse Culture (and Get a Laugh While You’re at It)

Fire and EMS work is serious—so the people doing it have earned the right to cope with a little humor. If you like firefighter culture, salty station jokes, and gear that gets nods from the right people, take a stroll over to septicsaltyco.com.

Here are a few favorites:

• Firehouse Fist Fights
• Narcan Fairy
• Black Glossy Mug

References

• NFPA Research — U.S. Fire Department Profile (2020): PDF
• FEMA — Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER): Program overview
• U.S. Fire Administration — Retention & Recruitment guidance: Overview