- Author
- Karter, M. J., Jr. | Stein, G. P.
- Title
- U. S. Fire Department Profile Through 2008.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Report
- NFPA USS07, October 2009, 35 p.
- Keywords
- fire departments | fire statistics | fire fighters | medical services | fire fighting vehicles | fire fighting equipment
- Identifiers
- career fire fighters; volunteer fire fighters; Emergency Medical Services
- Abstract
- NFPA estimates that there were approximately 1,148,850 firefighters in the U.S. in 2008. Of the total number of firefighters 321,700 or 28% were career firefighters and 827,150 (72%) were volunteer firefighters. Most of the career firefighters (74%) are in communities that protect 25,000 or more people. Most of the volunteer firefighters (94%) are in departments that protect fewer than 2,500 people. There are an estimated 30,170 fire departments in the U.S. Of these, 2,315 departments are all career, 1,790 mostly career, 4,830 are mostly volunteer and 21,235 are all volunteer. In the U.S., 13,352 or 44% of departments provide EMS service, 4,418 departments or 15% provide EMS service and advance life support, while 12,400 departments or 41% provide no EMS support. This report includes statistics through 2008 on the numbers and characteristics of U.S. of fire departments and firefighters. It also includes information on the number of fire stations, pumpers and ladders nationwide, rates of usage of such equipment by community size, and total national direct expenditures on local fire protection