Ohio: We Need Volunteer Firefighters
Recently the state of Ohio has been trying to bring awareness for the need for more volunteer firefighters across the state. A national campaign has been started in cooperation with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Ohio Department of Commerce Director Sherry Maxfield and State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon to announce a statewide Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to raise awareness for Ohio’s need for volunteer firefighters.
“Many Ohio communities rely on volunteer firefighters to keep them and their families safe every day,” said Governor DeWine. “As volunteer numbers decrease, Ohioans are increasingly at risk, which is why it so important to spread awareness for Ohio’s need. We hope to encourage everyday Ohioans to become extraordinary heroes by serving their communities as volunteer firefighters.”
In 2022, Governor DeWine created the Volunteer Fire Service Task Force, a group consisting of volunteer fire departments, municipalities, and state agencies, to study and improve the future sustainability of volunteer fire services in Ohio. The deployment of the PSA campaign is the latest fulfilled recommendation identified in the Task Force’s 31-page report.
Individuals can visit MakeMeAFirefighter.org and search for volunteer firefighter opportunities in, or near, their communities. Users can then click on a specific position, read details about the role, and express their interest. Currently, there are nearly 400 open positions across Ohio listed on the website.
By the Numbers
Approximately 70% of the fire services provided in Ohio are via volunteer fire departments. Calls for service are on the rise while volunteer firefighters continue to decline. From 2018 to 2021, there was a 6.5% decrease in the number of volunteer firefighters; meanwhile, from 2018 to 2020, there was a 9% increase in calls.
The nation is experiencing a similar trend. According to the National Volunteer Fire Council, approximately 65% of the country’s estimated 1,041,200 firefighters are volunteers, and 64% of 29,452 fire departments in the U.S. are all-volunteer. In 2020, the number of volunteer firefighters in the U.S. reached a low while call volume has more than tripled in the last 35 years.
In addition to the new awareness campaign, the Division of State Fire Marshal has made strides toward fulfilling other recommendations from the Task Force, including making training classes at the State Fire Marshal’s Ohio Fire Academy 100% free for volunteer firefighters and volunteer fire departments, increasing fire department grant funding to $7.5 million, and hiring a volunteer service coordinator to support the needs of Ohio’s volunteer fire service.
