A report released Wednesday warns that Pennsylvania’s fire and rescue services face a crisis, saying the number of volunteers continues to fall amid funding needs and training challenges. The 95-page legislative study said there were about 300,000 volunteer firefighters in …
alk to anyone at a fire department that depends on volunteers, and you’re likely to hear that it’s harder to get and keep new ones. And the ones already manning the stations aren’t getting any younger. It’s also a problem …
More new firefighters are volunteering in New York state after years of declining membership, though companies are still seeking recruits to meet more calls. Fire companies statewide attracted 12,665 new volunteers in 2011 and 2012 amid aggressive recruiting efforts, according …
When Lamar County was planning construction on a dozen or so fire stations in 2008, consideration had been given to adding another in the north-central section of the Mississippi county. The Hattiesburg American reports the Board of Supervisors on Monday …
They’re often the first ones on the scene of major emergencies, but their numbers appear to be dwindling nationwide. Volunteer firefighters help communities in ways both obvious (fighting fires) and overlooked (improving communities’ home insurance rates through ISO ratings). Yet …
The state of Indiana has received a grant to provide free smoke alarms to Indiana residents through volunteer fire departments. Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson hopes to provide 500 smoke alarms with 10-year batteries to volunteer fire departments that …
Huntertown Fire Chief Mike Feely puts a sign outside the firehouse: accepting applications. No one stops. Right after the 9/11 attacks, 15 to 20 people wanted to help. That interest lasted about four months. All the new people quit when …
A combination of record drought, epic wildfires, hard economic times and slashed state funding has put added stress on volunteer fire departments in Texas. Chris Barron, executive director of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, told the …