FA-240/December 2002

A Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service

A Cooperative Study

Authorized by U.S. Public Law 106-398
i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

NFPA Project Manager: John R. Hall, Jr., Ph.D.

NFPA Senior Statistician: Michael J. Karter, Jr.

USFA Project Officer: Mark A. Whitney

It required literally a cast of thousands to make this study of the needs of the US fire 

service possible. First and foremost, we wish to thank the more than 12,000 US fire 

departments who carefully reviewed their departments’ capabilities and described those 

capabilities in forms submitted to us for use in this study. The response has been literally 

unprecedented in the history of studies of the US fire service, and we expect that we will 

all be learning lessons far into the future.

Second, we want to thank the many individuals who guided us in selecting the most 

important questions to ask and the most appropriate interpretations of answers received. 

These include our Technical Advisory Group:

• Steve Coffman, Captain, Dallas (TX) Fire Department

• Arthur Cota, Director, California Fire Service Training

• Robert DiPoli, Chief, Needham (MA) Fire Department

• Jeff Dyar, U.S. Fire Administration

• Dr. James Genovese, US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, 

Aberdeen Proving Grounds

• Joseph Kay, Battalion Chief, Dallas (TX) Fire Department

• Eric Lamar, International Association of Fire Fighters

• Edward Plaugher, Chief, Arlington County (VA) Fire Department

• Ernest Russell, State Fire Marshal, Illinois

• Gary Santoro, Fire Marshal, Wethersfield (CT) Fire Department

• Heather Schafer, Executive Director, National Volunteer Fire Council

• Eric Tolbert, formerly Administrator, North Carolina Emergency Management, 

and currently on staff with FEMA

• Jeff Wagoner, Campbell County (WY) Fire Department

• Mark A. Whitney, Fire Programs Specialist, U.S. Fire Administration

We also received extensive and essential comments at several stages from colleagues at 

NFPA:

• Gary Tokle, Assistant Vice President, Public Fire Protection Division

• Carl Peterson, Assistant Director, Public Fire Protection Division

• Steven Foley, Senior Fire Service Specialist, Public Fire Protection Division

• Bruce Teele, Senior Fire Service Specialist, Public Fire Protection Division

• Rita Fahy, Manager – Fire Data Bases and Systems, Fire Analysis & Research 

Division
ii

We also received extensive and essential comments at several stages from the staff at 

USFA and we greatly appreciate their insights.

Lastly, we want to thank the administrative personnel at NFPA, whose painstaking 

attention to detail and extended hours of work were instrumental in transforming a set of 

questions and a stack of forms into a unique database and this analysis report:

• John Baldi

• John Conlon 

• Frank Deely

• Myles O’Malley

• Kevin Tape

• Norma Candeloro

• Helen Columbo

• Laurie Eisenhauer
iii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PL 106-398, Section 1701, Sec. 33 (b) required that the Director of the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct a study in conjunction with the 

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to 

(a) define the current role and activities associated with the fire services; 

(b) determine the adequacy of current levels of funding; and 

(c) provide a needs assessment to identify shortfalls. 

The Fire Service Needs Assessment Survey was conducted as a census, with appropriate 

adjustments for non-response. The NFPA used its own list of local fire departments as 

the mailing list and sampling frame of all fire departments in the US. In all, 26,354 fire 

departments were mailed survey forms.

The content of the survey was developed by NFPA, in collaboration with an ad hoc 

technical advisory group consisting of representatives of the full spectrum of national 

organizations and related disciplines associated with the management of fire and related 

hazards and risks in the U.S. Overall, NFPA received 12,240 completed surveys and has 

edited, coded, and keyed 8,416 surveys for analysis in this report. The overall response 

rate is 46%, which is unusually high for a survey involving a large number of smaller 

departments. 

Because NFPA prepared two preliminary reports based on the first 5,100 surveys keyed 

and those results are very similar to the results based on 8,416 surveys, the authors 

believe that the surveys keyed late and so not included in this analysis would not, if 

analyzed, materially affect the results, either nationally or by community size. In 

particular, all surveys from departments protecting populations of 50,000 population or 

more were keyed for this analysis, and a sufficient number of surveys from each of the 

population intervals for smaller communities have also been keyed to assure a 

statistically valid sample. However, the additional surveys keyed will permit a much 

larger share of US fire departments to have participated, in what clearly is shaping up as 

the highest-participation and most-detailed database on fire service resources and needs 

ever assembled.

The US Fire Service – Revenues and Budgets

• Most of the revenues for all- or mostly-volunteer fire departments come from 

taxes, either a specia l fire district tax or some other tax, including an average of 

63-67% of revenues covered for communities of less than 5,000 population. 

• Other governmental payments – including reimbursements on a per-call basis, 

other local government payments, and state government payments – contributed 

an average of 13% of revenues for communities under 5,000 population. 
iv

• Fund-raising contributed an average of 19% of revenues for communities of less 

than 2,500 population.

• Used vehicles accounted for an average of 42% of apparatus purchased by or 

donated to departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population. 

• Converted vehicles accounted for an average of 16% of apparatus used by 

departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population.

Personnel and Their Capabilities

• There are just over a million active firefighters in the US, of which just over 

three-fourths are volunteer firefighters. Nearly half the volunteers serve in 

communities with less than 2,500 population.

Table ES-1. Number of Career, Volunteer, and Total Firefighters

by Size of Community 

Population Protected

Career 

Firefighters

Volunteer 

Firefighters

Total 

Firefighters

1,000,000 or more 32,700 150 32,850

500,000 to 999,999 28,400 4,900 33,300

250,000 to 499,999 26,600 4,250 30,850

100,000 to 249,999 39,750 8,550 48,300

50,000 to 99,999 37,750 11,000 48,750

25,000 to 49,999 40,000 29,300 69,300

10,000 to 24,999 38,850 86,050 124,900

5,000 to 9,999 12,200 112,300 124,500

2,500 to 4,999 5,050 157,600 162,650

Under 2,500 4,800 408,750 413,550

Total 266,100 822,850 1,088,950

• In communities with less than 2,500 population, 21% of fire departments, nearly 

all of them all- or mostly-volunteer departments, deliver an average of 4 or fewer 

volunteer firefighters to a mid-day house fire. Because these departments average 

only one career firefighter per department, it is likely that most of these 

departments often fail to deliver the minimum of 4 firefighters needed to safely 

initiate an interior attack on such a fire.

• An estimated 73,000 firefighters serve in fire departments that protect 

communities of at least 50,000 population and have fewer than 4 career 

firefighters assigned to first-due engine companies. It is likely that,for many of 

these departments, the first arriving complement of firefighters often falls short of 

the minimum of 4 firefighters needed to safely initiate an interior attack on a 
v

structure fire, thereby requiring the first-arriving firefighters to wait until the rest 

of the first-alarm responders arrive.

• An estimated 233,000 firefighters, most of them volunteers serving in 

communities with less than 2,500 population, are involved in structural 

firefighting but lack formal training in those duties.

• An estimated 153,000 firefighters, most of them volunteers serving in 

communities with less than 2,500 population, are involved in structural 

firefighting but lack certification in those duties.

• An estimated 27% of fire department personnel involved in delivering emergency 

medical services (EMS) lack formal training in those duties, most of them serving 

in communities with less than 10,000 population.

• The majority of fire departments do not have all their personnel involved in 

emergency medical services (EMS) certified to the level of Basic Life Support 

and almost no departments have all those personnel certified to the level of 

Advanced Life Support.

• An estimated 40% of fire department personnel involved in hazardous material 

response lack formal training in those duties, most of them serving in smaller 

communities.

• More than four out of five fire departments do not have all their personnel 

involved in hazardous material response certified to the Operational level and 

almost no departments have all those personnel certified to the Technician level.

• An estimated 41% of fire department personnel involved in wildland firefighting 

lack formal training in those duties, with substantial needs in all sizes of 

communities.

• An estimated 53% of fire department personnel involved in technical rescue 

service lack formal training in those duties. In every population group of 

communities with less than 500,000 population, at least 40% of fire department 

personnel involved in technical rescue service lack formal training in those duties.

• An estimated 792,000 firefighters serve in fire departments with no program to 

maintain basic firefighter fitness and health, most of them volunteers serving 

communities with less than 5,000 population.

Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement

• An estimated 83.9 million people (29% of the US resident population in 2001) are 

protected by fire departments that do not provide plans review, an estimated 128.8 

million (45%) by departments that do not provide permit approval, and an 
vi

estimated 140.5 million (49%) by departments that do not provide routine testing 

of active systems (e.g., fire sprinklers). Each of these services may be provided 

by another agency or organization in these communities.

• An estimated 120.1 million people (42%) are protected by fire departments that 

do not have a program for free distribution of home smoke alarms.

• An estimated 136.3 million people (48%) are protected by fire departments that 

do not have a juvenile firesetter program.

• An estimated 78.0 million people (27%) are protected by fire departments that do

not have a school fire safety education program based on a national model 

curriculum. Moreover, independent data on the breadth of implementation of 

such curricula indicate that most fire departments reporting programs provide 

only annual or occasional presentations based on material from such a curriculum.

• An estimated 20.9 million people (7%) live in communities where no one 

conducts fire-code inspections. Two-fifths of this population live in rural 

communities, with less than 2,500 population.

Facilities, Apparatus and Equipment

• Roughly 15,500 fire stations (32% of the estimated 48,500 total fire stations) are 

estimated to be at least 40 years old, roughly 27,500 fire stations (57%) have no 

backup power, and nearly 38,000 fire stations (78%) are not equipped for exhaust 

emission control.

• Using maximum response distance guidelines from the Insurance Services Office 

and simple models of response distance as a function of community area and 

number of fire stations, developed by the Rand Corporation, it is estimated that 

three-fifths to three-fourths of fire departments have too few fire stations to meet 

the guidelines.

• Just over 13,000 fire engines (pumpers) (16% of all engines) are 15 to 19 years 

old, another 17,000 (21%) are 20 to 29 years old, and just over 10,000 (13%) are 

at least 30 years old. Therefore, half of all engines are at least 15 years old.

• Among fire departments protecting communities with less than 10,000 

population, at least 10% of departments are estimated to have no ladder/aerial 

apparatus but to have at least one building 4 stories high or higher in the 

community.

• Overall, fire departments do not have enough portable radios to equip more than 

about half of the emergency responders on a shift. The percentage of departments 

that cannot provide radios to all emergency responders on a shift is especially 

high for communities under 2,500 population.
vii

• The majority of fire department portable radios are not water-resistant, and more 

than three-fifths lack intrinsic safety in an explosive atmosphere. These needs are 

more pronounced in smaller communities.

• An estimated one-third of firefighters per shift are not equipped with selfcontained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Nearly half of SCBA units are at least 10 

years old.

• Nearly half of the emergency responders per shift are not equipped with personal 

alert system (PASS) devices.

• An estimated 57,000 firefighters lack personal protective clothing, most in 

departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population. An 

estimated one-third of personal protective clothing is at least 10 years old.

Communications and Communications Equipment

• Three-fifths to four-fifths of fire departments (62-82%, by size of community 

protected) say they can communicate at incident scenes with their Federal, state, 

and local partners. Of these, though, only two-fifths say they can communicate 

with all their partners. This means only about one-fourth of departments overall 

can communicate with all partners.

• Nearly half of all fire departments have no map coordinate system. Most 

departments with a map coordinate system have only a local system. 

Interoperability of spatial-based information systems, equipment, and procedures 

probably will not be possible under these circumstances, for multiple jurisdiction/ 

agency catastrophic disaster response.

• One-fourth of departments (one-third of rural fire departments) have 911-Basic 

for telephone communication. Two-thirds have 911-Enhanced, and 6% have no 

special 3-digit number.

• Overall, one community in 12 (9%) has primary responsibility for dispatch 

operations lodged with the fire department, but that fraction rises to four-fifths for 

communities of at least 1 million population.

• One-third of communities have primary dispatch responsibility lodged with the

police department, and another one-third with a combined public safety 

department.

• Two-fifths of departments lack a backup dispatch facility, including nearly half of 

departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population.

• Two-fifths of departments lack Internet access.
viii

Ability to Handle Unusually Challenging Incidents

• Only 11% of fire departments can handle a technical rescue with EMS at a 

structural collapse of a building with 50 occupants with local trained personnel. 

ÿ Nearly half of all departments consider such an incident outside their scope. 

ÿ Only 11% can handle the incident with local specialized equipment. 

ÿ Only 19% have a written agreement to direct use of non-local resources. 

ÿ All needs are greater for smaller communities.

• Only 13% of fire departments can handle a hazmat and EMS incident involving 

chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries with local trained personnel. 

ÿ Two-fifths of all departments consider such an incident outside their scope. 

ÿ Only 11% can handle the incident with local specialized equipment. 

ÿ Only 21% have a written agreement to direct use of non-local resources. 

ÿ All needs are greater for smaller communities.

• Only 26% of fire departments can handle a wildland/urban interface fire affecting 

500 acres with local trained personnel. 

ÿ One-third of all departments consider such an incident outside their scope. 

ÿ Only 22% can handle the incident with local specialized equipment. 

ÿ Nearly half the departments that consider such an incident within the ir scope, 

and 33% overall, have a written agreement to direct use of non-local 

resources. 

ÿ All needs for local resources are greater for communities of 5,000 to 249,999 

population, and the need for written agreements is greater for smaller 

communities.

• Only 12% of fire departments can handle mitigation of a developing major flood

with local trained personnel. 

ÿ The majority of departments consider such an incident outside their scope. 

ÿ Only 11% can handle the incident with local specialized equipment. 
ix

ÿ Only 13% have a written agreement to direct use of non-local resources. 

ÿ All needs are greater for smaller communities.

New and Emerging Technology

• One-fourth of fire department now own thermal imaging cameras, but most that 

do not have them now have no plans to acquire them.

• Only one department in 28 has mobile data terminals, only one in 50 has 

advanced personnel location equipment, and only one in 23 has equipment to 

collect chemical or biological samples for remote analysis. Most departments 

have no plans to acquire them.
x
xi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements i

Executive Summary iii

Table of Contents xi

List of Tables and Figures xiii

Introduction 1

The US Fire Service 5

Personnel and Their Capabilities 15

Fire Prevention and Code Enforcement 49

Facilities, Apparatus and Equipment 57

Communications and Communications Equipment 85

Ability to Handle Unusually Challenging Incidents 97

New and Emerging Technology 127

Appendix 1: Survey Methodology 133

Appendix 2: Survey Form 135
xii
xiii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table ES-1. Number of Career, Volunteer, and Total Firefighters iv

Table 1. Number of Departments and Percent of U.S. Population 

Protected

8

Table 2. Department Type 9

Table 3. Does Department Have a Plan for Apparatus Replacement on a 

Regular Schedule? 10

Table 4. Does Department’s Normal Budget Cover the Costs of 

Apparatus Replacement? 11

Table 5. For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments, Sources of Budget 

Revenue 12

Table 6. For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments, Manner of Purchase 

of Apparatus 13

Table A. Number of Career, Volunteer, and Total Firefighters 15

Table B. Average Number of Career/Paid Firefighters per Department 

on Duty Available to Respond to Emergencies 16

Figure 1. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Involved in Structural 

Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training 19

Table C. Estimated Number of Firefighters Involved in Structural 

Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training 20

Table D. Estimated Number of Firefighters Involved in Structural 

Firefighting Serving in Fire Departments Where No One is Certified 21

Figure 2. Estimated Percent of Personnel Involved in EMS Who Lack 

Formal Training 22

Table E. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in EMS Who Lack 

Formal Training 23

Table F. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in Hazardous 

Material Response Who Lack Formal Training 24

Table G. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in Wildland 

Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training 26

Table H. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in Technical 

Rescue Service Who Lack Formal Training 27

Figure 3. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Whose Fire Departments 

Have No Programs to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health 28

Table I. Estimated Number of Firefighters in Fire Departments With No 

Program to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health 29

Table 7. For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments, Average Number of 

Volunteer Firefighters Who Respond to a Mid-Day House Fire 30

Table 8. For All- or Mostly-Career Departments, Number of Career 

Firefighters Assigned to an Engine/Pumper Apparatus 31
xiv

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table 9. For All- or Mostly-Career Departments, Number of Career 

Firefighters Assigned to a Ladder/Aeria l Apparatus 32

Table 10. Does Department Provide Structural Firefighting? 33

Table 11. For Departments That Provide Structural Firefighting, How 

Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal 

Training? 34

Table 12. For Departments That Provide Structural Firefighting, Level 

That Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Been Certified to 35

Table 13. Does Department Provide Emergency Medical Service 

(EMS)? 36

Table 14. For Departments That Provide Emergency Medical Service, 

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received 

Formal Training? 37

Table 15. For Departments That Provide Emergency Medical Service, 

Level That Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Been Certified to 38

Table 16. Does Department Provide Hazardous Material Response? 39

Table 17. For Departments That Provide Hazardous Material Response, 

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received 

Formal Training? 40

Table 18. For Departments That Provide Hazardous Material Response, 

Level That Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Been Certified to 41

Table 19. Does Department Provide Wildland Firefighting? 42

Table 20. For Departments That Provide Wildland Firefighting, How 

Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal 

Training? 43

Table 21. Does Department Provide Technical Rescue Service? 44

Table 22. For Departments That Provide Technical Rescue Service, How 

Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal 

Training? 45

Table 23. Does Department Have a Program to Maintain Basic 

Firefighter Fitness and Health? 46

Table 24. Does Department Have a Program for Infectious Disease 

Control? 47

Table J. Number of Fire Departments and Estimated Total Population 

Protected by These Fire Departments Where Selected Fire Prevention 

or Code Enforcement Programs Are NOT Provided 49

Table 25. Which Programs or Activities Does Department Conduct? 54

Table 26. Who Conducts Fire-Code Inspections in the Community? 55

Table 27. Who Determines That a Fire Was Deliberately Set? 56
xv

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table K. Number of Fire Stations With Characteristics Indicating 

Potential Need 57

Table L. Estimated Percent of Fire Departments Lacking Sufficient Fire 

Stations to Achieve Specified Maximum Travel Distance 60

Figure 4. Percent of Engines and Pumpers That Are At Least 15 Years 

Old 61

Table M. Number of Engines in Service, Limited to Engines At Least 15 

Years Old 62

Table N. Departments With No Ladder/Aerial Apparatus vs. 

Departments With No Buildings of At Least 4 Stories in Height 63

Figure 5. Percent of Emergency Responders on a Shift Who Lack Radios 64

Table O. Emergency Responders on a Shift Who Lack Radios and 

Radios Lacking Water-Resistance or Intrinsic Safety in an Explosive 

Atmosphere 65

Figure 6. Percent of Firefighters per Shift Lacking Self-Contained 

Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) 66

Table P. Firefighters per Shift Lacking SCBA and SCBA Units At Least 

10 Years Old 66

Figure 7. Percent of Emergency Responders per Shift Lacking Personal 

Alert Safety System (PASS) Devices 67

Table Q. Estimated Average Percent of Emergency Responders per Shift 

Not Provided With PASS Devices 68

Figure 8. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Lacking Personal Protective 

Clothing 69

Table R. Firefighters in Department Where Not All Firefighters Are 

Equipped With Personal Protective Clothing and Percent of Personal 

Protective Clothing That Is At Least 10 Years Old 70

Table 28. Number of Fire Stations and Selected Characteristics 71

Table 29. Average Number of Engines/Pumpers and Ambulances in 

Service and Age of Engine/Pumper Apparatus 72

Table 30. Number of Ladders/Aerials In-Service 73

Table 31. Number of Buildings in Community That Are 4 or More 

Stories in Height 74

Table 32. How Many of Department’s Emergency Responders on a 

Single Shift Are Equipped With Portable Radios? 75

Table 33. What Fraction of Department’s Portable Radios Are WaterResistant? 76

Table 34. What Fraction of Department’s Portable Radios Are 

Intrinsically Safe in an Explosive Atmosphere? 77
xvi

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table 35. Does Department Have Reserve Portable Radios Equal to or 

Greater Than 10% of In-Service Radios? 78

Table 36. How Many Emergency Responders on a Single Shift Are 

Equipped With Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)? 79

Table 37. How Much of Department’s SCBA Equipment Is At Least 10 

Years Old? 80

Table 38. What Fraction of Emergency Responders on a Single Shift Are 

Equipped With Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) Devices? 81

Table 39. What Fraction of Emergency Responders Are Equipped With 

Personal Protective Clothing? 82

Table 40. How Much of Department’s Personal Protective Clothing Is At 

Least 10 Years Old? 83

Table 41. Does Department Have Reserve Protective Clothing Sufficient 

to Equip 10% of Emergency Responders 84

Table 42. Can Department Communicate by Radio at an Incident Scene 

With Federal, State, or Local Partners? 87

Table 43. For Departments That Can Communicate With Partners at an 

Incident Scene, What Fraction of Partners Can They Communicate 

With? 88

Table 44. Does Department Have a Map Coordinate System to Help 

Direct Emergency Response Partners? 89

Table 45. For Departments That Have a Map Coordinate System, What 

System Do They Use? 90

Table 46. Does Department Have 911 or Similar System? 91

Table 47. Who Has Primary Responsibility for Dispatch Operations? 92

Table 48. Does Department Have a Backup Dispatch Facility? 93

Table 49. Does Department Have Internet Access? 94

Table 50. For Departments That Have Internet Access, What Kind of 

Access Do They Have? 95

Table S. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With 

Specialized Training [Technical Rescue and EMS at Structural 

Collapse With 50 Occupants] 98

Table T. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized 

Equipment [Technical Rescue and EMS at Structural Collapse With 

50 Occupants] 99

Table U. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources [Technical 

Rescue and EMS at Structural Collapse With 50 Occupants] 100
xvii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table V. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With 

Specialized Training [Hazmat and EMS for Incident Involving 

Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries] 101

Table W. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized 

Equipment [Hazmat and EMS for Incident Involving 

Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries] 102

Table X. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources [Hazmat 

and EMS for Incident Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 

Injuries] 103

Table Y. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With 

Specialized Training [Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 

Acres] 104

Table Z. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized 

Equipment [Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres] 105

Table AA. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources 

[Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres] 106

Table AB. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With 

Specialized Training [Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood] 107

Table AC. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized 

Equipment [Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood] 108

Table AD. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Kind of 

Incident and Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources 

[Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood] 109

Table 51. Is Technical Rescue and EMS for a Building With 50 

Occupants After Structural Collapse Within the Scope of 

Department? 110

Table 52. For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS for a 

Building With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within 

Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient 

People With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident? 111
xviii

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table 53. For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS for a 

Building With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within 

Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient 

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such an Incident? 112

Table 54. For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS for a 

Building With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within 

Their Scope, Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others? 113

Table 55. Is a Hazmat and EMS Incident Involving Chemical/Biological 

Agents and 10 Injuries Within the Scope of Department? 114

Table 56. For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within 

Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient 

People With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident? 115

Table 57. For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within 

Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient 

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such an Incident? 116

Table 58. For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within 

Their Scope, Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others? 117

Table 59. Is a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres Within 

the Scope of Department? 118

Table 60. For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire 

Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope, How Far Do They Have 

to Go to Obtain Sufficient People With Specialized Training to 

Handle Such an Incident? 119

Table 61. For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire 

Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope, How Far Do They Have 

to Go to Obtain Sufficient Specialized Equipment to Handle Such an 

Incident? 120

Table 62. For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire 

Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope, Do They Have a Plan for 

Working With Others? 121

Table 63. Is Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood Within the Scope 

of Department? 122

Table 64. For Departments Where Mitigation of a Developing Major 

Flood Is Within Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to 

Obtain Sufficient People With Specialized Training to Handle Such 

an Incident? 123
xix

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES (Continued)

Table 65. For Departments Where Mitigation of a Developing Major 

Flood Is Within Their Scope, How Far Do They Have to Go to

Obtain Sufficient Specialized Equipment to Handle Such an Incident? 124

Table 66. For Departments Where Mitigation of a Developing Major 

Flood Is Within Their Scope, Do They Have a Plan for Working With 

Others? 125

Table 67. Plans to Acquire Thermal Imaging Cameras 128

Table 68. Plans to Acquire Mobile Data Terminals 129

Table 69. Plans to Acquire Advanced Personnel Location Equipment 130

Table 70. Plans to Acquire Equipment to Collect Chemical/Biological 

Samples for Analysis Elsewhere 131

Table A-1. Fire Departments Responding to Fire Department Needs 

Survey 134
xx
1

INTRODUCTION

FEMA Survey Project on Needs of the US Fire Service

The report that follows presents results based on data from US local fire departments 

participating in a needs assessment survey. 

Public Law 106-398, Fire Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act, Title XVII 

– Assistance to Firefighters, recognized that America’s fire departments provide service 

and protection with impact far beyond the borders of the communities that support them. 

In order to provide this service and protection with the effectiveness, speed, and safety 

that their home communities and the nation as a whole demand, many fire departments 

will need to increase their resources, in any of several categories. 

PL 106-398 created a fund to support worthy proposals to address these needs. But PL 

106-398 also recognized that our current understanding of the magnitude and nature of 

fire department needs is not well defined. Furthermore, the rationale for Federal 

government assistance to meet these needs is also in need of greater definition, given the 

normal presumption that routine fire protection is a local function, set to meet locally 

defined goals and supported by local resources.

Accordingly, PL 106-398, Section 1701, Sec. 33 (b) required that the Director of the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conduct a study in conjunction with 

the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to 

(d) define the current role and activities associated with the fire services; 

(e) determine the adequacy of current levels of funding; and 

(f) provide a needs assessment to identify shortfalls. 

The Act identifies several categories of types of resources:

A. Firefighting personnel

B. Training for firefighting personnel

C. Rapid intervention teams

D. Certification for fire inspectors

E. Wellness and fitness programs for firefighting personnel

F. Emergency medical service programs provided by fire departments

G. Firefighting vehicles

H. Firefighting equipment, including communications and monitoring

I. Personal protective equipment for firefighting personnel

J. Modifications to stations and facilities for reasons of firefighter health and 

safety

K. Enforcement of fire codes

L. Fire prevention programs

M. Education of the public about arson prevention and detection

N. Recruitment and retention incentives for volunteer firefighters in fire 

departments
2

See Appendix 1 for a more detailed discussion of the statistical methodology used.

The questionnaire principally involved multiple approaches to answering the question 

“what does the fire department need?”. Most of the questions were intended to determine 

what fire departments have, in a form that could be compared to existing standards or 

formulas that set out what fire departments should have. Some of the questions asked 

what fire departments have with respect to certain cutting-edge technologies for which no 

standards yet exist and no determinations of need have yet been proposed. 

The questionnaire also sought to define the emergency-response tasks that fire 

departments considered to be within their scope. For such tasks the survey asked how far 

departments would have to go to obtain the resources necessary to address those tasks or 

an illustrative incident of that type. Clearly, if departments believe the resources they 

would need are only available from sources separated from them by great distance – and 

the associated likelihood of significant delay in attaining those resources, then there may 

be a need for planning, training, or arrangements for equipment that can be more quickly 

accessed and deployed, to assure timely and effective response.

See Appendix 2 for a copy of the questionnaire.

Glossary

Here are standard definitions for some of the specialized terms used in this report:

Advanced Life Support. Functional provision of advanced airway management, 

including intubation, advanced cardiac monitoring, manual defibrillation, establishment 

and maintenance of intravenous access, and drug therapy. [from NFPA 1710, Standard 

for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency 

Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 

2001 edition.]

Basic Life Support. Functional provision of patient assessment, including basic airway 

management; oxygen therapy; stabilization of spinal, musculo-skeletal, soft tissue, and 

shock injuries; stabilization of bleeding; and stabilization and intervention for sudden 

illness, poisoning and heat/cold injuries, childbirth, CPR, and automatic external 

defibrillator (AED) capability. [from NFPA 1710, Standard for the Organization and 

Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and 

Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2001 edition.]

Emergency Medical Care. The provision of treatment to patients, including first aid, 

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (EMT level), advanced life 

support (Paramedic level), and other medical procedures that occur prior to arrival at a 

hospital or other health care facility. [from NFPA 1581, Standard on Fire Department 

Infection Control Program, 2000 edition] In this report, reference is made to “EMS” or 

“emergency medical service,” which is the service of providing emergency medical care.
3

First Responder (EMS). Functional provision of initial assessment (i.e., airway, 

breathing, and circulatory systems) and basic first-aid intervention, including CPR and 

automatic external defibrillator (AED) capability. [from NFPA 1710, Standard for the 

Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical 

Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments, 2001 

edition.]

Hazardous Material. A substance that presents an unusual danger to persons due to 

properties of toxicity, chemical reactivity, or decomposition, corrosivity, explosion or 

detonation, etiological hazards, or similar properties. [from NFPA 1500, Standard on 

Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 1997 edition.]

Structural Fire Fighting. The activities of rescue, fire suppression, and property 

conservation in buildings, enclosed structures, aircraft interiors, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, 

or like properties that are involved in a fire or emergency situation. [from NFPA 1500, 

Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program, 1997 edition.]

Technical Rescue. The application of special knowledge, skills, and equipment to safely 

resolve unique and/or complex rescue situations. [from NFPA 1670, Standard on 

Operations and Training for Technical Rescue Incidents, 1999 edition.]

Wildland/Urban Interface. The line, area, or zone where structures and other human 

development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. [from 

NFPA 295, Standard for Wildfire Control, 1998 edition]
4
5

THE US FIRE SERVICE

Career and Volunteer Fire Departments

Most US fire departments are volunteer fire departments, but most of the US is protected 

by career firefighters. Tables 1 and 2 (pp. 8-9) provide summary overviews of US fire 

departments. 

Three of every four US fire departments are all-volunteer fire departments, but only one 

of every four US residents are protected by such a department. Only one in 17 fire 

departments is all-career, but two of every five US residents is protected by such a 

department. Fire departments split roughly 9-to-1 between the all- or mostly-volunteer 

departments vs. the all- or mostly-career departments, but population protected splits 

roughly 2-to-3 the other way.

Volunteers are concentrated in rural communities, while career firefighters are found 

disproportionately in large communities. The all- or mostly-career departments account 

for all of the fire departments protecting communities of at least 1 million population and 

for more than 90% of the fire departments protecting communities of 250,000 to 999,999 

population. All- or mostly-career departments still account for a majority of departments 

down to communities of at least 25,000 population. Rural communities, defined by the 

US Bureau of Census as a community with less than 2,500 population, are 99.5% 

protected by all- or mostly-volunteer departments and account for just over half of all the 

all- or mostly-volunteer departments in the US.

Community size is related to the US fire service not only in terms of the relative 

emphasis on career vs. volunteer firefighters but also in terms of the challenges faced by 

local departments. However, it is possible to exaggerate those differences. Even a rural 

community can have a large factory complex, a large stadium, or even a high-rise 

building, with all the technical complexities and potential for high concentration of 

people or valued property that such a property entails. Even a large city can have a 

wildland/urban interface region and exposure to the unique fire dangers attendant on such 

an area. It is likely that every fire department will need to have some familiarity with 

every type of fire and every type of emergency, if not as part of protecting their own 

community, then at least in their role as a source of mutual aid or a component of 

regional or even national response to a major incident.

In any community, fire burns the same way in open or in enclosed spaces. Fire harms 

people and property in the same ways. And the resources and best practices required to 

safely address the fire problem – or any other major emergency – tend to be the same 

everywhere. What may differ is the defined scope of responsibility of the local fire 

department and the quality and quantity of resources available to the department to 

perform those responsibilities.
6

Budgets and Revenue Sources

The first questions of the Needs Assessment Survey focused on big-picture budget and 

revenue issues. Table 3 (p. 10) asked whether the department has a plan for apparatus 

replacement on a regular schedule. This is the kind of long-range, capital-budget type of 

plan that might be more likely in a community with established, institutionalized sources 

of revenue for the fire department, as one would expect to see in with a career fire 

department.

Table 3 shows that above a population of 25,000, which is the dividing line for the 

majority of departments being all- or mostly-career vs. all- or mostly-volunteer, at least 

69% of departments in every community-size group have such plans. Below 10,000 

population, the majority of departments do not have such plans, and among rural 

communities, only one department in five has such a plan.

Table 4 (p. 11) addresses the related question of whether the department’s normal budget 

covers the costs of apparatus replacement or whether the department must seek funds in a 

more ad hoc fashion, such as seeking a special appropriation for such a purchase. Above 

a population of 50,000, at least 60% of the departments in each population interval cover 

apparatus replacement in their normal budget. For communities of 25,000 to 49,999 

population, half the departments cover apparatus replacement in their normal budget. 

The percentage with apparatus replacement covered in normal budgets drops to 38% for 

communities of 10,000 to 24,999 population; to 28% for communities of 5,000 to 9,999 

population; to 21% for communities of 2,500 to 4,999 population; and to 12% for 

communities of less than 2,500 population. Because most departments are small allvolunteer departments serving a rural population, this last figure dominates the results for 

the US fire service as a whole, where only 22% of departments have apparatus 

replacement covered by the normal budget.

This result helps to explain why such a large fraction of the initial applications for PL 

106-398 were for help in purchasing apparatus. Later questions, having to do with the 

number of pieces of apparatus that are quite old, will provide additional insight.

The remaining questions in the “Budget Information” section of the survey were asked 

only of all- or mostly-volunteer fire departments and were designed to further refine the 

picture of where their revenue comes from and how such departments acquire apparatus. 

Tables 5 and 6 (pp. 12-13) provide those results. These questions were analyzed only for 

communities of less than 50,000 population, which is the maximum community size for 

which at least one-third of departments are all- or mostly-volunteer.

Table 5 shows that most revenues for all- or mostly-volunteer departments are covered by 

taxes, either a special fire district tax or some other tax. The share of revenues 

contributed in this way was 72-78% for communities of 5,000 to 49,999 population and 

63-67% for communities of less than 5,000 population. Other governmental payments –

including reimbursements on a per-call basis, other local government payments, and state 

government payments – ranged from 9% of revenues for communities of 25,000 to 
7

49,999 population up to 13% of revenues for communities under 5,000 population. Most 

of the rest was obtained through fund-raising, which ranged from 9% to 10% of revenues 

contributed for communities of at least 10,000 population up to 19% of revenues 

contributed for communities of less than 2,500 population.

Table 6 shows that the smaller communities, with less certain sources of revenue, are 

more likely to obtain their apparatus either used or converted from a non-fire-department 

design and use. Vehicles that were purchased or, less often, donated used accounted for 

an average of 9% of apparatus for departments protecting communities with at least 

25,000 population but an average of 42% of apparatus for departments protecting 

communities with less than 2,500 population. Converted vehicles accounted for an 

average of 4% of apparatus for departments protecting communities with at least 25,000 

population but an average of 16% of apparatus for departments protecting communities 

with less than 2,500 population. 

Because converted vehicles were not originally designed for fire department use, it can be 

especially challenging to assure that they are safe and effective, but it essential that any 

vehicle, converted or not, be evaluated for its compliance with applicable standards, in 

order to avoid undue hazard or risk to the firefighters who operate it. A starting point for 

such an evaluation can be NFPA 1912, Standard for Fire Apparatus Refurbishing.
8

Table 1

Number of Departments and Percent of US Population Protected

by Type of Department

(Q. 1, 7, 8)

 Percent of

 US Population

Type of Department Number Percent Protected

All Career 1,526 5.8% 40.3%

Mostly Career 1,213 4.6% 18.2%

Mostly Volunteer 3,671 13.9% 15.6%

All Volunteer 19,944 75.7% 25.9%

Total 26,354 100.0% 100.0%

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

Type of department is broken into four categories. All-career departments are comprised of 

100% career firefighters. Mostly-career departments are comprised of 51 to 99% career 

firefighters, while mostly-volunteer departments are comprised of 1 to 50% career firefighters. 

All-volunteer departments are comprised of 100% volunteer firefighters.

The above projections are based on 8,027 departments reporting on Questions 1, 7 and 8. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 1: Population (number of permanent residents) your department has primary responsibility to 

protect (excluding mutual aid areas)

Q. 7: Total number of full-time (career) uniformed firefighters

Q. 8: Total number of active part-time (call or volunteer) firefighters
9

Table 2

Department Type, by Community Size

(Q. 1, 7, 8)

Population

of Community

All 

Career

Number

Depts Percent

Mostly 

Career

Number 

Depts Percent

Mostly 

Volunteer

Number 

Depts Percent

All 

Volunteer

Number

Depts Percent 

Total

Number

Depts Percent 

1,000,000 or more 12 92.3% 1 7.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 24 63.2 12 31.6 1 2.6 1 2.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 42 65.6 18 28.1 2 3.1 2 3.1 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 158 73.5 40 18.6 12 5.7 5 2.3 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 305 62.6 99 20.4 56 11.5 27 5.5 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 389 36.9 288 27.4 226 21.5 149 14.2 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 438 15.4 493 17.3 1,094 38.5 817 28.7 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 89 2.4 174 4.8 1,194 32.9 2,172 59.9 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 30 0.7 54 1.2 629 13.8 3,858 84.4 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 43 0.3 32 0.2 454 3.4 12,911 96.1 13,440 100.0

Total 1,526 5.8 1,213 4.6 3,671 13.9 19,944 75.7 26,354 100.0

 

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

Type of department is broken into four categories. All-career departments are comprised of 100% career firefighters. Mostly-career 

departments are comprised of 51 to 99% career firefighters, while mostly-volunteer departments are comprised of 1 to 50% career 

firefighters. All-volunteer departments are comprised of 100% volunteer firefighters.

The above projections are based on 8,027 departments reporting on these questions. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 1: Population (number of permanent residents) your department has primary responsibility to protect (excluding mutual aid areas)

Q. 7: Total number of full-time (career) uniformed firefighters

Q. 8: Total number of active part-time (call or volunteer) firefighters
10

Table 3

Does Department Have a Plan

for Apparatus Replacement on a Regular Schedule?

by Community Size

(Q. 3)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 36 94.7 2 5.3 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 49 76.6 15 23.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 190 88.4 25 11.6 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 391 80.3 96 19.7 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 741 70.4 312 29.6 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,719 60.5 1,124 39.5 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,731 47.7 1,898 52.3 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,624 35.5 2,949 64.5 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 2,779 20.7 10,661 79.3 13,440 100.0

Total 9,269 35.2 17,087 64.8 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,295 departments reporting on Question 3. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 3: Do you have a plan for apparatus replacement on a regular schedule?
11

Table 4

Does Department’s Normal Budget

Cover the Costs of Apparatus Replacement?

by Community Size

(Q. 4)

Yes No* Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 34 89.5 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 42 65.6 22 34.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 143 66.5 72 33.5 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 297 61.0 190 39.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 527 50.0 526 50.0 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,086 38.2 1,757 61.8 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,028 28.3 2,601 71.7 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 955 20.9 3,617 79.1 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 1,609 12.0 11,831 88.0 13,440 100.0

Total 5,730 21.7 20,624 78.3 26,354 100.0

*”No” means the department must raise or seek funds to cover some or all expenses.

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,272 departments reporting on Question 4. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 4: Does your normal budget cover the costs of apparatus replacement?
12

Table 5

For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments

Sources of Budget Revenue

by Share (%) of Revenue and Community Size

(Q. 5)

Fire

District Other

Population of or Other Payment Local State Fund

Community Tax per Call Payment Government Raising Other Total

25,000 to 49,999 78.2% 2.0% 4.9% 1.7% 9.9% 3.3% 100.0%

10,000 to 24,999 76.3 1.8 5.1 3.8 9.4 3.6 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 72.3 1.6 4.4 4.6 13.4 3.7 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 66.7 1.8 5.4 5.4 16.9 3.8 100.0

Under 2,500 62.6 1.9 4.8 6.6 19.1 5.0 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,781 departments reporting on Question 5. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 5: What share (%) of your budgeted revenue is from [each of the listed alternatives]?
13

Table 6

For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments

Manner of Purchase of Apparatus

by Share (%) of Apparatus and Community Size

(Q. 6)

Population of Purchased Donated Purchased Donated Converted

Community New New Used Used Vehicles Other Total

25,000 to 49,999 87.1% 0.0% 7.8% 1.3% 3.5% 0.3% 100.0%

10,000 to 24,999 82.7 0.6 10.0 1.3 4.9 0.5 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 72.9 0.8 16.2 1.6 8.0 0.5 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 60.5 0.6 23.0 3.4 11.7 0.7 100.0

Under 2,500 39.9 0.7 34.6 7.0 15.8 1.6 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,785 departments reporting on Question 6. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 6: What share (%) of your apparatus was [each of the listed alternatives]?
14
15

PERSONNEL AND THEIR CAPABILITIES

Number of Firefighters

Table A indicates the number of career, volunteer, and total firefighters, by the size of the 

community their fire department protects. These numbers will be used repeatedly 

throughout the report to convert survey responses phrased in terms of the fraction of a 

department’s firefighters having a characteristic into estimates of the number of 

firefighters having that characteristic.

Table A. Number of Career, Volunteer, and Total Firefighters

by Size of Community

(Q. 1, 7, 8)

Population Protected

Career 

Firefighters

Volunteer 

Firefighters

Total 

Firefighters

1,000,000 or more 32,700 150 32,850

500,000 to 999,999 28,400 4,900 33,300

250,000 to 499,999 26,600 4,250 30,850

100,000 to 249,999 39,750 8,550 48,300

50,000 to 99,999 37,750 11,000 48,750

25,000 to 49,999 40,000 29,300 69,300

10,000 to 24,999 38,850 86,050 124,900

5,000 to 9,999 12,200 112,300 124,500

2,500 to 4,999 5,050 157,600 162,650

Under 2,500 4,800 408,750 413,550

Total 266,100 822,850 1,088,950

The above projections are based on 8,012 departments reporting on 

Questions 7 and 8. Numbers are estimated to the nearest 50 and may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 1: Population (number of permanent residents) your department has primary 

responsibility to protect (excluding mutual aid areas)

Q. 7: Total number of full-time (career) uniformed firefighters

Q. 8: Total number of active part-time (call or volunteer) firefighters

Table A data on the number of firefighters by community size can be combined with 

needs-assessment survey results on the percent of firefighters, by community size, who 

have some need-related characteristic. The result is an estimate of the number of 

firefighters, by community size, with that need-related characteristic. 
16

Table B indicates the average number of career/paid firefighters per department who are 

on duty available to respond to emergencies, by size of community the department 

protects. These figures do not indicate the average number of firefighters per department 

on duty, because volunteers are not included and every community-size interval has some 

departments that are not all-career departments.

Table B. Average Number of Career/Paid Firefighters per Department

on Duty Available to Respond to Emergencies, by Size of Community (Q. 9)

Population Protected # of Firefighters

1,000,000 or more 355.1

500,000 to 999,999 217.4

250,000 to 499,999 127.2

100,000 to 249,999 52.9

50,000 to 99,999 24.0

25,000 to 49,999 18.8

10,000 to 24,999 7.3

5,000 to 9,999 3.6

2,500 to 4,999 2.0

Under 2,500 1.0

The above projections are based on 3,177 

departments reporting on Question 9.

Q. 9: Average number of career/paid firefighters on duty 

available to respond to emergencies.

Adequacy of Number of Firefighters Responding

Tables 7-9 (pp. 30-32) provide statistics on numbers of firefighters responding to fight 

fires under certain circumstances (e.g., as volunteer or career firefighters, to a certain type 

of fire or with a certain type of apparatus). 

These indicators of response profiles can be compared to recently adopted standards 

regarding the minimum complement of firefighters to permit an interior attack on a 

structural fire with adequate safeguards for firefighter safety. The comparisons are 

complicated, however, because most fire departments have both career and volunteer 

firefighters, while Questions 10-12 asked only about responses by career firefighters 

alone or volunteer firefighters alone.

Also, in considering the results below, keep in mind that “adequacy” is being assessed 

here relative to only one of the several objectives of a fire department confronted with a 

serious fire – the protection of the firefighters themselves from unreasonable risk of 

injury or death. Relative success in meeting this objective will not necessarily imply 
17

anything about the department’s ability to reliably achieve the other departmental 

suppression objectives, whether those be preventing conflagrations, preventing fire from 

involving an entire large structure, or intervening decisively before the onset of flashover 

in the room of fire origin. Other analyses will address measures that are more related to 

those questions.

In addition, success in meeting any of these objectives involves more than a sufficiency 

of personnel. Equipment of many types is also needed, as are skills and knowledge, as 

achieved through training and certification. Each of these areas of need is addressed in 

different parts of the survey.

Volunteer Firefighters

Table 7 provides statistics on the average number of volunteer firefighters who respond 

to a mid-day house fire, for only the all- or mostly-volunteer fire departments in 

communities under 50,000 population. Note that a “mostly-volunteer” department might 

respond with some career firefighters as well, and those numbers are not included in 

Table 7.

NFPA 1720, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression 

Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by 

Volunteer Fire Departments, calls for a minimum of 4 firefighters on-site before an 

interior attack on a structure fire is begun. There are difficulties in applying these 

standards to Table 7. As noted, responding career firefighters from mostly-volunteer 

departments are not shown, the statistics shown are average numbers responding rather 

than minimum numbers responding, and the threshold number of 4 is combined with 

averages from 3 to 4 in the questionnaire. Neverthe less, some limited observations are 

possible. 

Departments that deliver an average of 1-2 volunteers to a mid-day house fire almost 

certainly fall below the minimum of 4 firefighters in most responses, at least for 

departments protecting communities with less than 5,000 population, because Table B 

indicated that those departments average only 1-2 career firefighters on duty for the 

department. Departments that deliver an average of 1-2 volunteers (and an unknown 

number of career firefighters) to a mid-day house fire constituted 3% of departments 

protecting communities with less than 2,500 population and 3% of departments 

protecting communities with 2,500 to 4,999 population (see Table 7).

Departments that deliver an average of 3-4 volunteers may fall below the minimum 

number of 4 firefighters in some responses, particularly in all-volunteer departments and 

in mostly-volunteer departments protecting communities of less than 2,500 population, 

where there is, on average, only 1 career firefighter. All-volunteer departments 

constituted 96% of departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population, 

and 84% of departments protecting communities with 2,500 to 4,999 population. The 

96% figure for rural communities makes the issue of mostly-volunteer departments in 

those communities largely moot. Departments that deliver an average of 4 or fewer 
18

volunteers to a mid-day house fire constituted 21% of departments protecting 

communities with less than 2,500 population. 

These results suggest that most of the all-volunteer or mostly-volunteer fire departments 

averaging fewer than 4 firefighters responding to a mid-day house fire, and therefore 

often failing to achieve the minimum standard response to initiate an interior attack, are 

departments protecting communities with less than 2,500 population. Because roughly 

one-fourth of the US resident population live in communities of this size, this suggests 

roughly 5% of the US population is protected by fire departments that average fewer than 

4 firefighters responding to a mid-day house fire and so may often fail to achieve the 

minimum standard response to initiate an interior attack. (The 5% is calculated as onefourth of 21%.)

If this is translated into firefighters, then 21% of volunteer firefighters serving 

communities with less than 2,500 population (from Table A) translates into at least 

86,000 volunteer firefighters serving in fire departments where the achievement of a 

standard minimum response to a mid-day house fire is problematic. 

Career Firefighters

Table 8 provides statistics for only the all- or mostly-career fire departments in 

communities with 10,000 or more population, on the number of career firefighters 

assigned to an engine or pumper. Note that a “mostly career” department might also 

respond with some volunteers, and those numbers are not reflected in Table 8. NFPA 

1710, Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, 

Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire 

Departments, requires a minimum of 4 firefighters on an engine or pumper.

The percentage of departments with fewer than 4 career firefighters assigned to an engine 

or pumper is 73% for departments protecting 10,000 to 24,999 population, 82% for 

departments protecting 25,000 to 49,999 population, 76% for departments protecting 

50,000 to 99,999 population, 56% for departments protecting 100,000 to 249,999 

population, 41% for departments protecting 250,000 to 499,999 population, 40% for 

departments protecting 500,000 to 999,999 population, and 0% for departments 

protecting at least a million population. 

Because Table A indicates that communities with less than 50,000 population have a 

substantial number of volunteer firefighters, it is appropriate to focus on departments 

protecting communities of 50,000 population or more as the ones where the number of 

responding career firefighters will tend to be the same as the number of responding total 

firefighters.

This translates into an estimated 73,000 career firefighters serving in fire departments 

where the community protected has at least 50,000 population and fewer than 4 career 

firefighters are assigned to an engine. (This figure is calculated as the sum over all 

community sizes of 50,000 population or more of [number of career firefighters in a 
19

community size interval, from Table A] times [percentage of all- or mostly-career fire 

departments in that interval that assign fewer than 4 people to an engine, from Table 8].) 

Table 9 provides statistics comparable to those in Table 8 but for ladder apparatus. There 

is no comparable simple formula to use in assessing the adequacy of these numbers, so 

the table is presented without comment.

Extent of Training and Certification, by Type of Duty

Structural Firefighting

Table 10 (p. 33) indicates whether structural firefighting is within the scope of the fire 

department. Less than 1% of departments say no, nearly all of them in rural communities 

serving less than 2,500 population.

Table 11 (p. 34) asks how many of the personnel responsible for structural firefighting 

have received formal training. Answers were solicited in the form of: All, Most, Some, 

and None. For analysis purposes, “Most” was estimated as 2/3 and “Some” was 

estimated as 1/3. Based on these assumptions, 233,000 firefighters are estimated to need 

formal training because they work in departments with responsibility for structural 

firefighting and have not been so trained. Only 3,000 were in departments protecting 

communities of 50,000 population or more. These larger communities are the ones 

where career fire departments dominate. Most of the firefighters estimated to need 

training were in rural fire departments, protecting communities of less than 2,500 

population, and so were almost certainly volunteer firefighters. The breakdown of need 

by community size, using this approach, is given in Figure 1 as percents and in Table C 

as numbers of firefighters.

Figure 1. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Involved in 

Structural Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training

37%

24%

17%

10%

6 %

3 %

2 %

2 %

0 %

0 %

0 % 5 % 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent
20

Table C. Estimated Number of Firefighters Involved in 

Structural Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 13b)

Population Protected

Estimated 

Firefighters Lacking 

Formal Training

1,000,000 or more 0

500,000 to 999,999 0

250,000 to 499,999 1,000

100,000 to 249,999 1,000

50,000 to 99,999 2,000

25,000 to 49,999 4,000

10,000 to 24,999 12,000

5,000 to 9,999 21,000

2,500 to 4,999 39,000

Under 2,500 151,000

Total 231,000

Percent of total firefighters 21%

The above projections are based on 8,243 departments 

reporting yes on Question 13a and reporting on 

Question 13b and assume “Most” = 2/3 and “Some” = 

1/3. Numbers are estimated to the nearest 1,000 and 

may not add to totals due to rounding. See Tables 10 

and 11.

Q. 13b: If [structural firefighting is a role your department 

performs] how many of your personnel who perform this duty have 

received formal training (not just on-the job)? All, Most, Some, 

None.

Table 12 (p. 35) indicates what levels of certification are held by some or all of the 

firefighters who perform structural firefighting, by department. Using the same methods 

used to construct Table C, but applying them only to departments that did not indicate 

any type of certification provided, 153,000 firefighters are estimated to serve in fire 

departments where no certification of firefighters as Firefighter Level I or II has taken 

place. 

None of these firefighters were in fire departments protecting at least 50,000 population. 

Most of the firefighters in departments with no certification for structural firefighting 

were in rural fire departments and so were almost certainly volunteer firefighters. 
21

Note that there may be other firefighters – possibly many other firefighters – who lack 

certification serving in departments where some firefighters are certified. These 

firefighters are not reflected in the 153,000 figure cited above. Conversely, some 

departments where no one is certified may be providing a local equivalent of 

certification.

The breakdown by community size is shown in Table D.

Table D. Estimated Number of Firefighters Involved in 

Structural Firefighting Serving in Fire Departments 

Where No One is Certified, by Size of Community Protected (Q. 13c)

Population Protected

Estimated 

Firefighters 

Lacking 

Certification

1,000,000 or more 0

500,000 to 999,999 0

250,000 to 499,999 0

100,000 to 249,999 0

50,000 to 99,999 0

25,000 to 49,999 3,000

10,000 to 24,999 7,000

5,000 to 9,999 11,000

2,500 to 4,999 21,000

Under 2,500 111,000

Total 153,000

Percent of total firefighters 14%

The above projections are based on 8,359 

departments reporting yes on Question 13a and 

reporting on Question 13c. Numbers are 

estimated to the nearest 1,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Tables 10 and 12.

Q. 13c: [If structural firefighting is a role your department 

performs,] have any of your personnel been certified to any 

of the following levels? Firefighter Level I and II.

Emergency Medical Service

Table 13 (p. 36) asks whether emergency medical service (EMS) is within the scope of 

the fire department. Roughly one-third (35%) of departments say no, mostly in smaller 
22

communities. However, even for rural fire departments, protecting fewer than 2,500 

population, the majority of fire departments now provide EMS.

Table 14 (p. 37) asks how many of the assigned personnel in departments responsible for 

EMS have received formal training. The breakdown by community size is given in 

Figure 2 and Table E, in terms of percent of personnel performing this duty who lack 

formal training. For communities of 25,000 population or more, fewer than 10% of 

personnel involved in providing EMS are estimated to lack formal training. For small 

communities of less than 5,000 population, roughly one-third of involved personnel are 

estimated to lack formal training.

These percentages cannot be safely converted to estimates of numbers of personnel 

lacking formal training. Table A provides statistics on numbers of firefighters by size of 

community and Table 13 provides statistics on fraction of departments providing EMS by 

size of community, but no table is available to indicate what fraction of total firefighters 

are assigned to EMS duties or how many non-firefighters are also assigned to those 

duties. Therefore, the percentages shown in Table E apply to a base of involved 

personnel whose size we do not know.

Figure 2. Estimated Percent of Personnel Involved in 

EMS Who Lack Formal Training

35%

30%

24%

15%

8 %

7 %

5 %

4 %

6 %

3 %

0 % 5 % 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent

Table 15 (p. 38) indicates certification of personnel who perform EMS. The question 

asked whether any personnel had been certified to any of several possible levels. The 

columns of Table 15 are defined by combinations of the four levels of certification. 

Since the four levels are progressive, with each level incorporating the skills and 

knowledge of the previous level, it is reasonable to assume that a combination answer 

(e.g., First Responder and Basic Life Support) indicates that some personnel in the 
23

department are certified to one of the levels and other personnel are certified to another 

level. By contrast, a department that responds with only one level presumably has all its 

certified personnel certified to that one level. In every case, it is possible that some 

assigned personnel are not certified to any level.

Table E. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in EMS

Who Lack Formal Training, by Size of Community Protected (Q. 14b)

Population Protected

Estimated % of 

Personnel Lacking 

Formal Training

1,000,000 or more 3%

500,000 to 999,999 6%

250,000 to 499,999 4%

100,000 to 249,999 5%

50,000 to 99,999 7%

25,000 to 49,999 8%

10,000 to 24,999 15%

5,000 to 9,999 24%

2,500 to 4,999 30%

Under 2,500 35%

Total 27%

The above projections are based on 5,597 

departments reporting yes on Question 14a and 

reporting on Question 14b and assume “Most” = 

2/3 and “Some” = 1/3. See Tables 13 and 14.

Q. 14b: If [emergency medical services (EMS) is a role your 

department performs], how many of your personnel who 

perform this duty have received formal training (not just onthe job)? All, Most, Some, None.

Table 15 indicates that almost no departments performing EMS are completely lacking in 

certified personnel. Conversely, no departments reported that all their certified personnel 

were certified to the level of Paramedic, the highest level of certification, and almost no 

departments reported that all their certified personnel were certified to the level of 

Advanced Life Support, the second highest level of certification. 

Hazardous Material Response

Table 16 (p. 39) asks whether hazardous material response is within the scope of the fire 

department. Nearly one-fourth (23%) of departments say no, and the ones saying no are 

mostly smaller communities. Even for rural fire departments, protecting fewer than 
24

2,500 population, roughly two-thirds of fire departments now provide hazardous material 

response.

Table 17 (p. 40) asks how many of the assigned personnel in departments responsible for 

hazardous material response have received formal training. Requirements of the US 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA) specify that all assigned personnel must have formal training. 

Table 17 indicates only 27% of departments are compliant with these requirements, 

including two-thirds or more of departments protecting communities of at least 50,000 

population – where most departments are all- or mostly-career – and one-seventh of 

departments protecting rural communities.

The breakdown of lack of training by community size is given in Table F, in terms of 

percent of personnel performing this duty who lack training, by size of community 

protected. 

Table F. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in 

Hazardous Material Response Who Lack Formal Training

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 15b)

Population Protected

Estimated % of 

Personnel Lacking 

Formal Training

1,000,000 or more 18%

500,000 to 999,999 9%

250,000 to 499,999 10%

100,000 to 249,999 15%

50,000 to 99,999 16%

25,000 to 49,999 20%

10,000 to 24,999 27%

5,000 to 9,999 35%

2,500 to 4,999 42%

Under 2,500 50%

Total 40%

The above projections are based on 3,832 

departments reporting yes on Question 15a and 

reporting on Question 15b, and assume “Most” = 

2/3 and “Some” = 1/3. See Tables 16 and 17.

Q. 15b: If [hazardous materials response is a role your 

department performs], how many of your personnel who 

perform this duty have received formal training (not just onthe-job)? All, Most, Some, None.
25

These percentages cannot be safely converted to estimates of numbers of personnel 

lacking training. Table A provides statistics on numbers of firefighters by size of 

community and Table 16 on fraction of departments providing hazardous material 

response by size of community, but no table is available to indicate what fraction of total 

firefighters are assigned to hazardous material response duties or how many nonfirefighters may also be assigned to those duties. Therefore, the percentages shown in 

Table F apply to a base of involved personnel whose size we do not know.

Table 18 (p. 41) indicates certification of firefighters who perform hazardous material 

response. The columns of Table 18 are defined by combinations of the three levels of 

certification. Since the three levels are progressive, with each level incorporating the 

skills and knowledge of the previous level, it is reasonable to assume that a combination 

answer (e.g., Awareness and Technician) indicates that some personnel are certified to 

one level and other personnel are certified to another level. By contrast, a department 

that responds with only one level presumably has all its certified personnel certified to 

that level. In every case, it is possible that some assigned personnel are not certified to 

any level.

Except for rural communities, almost no departments performing hazardous material 

response are completely lacking in certified personnel (less than 4% of departments in 

each population interval, except for 7% for communities of less than 2,500 population). 

At the other end, almost no departments (3% of departments) have all involved personnel 

certified to the highest level, which is Technician, and less than one-fifth (18%) have all 

involved personnel certified to at least the second highest level, which is Operational. 

Wildland Firefighting

Table 19 (p. 42) asks whether wildland firefighting is within the scope of the fire 

department. Roughly one-sixth (16%) of departments say no, with the percentage falling 

to 11% in smaller communities and over 30% for departments protecting communities of 

at least 25,000 population. Even for the most urban fire departments, at least three-fifths 

of fire departments provide wildland firefighting.

Table 20 (p. 43) asks how many of the assigned personnel in departments responsible for 

wildland firefighting have received formal training. The breakdown of lack of formal 

training by community size is given in Table G, in terms of percent of personnel 

performing this duty lacking training, by size of community protected. 

Table G indicates roughly one-fourth to one-third of assigned personnel lack formal 

training, depending on community size. The percent of personnel lacking training is 

larger for smaller communities, which are also more likely to provide wildland 

firefighting as a service.

These percentages cannot be safely converted to estimates of numbers of personnel 

lacking training. Table A provides statistics on numbers of first-response personnel by 

size of community and Table 19 provides statistics on fraction of departments providing 
26

wildland firefighting by size of community, but no table is available to indicate what 

fraction of total first-response personnel are assigned to wildland firefighting duties. 

Most departments will use special teams for this service, which means that the number of 

personnel involved in performing this duty will typically be less than the total number of 

firefighting personnel. Therefore, the percentages shown in Table G apply to a base of 

involved personnel whose size we do not know.

Table G. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in 

Wildland Firefighting Who Lack Formal Training

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 16b)

Population Protected

Estimated % of 

Personnel Lacking 

Formal Training

1,000,000 or more 33%

500,000 to 999,999 18%

250,000 to 499,999 25%

100,000 to 249,999 30%

50,000 to 99,999 28%

25,000 to 49,999 33%

10,000 to 24,999 35%

5,000 to 9,999 37%

2,500 to 4,999 40%

Under 2,500 45%

Total 41%

The above projections are based on 6,680 

departments reporting yes on Question 16a and 

reporting on Question 16b and assume “Most” = 

2/3 and “Some” = 1/3. See Tables 19 and 20.

Q. 16b: If [wildland firefighting is a role your department 

performs], how many of your personnel who perform this 

duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)? All, 

Most, Some, None.

Technical Rescue

Table 21 (p. 44) asks whether technical rescue is within the scope of the fire department. 

Nearly half (44%) of departments say no, mostly in smaller communities. However, even 

for rural fire departments, protecting fewer than 2,500 population, nearly half of fire 

departments now provide technical rescue.

Table 22 (p. 45) asks how many of the assigned personnel in departments responsible for 

technical rescue service have received formal training. The breakdown of lack of training 
27

by community size is given in Table H, in terms of percent of personnel performing this 

duty lacking training, by size of community protected. 

For communities with at least 500,000 population, one-fourth to one-third of personnel 

performing this duty lacked formal training. For communities with 5,000 to 499,999 

population, nearly half lacked formal training. For communities with less than 5,000 

population, just over half lacked formal training.

Table H. Estimated Percentage of Personnel Involved in

Technical Rescue Service Who Lack Formal Training

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 17b)

Population Protected

Estimated % of 

Personnel Lacking 

Formal Training

1,000,000 or more 27%

500,000 to 999,999 25%

250,000 to 499,999 44%

100,000 to 249,999 40%

50,000 to 99,999 40%

25,000 to 49,999 44%

10,000 to 24,999 45%

5,000 to 9,999 46%

2,500 to 4,999 51%

Under 2,500 56%

Total 53%

The above projections are based on 5,072 

departments reporting on Question 17b and 

assume “Most” = 2/3 and “Some” = 1/3. See 

Tables 21 and 22.

Q. 17b: If [technical rescue is a role your department 

performs], how many of your personnel who perform this 

duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)? All, 

Most, Some, None.

These percentages cannot be safely converted to estimates of numbers of personnel 

lacking formal training. 

Table A provides statistics on numbers of firefighters by size of community and Table 21 

provides statistics on fraction of departments providing technical rescue by size of 

community, but no table is available to indicate what fraction of total firefighters are 

assigned to technical rescue or how many non-firefighters may be assigned to such 

duties. 
28

Most departments will use special teams for this service, which means that the number of 

personnel involved in performing this duty will typically be less than the total number of 

firefighting personnel. 

Therefore, the percentages shown in Table H apply to a base of involved personnel 

whose size we do not know.

Programs to Maintain and Protect Firefighter Health

Table 23 (p. 46) indicates whether departments have a program to maintain basic 

firefighter fitness and health, such as is required in NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire 

Department Occupational Safety and Health Program. 

Only one-fifth of fire departments indicate that they have such a program, although half 

or more of communities with at least 50,000 population report programs. 

Figure 3 estimates what percentage of firefighters, career or volunteer, are in departments 

without such programs. 

In the largest communities, those with populations of 250,000 or more, 30-40% of 

firefighters are estimated to work in fire departments without programs to maintain basic 

firefighter fitness and health. 

In the smallest communities, those with populations of less than 10,000, at least threefourths of firefighters are estimated in serve in fire departments without such programs.

Figure 3. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Whose Fire Departments 

Have No Programs to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health

88%

83%

76%

66%

52%

50%

47%

41%

29%

38%

0 % 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent
29

Table I estimates how many firefighters, career or volunteer, are in departments without 

such programs. Because such a large share of total firefighters serve as volunteers in 

smaller communities, which are the same communities where most fire departments do 

not have programs to maintain basic firefighter fitness and health, the estimated total of 

792,000 firefighters without such programs represents roughly three-fourths of the 

estimated total number of firefighters.

Table I. Estimated Number of Firefighters in Fire Departments 

With No Program to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 18)

Population Protected

Estimated 

Firefighters Without 

Program to Maintain 

Fitness

1,000,000 or more 13,000

500,000 to 999,999 10,000

250,000 to 499,999 13,000

100,000 to 249,999 22,000

50,000 to 99,999 24,000

25,000 to 49,999 36,000

10,000 to 24,999 83,000

5,000 to 9,999 94,000

2,500 to 4,999 134,000

Under 2,500 363,000

Total 792,000

Percent of total 

firefighters 73%

The above projections are based on 8,267 

departments reporting on Question 18. Numbers 

are shown to the nearest 1,000 and may not sum 

to totals due to rounding. See Table 23.

Q. 18: Does your department have a program to maintain 

basic firefighter fitness and health (e.g., as required in NFPA 

1500)?

Table 24 (p. 47) indicates that nearly two-thirds of fire departments have programs for 

infectious disease control, including more than 95% of departments protecting 

communities with at least 50,000 population.
30

Table 7

For All- or Mostly-Volunteer Departments

Average Number of Volunteer Firefighters Who Respond to a Mid-Day House Fire

Percent of Departments by Community Size

(Q. 10)

Average Number of Volunteer Firefighters Responding

Population

of Community 1-2 3-4 5-9 10-14 15-19

20 or

More Total

25,000 to 49,999 2.6% 9.4% 23.0% 28.3% 15.2% 21.5% 100.0%

10,000 to 24,999 3.7 11.7 32.8 26.5 13.0 12.4 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2.9 11.4 39.5 26.1 12.7 7.3 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3.1 12.2 45.9 25.6 9.7 3.6 100.0

Under 2,500 3.0 18.3 48.0 22.1 6.1 2.5 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

A mostly-volunteer department might respond with some career firefighters as well, but this question 

asked only about volunteers responding.

The above projections are based on 6,237 departments reporting on Question 10 and comprised 

of all- or mostly-volunteer firefighters. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 10: Average number of call/volunteer personnel who respond to a mid-day house fire (blank 

for actual number).
31

Table 8

For All- or Mostly-Career Departments

Number of Career Firefighters Assigned to an Engine/Pumper Apparatus

Percent of Departments by Community Size

(Q. 11)

Number of Career Firefighters Assigned to Engine/Pumper

Population

of Community 1-2 3 4 5 or More Total

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0% 87.5% 12.5% 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0.0 40.0 56.7 3.3 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 2.3 38.6 54.5 4.5 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 5.5 50.6 39.6 4.2 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 10.0 66.0 21.4 2.6 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 17.9 63.7 18.2 1.8 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 30.5 42.2 23.5 2.4 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 1,399 departments reporting on Question 11 and comprised 

of all- or mostly-career firefighters. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 11: Number of on-duty career/paid personnel assigned to an engine/pumper (answers given 

as ranges shown).
32

Table 9

For All- or Mostly-Career Departments

Number of Career Firefighters Assigned to a Ladder/Aerial Apparatus

Percent of Departments by Community Size

(Q. 12)

Number of Career Firefighters Assigned to a Ladder/Aerial

Population

of Community 1-2 3 4

5 or 

More

Not

Applicable Total

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0% 62.5% 37.5% 0.0% 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0.0 33.3 50.0 16.7 0.0 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 4.5 29.5 61.4 4.5 0.0 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 15.2 34.5 43.0 3.6 3.6 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 22.2 44.4 20.6 2.9 9.8 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 40.4 28.6 12.9 1.6 16.5 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 49.4 15.4 7.8 0.2 27.1 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 1,381 departments reporting on Question 12 and comprised 

of all- or mostly-career firefighters. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 12: Number of on-duty career/paid personnel assigned to a ladder/aerial (answers given as 

ranges shown).
33

Table 10

Does Department Provide Structural Firefighting?

by Community Size

(Q. 13a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 64 100.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 215 100.0 0 0.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 487 100.0 0 0.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 1,053 100.0 0 0.0 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,843 100.0 0 0.0 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 3,625 99.9 4 0.1 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 4,567 99.9 5 0.1 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 13,244 98.5 196 1.5 13,440 100.0

Total 26,150 99.2 204 0.8 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,403 departments reporting on Question 13a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 13a: Is [structural firefighting] a role your department performs?
34

Table 11

For Departments That Provide Structural Firefighting

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal Training?

by Community Size

(Q. 13b)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 59 93.0 5 7.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 204 94.9 11 5.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 440 90.3 47 9.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 893 84.8 131 12.4 29 2.8 0 0.0 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,146 75.5 558 19.6 137 4.8 2 0.1 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,163 59.7 1,107 30.6 334 9.2 21 0.6 3,625 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,105 46.1 1,706 37.4 716 15.7 38 0.8 4,565 100.0

Under 2,500 3,557 26.9 5,048 38.1 4,183 31.6 453 3.4 13,241 100.0

Total 11,616 44.4 8,601 32.9 5,417 20.7 513 2.0 26,150 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,243 departments reporting yes to Question 13a and also reporting on this question. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 13b: If [structural firefighting is a role your department performs], how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal 

training (not just on-the-job)?
35

Table 12

For Departments That Provide Structural Firefighting,

Level That Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Been Certified to

Percent of Departments by Community Size

(Q. 13c)

Population

of Community

No 

Certification

Firefighter

Level 1

Firefighter

Level 2

Both

Levels

Total

Departments

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 11.1% 55.5% 33.3% 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0.0 6.7 16.7 76.7 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 0.0 19.1 35.8 45.1 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 0.0 12.1 28.7 59.2 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 0.0 9.7 33.3 57.0 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 4.0 8.5 36.3 51.1 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 5.4 13.4 26.3 54.8 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 8.9 22.1 18.4 50.7 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 13.2 30.4 13.3 43.1 100.0

Under 2,500 26.8 38.3 8.5 26.4 100.0

Total 14.5 29.0 15.0 41.0 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,359 departments reporting yes to Question 13a

and also reporting on Question 13c. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 13c: Have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following levels? Firefighter 

Level I, II
36

Table 13

Does Department Provide Emergency Medical Service (EMS)?

by Community Size

(Q. 14a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 63 98.4 1 1.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 209 97.2 6 2.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 452 92.8 35 7.2 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 931 88.4 122 11.6 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,164 76.1 679 23.9 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,491 68.7 1,137 31.3 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,976 65.1 1,596 34.9 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 7,725 57.5 5,716 42.5 13,440 100.0

Total 17,058 64.7 9,296 35.3 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,306 departments reporting on Question 14a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 14a: Is [emergency medical service] a role your department performs?
37

Table 14

For Departments That Provide Emergency Medical Service

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal Training?

by Community Size

(Q. 14b)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 90.0% 1 10.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 31 81.6 7 18.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 56 88.9 6 9.5 1 1.6 0 0.0 63 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 182 87.1 22 10.6 5 2.4 0 0.0 209 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 372 82.4 66 14.6 14 3.0 0 0.0 452 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 757 81.3 125 13.4 49 5.2 0 0.0 931 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,398 64.9 538 25.0 225 10.5 2 0.1 2,164 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,211 48.6 785 31.5 490 19.7 3 0.1 2,491 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,194 40.1 928 31.2 840 28.2 15 0.5 2,976 100.0

Under 2,500 2,697 34.9 1,870 24.2 3,115 40.3 42 0.5 7,725 100.0

Total 7,905 46.3 4,344 25.5 4,737 27.8 61 0.4 17,058 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,597 departments reporting yes to Question 14a and also reporting on this question. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 14b: If [emergency medical service is a role your department performs], how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received 

formal training (not just on-the-job)?
38

Table 15

For Departments That Provide Emergency Medical Service

Level That Personnel Have Been Certified to

For Departments by Community Size (Percent)

(Q.14c)

First

Responder Basic First

First Basic Life Support Responder

Responder Life Support Advanced Advanced Advanced

Population First Basic Life Basic Life Advanced Life Support Life Support Life Support

of Community None Responder Support Support Life Support Paramedic Paramedic Paramedic Total

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0% 11.1% 0.0% 44.4% 33.3% 11.1% 0.0% 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0.0 9.1 3.0 3.0 30.3 51.5 0.0 3.0 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 0.0 6.4 8.5 10.6 23.4 36.2 2.1 12.8 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 1.2 4.8 6.6 9.6 32.5 37.3 0.6 7.2 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 0.6 4.2 8.6 10.7 33.6 31.8 2.7 7.7 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 0.2 4.4 8.9 12.4 33.7 32.1 1.0 7.4 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1.0 5.3 9.5 18.5 28.4 30.4 1.1 5.8 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 0.9 8.3 8.7 28.4 15.3 32.2 2.3 3.9 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 0.7 10.0 9.6 30.5 14.0 30.7 2.5 2.0 100.0

Under 2,500 1.3 18.4 14.5 35.0 6.9 19.2 3.1 1.4 100.0

Total 1.0 12.4 11.5 28.7 14.7 25.9 2.5 3.0 100.0

Source: FEMA U.S. Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the U.S. Fire Service

The above projections are based on 4,952 departments reporting yes to Question 14a, and also reporting on this question. Numbers may not add 

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 14c: If [emergency medical service is a role your department performs], have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following 

levels?
39

Table 16

Does Department Provide Hazardous Material Response?

by Community Size

(Q. 15a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 64 100.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 206 95.8 9 4.2 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 466 95.7 21 4.3 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 999 94.9 54 5.1 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,611 91.8 232 8.2 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 3,176 87.5 453 12.5 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,760 82.2 812 17.8 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 9,025 67.2 4,414 32.8 13,440 100.0

Total 20,360 77.3 5,994 22.7 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table projections are based on 8,361 departments reporting on Question 15a. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 15a: Is [hazardous materials response] a role your department performs?
40

Table 17

For Departments That Provide Hazardous Material Response

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal Training?

by Community Size

(Q. 15b)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 1 7.7% 3 23.1% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 31 81.6 4 10.5 3 7.9 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 52 81.3 5 7.8 7 10.9 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 146 70.8 26 12.6 35 16.8 0 0.0 206 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 320 68.6 70 15.0 75 16.1 1 0.3 466 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 594 59.5 203 20.3 199 20.0 2 0.2 999 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,178 45.0 737 28.3 682 26.2 14 0.5 2,611 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,015 32.0 1,066 33.6 1,066 33.6 29 0.9 3,176 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 811 21.6 1,210 32.2 1,670 44.4 68 1.8 3,760 100.0

Under 2,500 1,296 14.4 2,371 26.3 5,016 55.6 338 3.8 9,025 100.0

Total 5,449 26.8 5,690 28.0 8,760 43.0 452 2.2 20,360 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 3,832 departments reporting yes to Questions 15a and also reporting on this question. Numbers may not add 

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 15b: If [hazardous materials response is a role your department performs], how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received 

formal training (not just on-the-job)?
41

Table 18

For Departments That Provide Hazardous Material Response

Level That Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Been Certified to

Percent of Departments by Community Size

(Q. 15c)

Awareness

Population Awareness Awareness Operational Operational

of Community None Awareness Operational Technician Operational Technician Technician Technician Total

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 11.1% 11.1% 0.0% 11.1% 66.6% 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 3.0 0.0 0.0 12.1 3.0 6.1 15.2 60.6 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 2.2 4.4 2.2 8.9 6.7 0.0 22.2 53.3 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 3.0 4.2 4.2 7.8 9.0 0.6 21.7 49.4 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 1.2 5.7 8.4 6.3 12.3 2.1 16.8 47.3 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 1.0 7.8 12.4 4.8 13.9 2.1 15.5 42.6 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1.2 11.3 12.2 5.4 23.4 2.1 10.4 33.9 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 3.0 19.2 11.6 2.9 30.7 1.6 4.4 26.6 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3.2 28.2 9.5 2.1 33.4 1.8 2.9 19.0 100.0

Under 2,500 7.2 43.7 10.0 1.7 24.7 1.6 1.2 10.0 100.0

Total 4.5 29.5 10.4 2.8 26.0 1.7 4.5 20.4 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 4,945 departments reporting yes to Question 15a and also reporting on this question. Numbers may not add 

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 15c: If [hazardous material response is a role your department performs], have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following 

levels?
42

Table 19

Does Department Provide Wildland Firefighting?

by Community Size

(Q. 16a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 26 68.4 12 31.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 42 65.6 22 34.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 148 68.8 67 31.2 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 323 66.4 164 33.6 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 659 62.6 394 37.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,026 71.3 817 28.7 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 3,013 83.0 616 17.0 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,939 86.2 633 13.8 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 11,938 88.8 1,502 11.2 13,440 100.0

Total 22,126 84.0 4,228 16.0 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,348 departments reporting on Question 16a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 16a: Is [wildland firefighting] a role your department performs?
43

Table 20

For Departments That Provide Wildland Firefighting

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal Training?

by Community Size

(Q. 16b)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 4 44.4% 1 11.1% 4 44.4% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 20 76.9 0 0.0 4 15.4 2 7.7 26 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 24 57.1 4 9.5 14 33.3 0 0.0 42 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 72 48.6 29 19.6 38 25.7 9 6.1 148 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 153 47.4 82 25.4 74 22.9 14 4.2 323 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 283 42.9 145 22.0 178 27.0 51 7.8 659 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 731 36.1 596 29.4 575 28.4 124 6.2 2,026 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 916 30.4 1,029 34.1 882 29.3 186 6.2 3,013 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 965 24.5 1,460 37.1 1,240 31.5 270 6.8 3,939 100.0

Under 2,500 2,333 19.5 4,300 36.0 4,088 34.2 1,217 10.2 11,938 100.0

Total 5,499 24.9 7,652 34.6 7,095 32.1 1,873 8.5 22,126 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 6,680 departments reporting yes to Question 16a and also reporting on this question. Numbers may not add 

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 16b: If [wildland firefighting is a role your department performs], how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal 

training (not just on-the-job)?
44

Table 21

Does Department Provide Technical Rescue Service?

by Community Size

(Q. 17a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 64 100.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 200 93.0 15 7.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 423 86.9 64 13.1 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 877 83.3 176 16.7 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,065 72.6 777 27.4 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,432 67.0 1,197 33.0 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,674 58.5 1,897 41.5 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 5,853 43.5 7,587 56.5 13,440 100.0

Total 14,642 55.6 11,712 44.4 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,258 departments reporting on Question 17a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 17a: Is [technical rescue] a role your department performs?
45

Table 22

For Departments That Provide Technical Rescue Service

How Many Personnel Who Perform This Duty Have Received Formal Training?

by Community Size

(Q. 17b)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 7 53.8% 0 0.0% 6 41.2% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 20 52.6 7 18.4 11 28.9 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 18 28.1 7 10.9 39 60.9 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 58 29.0 47 23.5 94 47.0 1 0.5 200 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 109 25.8 113 26.7 200 47.3 0 0.0 423 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 198 22.6 214 24.4 460 52.6 3 0.4 877 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 394 19.1 616 29.9 1,019 49.3 36 1.8 2,065 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 345 14.2 819 33.8 1,223 50.4 40 1.6 2,432 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 261 9.8 827 30.9 1,470 55.1 112 4.2 2,674 100.0

Under 2,500 395 6.7 1,510 25.8 3,482 59.5 464 8.0 5,853 100.0

Total 1,804 12.3 4,157 28.4 8,012 57.8 656 4.5 14,642 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,072 departments reporting yes to Question 17a and also reporting on this question. Numbers may not add 

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 17b: If [technical rescue is a role your department performs], how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training 

(not just on-the-job)?
46

Table 23

Does Department Have a Program

to Maintain Basic Firefighter Fitness and Health?

by Community Size

(Q. 18)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 8 61.5% 5 38.5% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 27 71.1 11 28.9 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 38 59.4 26 40.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 115 53.5 100 46.5 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 243 49.9 244 50.1 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 501 47.6 552 52.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 962 33.8 1,881 66.2 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 873 24.1 2,756 75.9 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 798 17.5 3,774 82.5 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 1,639 12.2 11,801 87.8 13,440 100.0

Total 5,205 19.8 21,149 80.2 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,267 departments reporting on Question 18. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 18: Does your department have a program to maintain basic firefighter fitness and health 

(e.g., as required in NFPA 1500)?
47

Table 24

Does Department Have a

Program for Infectious Disease Control?

by Community Size

(Q. 19)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 63 98.4 1 1.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 211 98.1 4 1.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 465 95.5 22 4.5 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 989 93.9 64 6.1 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,492 87.6 351 12.4 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,917 80.4 712 19.6 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,169 69.3 1,403 30.7 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 6,616 49.2 6,823 50.8 13,440 100.0

Total 16,973 64.4 9,381 35.6 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,348 departments reporting on Question 19. Numbers may 

not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 19: Does your department have a program for infectious disease control?
48
49

FIRE PREVENTION AND CODE ENFORCEMENT

Some of the greatest value delivered by the US fire services comes in activities that 

prevent fires and other emergencies from occurring or that moderate their severity when 

they do occur. 

Questions 20-22 provide information on a number of such programs, all of which were 

recognized as candidates for Federal assistance in PL 106-398. 

Table 25 (p. 54) indicates what percentage of fire departments, by community size, 

reported having each of six specific fire prevention or code enforcement programs. 

Table J indicates the number of fire departments lacking these programs and estimates 

the number of people living in communities protected by fire departments that do not 

conduct such programs.

Table J. Number of Fire Departments and Estimated Total Population 

Protected by Those Fire Departments Where 

Selected Fire Prevention or Code Enforcement 

Programs Are NOT Provided, by Size of Community Protected (Q. 20)

1. Plans Review

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 4 8,400,000

500,000 to 999,999 5 2,800,000

250,000 to 499,999 4 1,300,000

100,000 to 249,999 23 3,200,000

50,000 to 99,999 38 2,400,000

25,000 to 49,999 157 5,300,000

10,000 to 24,999 1,467 23,100,000

5,000 to 9,999 976 7,000,000

2,500 to 4,999 3,027 13,400,000

Under 2,500 10,671 17,100,000

Total 16,372 83,900,000

Percent of US total 62% 29%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.
50

2. Permit Approval

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 5 11,200,000

500,000 to 999,999 3 2,100,000

250,000 to 499,999 12 3,800,000

100,000 to 249,999 34 4,800,000

50,000 to 99,999 126 7,700,000

25,000 to 49,999 392 13,200,000

10,000 to 24,999 2,181 34,400,000

5,000 to 9,999 2,054 14,700,000

2,500 to 4,999 3,973 17,600,000

Under 2,500 12,042 19,300,000

Total 20,822 128,800,000

Percent of US total 79% 45%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.

3. Routine Testing of Active Systems (e.g., sprinkler, detection/alarm, 

smoke control)

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 7 14,100,000

500,000 to 999,999 6 3,500,000

250,000 to 499,999 20 6,300,000

100,000 to 249,999 58 8,100,000

50,000 to 99,999 160 9,800,000

25,000 to 49,999 403 13,600,000

10,000 to 24,999 2,161 34,100,000

5,000 to 9,999 2,098 15,000,000

2,500 to 4,999 3,822 16,900,000

Under 2,500 11,921 19,100,000

Total 20,656 140,500,000

Percent of US total 78% 49%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.
51

4. Free Distribution of Home Smoke Alarms

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 4 8,400,000

500,000 to 999,999 7 4,200,000

250,000 to 499,999 12 3,800,000

100,000 to 249,999 56 7,800,000

50,000 to 99,999 148 9,100,000

25,000 to 49,999 400 13,500,000

10,000 to 24,999 1,820 28,700,000

5,000 to 9,999 1,847 13,200,000

2,500 to 4,999 3,214 14,200,000

Under 2,500 10,765 17,300,000

Total 18,273 120,100,000

Percent of US total 69% 42%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.

5. Juvenile Firesetter Program

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 3 5,600,000

500,000 to 999,999 2 1,400,000

250,000 to 499,999 16 5,100,000

100,000 to 249,999 70 9,800,000

50,000 to 99,999 164 10,100,000

25,000 to 49,999 433 14,600,000

10,000 to 24,999 2,274 35,800,000

5,000 to 9,999 2,185 15,600,000

2,500 to 4,999 4,069 18,000,000

Under 2,500 12,660 20,300,000

Total 21,877 136,300,000

Percent of US total 83% 48%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.
52

6. School Fire Safety Education Program Based on a National Model 

Curriculum

Population Protected

Number of 

Departments Without 

Program

Population Protected by 

Departments Without 

Program

1,000,000 or more 3 5,600,000

500,000 to 999,999 2 1,400,000

250,000 to 499,999 9 3,000,000

100,000 to 249,999 54 7,500,000

50,000 to 99,999 113 6,900,000

25,000 to 49,999 270 9,100,000

10,000 to 24,999 1,009 15,900,000

5,000 to 9,999 994 7,100,000

2,500 to 4,999 1,966 8,700,000

Under 2,500 7,983 12,800,000

Total 12,403 78,000,000

Percent of US total 47% 27%

The above projections are based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 

20. Population estimates are shown to the nearest 100,000 and may not add to 

totals due to rounding. See Table 25.

Q. 20: Which of the following programs or activities does your department conduct?

The program with the highest reported participation was school fire safety education 

programs based on a national model curriculum, where the majority of US fire 

departments reported conducting such a program. This is one of the few programs in this 

section where there is some independent information regarding participation, and that 

information would suggest that implementation of a school-based fire safety curriculum 

following a national model exists is closer to 5% of fire departments rather than the 

reported 53%. 

This large discrepancy may be a matter of interpretation. For example, many fire 

departments provide presentations to schools (e.g., puppet shows) in which the content is 

based on the content of some national model fire safety curriculum. Such presentations 

would qualify as a program of the sort asked about, but they would in practice have little 

educational value. Therefore, considerable caution should be shown when considering 

the reported practices for this particular program.

Table 26 (p. 55) indicates which of several groups conduct fire-code inspections in the 

community. For communities of 50,000 population or more, at least 80% report the use 

of full-time fire department inspectors. The percentage drops to 70% for communities of 

25,000 to 49,999 population, to 46% for communities of 10,000 to 24,999 population, to 
53

20% for communities of 5,000 to 9,999 population, to 8% for communities of 2,500 to 

4,999 population, and to 3% for communities with less than 2,500 population.

The next most commonly cited resource for conducting fire-code inspections was 

firefighters in-service. Only 30% of departments protecting communities of 1 million or 

more population cited the use of in-service firefighters. Then, 64% of communities of 

500,000 to 999,999 population cited their use, falling to 56% for communities of 250,000 

to 499,999, to 47-50% for communities of 25,000 to 249,999, to 36% for communities of 

10,000 to 24,999, to 18% for communities of 5,000 to 9,999, and to 11-15% for 

communities with less than 5,000 population. 

Building department inspectors were cited by 12-24% of departments by community size, 

and separate inspection departments were cited by 4-13%. “Other” inspectors – such as 

personnel from the state fire marsha l’s office – were cited mostly by smaller communities 

and were the principal inspection resource cited by communities with less than 10,000 

population.

Of greatest concern were those departments that reported no one conducted fire-code 

inspections in their community. Roughly 7,200 fire departments reported this situation, 

nearly all of them departments serving rural communities (less than 2,500 population). 

These 7,200 departments protect an estimated 20,900,000 people, with two-fifths of that 

population located in rural communities.

Table 27 (p. 56) indicates which of several parties determines that a fire was deliberately 

set. Multiple answers were permitted. For communities of 50,000 population or more, 

fire department arson investigators were cited by at least 90% of departments in each 

population interval, and no one else was cited by more than 42% of departments. 

In communities of 25,000 to 49,999 population, 80% of departments cited fire 

department arson investigators, 48% cited state arson investigators, 35% cited incident 

commanders, 26% cited the police department, and 22% cited regional arson task force 

investigators. These results indicate that multiple agency involvement is commonplace 

for these communities.

Communities of 10,000 to 24,999 population were the only ones in which two different 

agencies were each cited by a majority of departments – fire department arson 

investigators (64%) and state arson investigators (61%). Also, incident commanders 

were cited by 36% of departments and police departments by 25% of departments.

For communities of less than 10,000 population, state arson investigators were cited by at 

least 71% of departments in each population interval and were by far the principal 

resource for determination of intentional firesetting in those communities. Incident 

commanders were still frequently cited in those communities as well. Fire department 

arson investigators were cited by 40% of departments in communities of 5,000 to 9,999 

population, by 29% of departments in communities of 2,500 to 4,999 population, and by 

15% of departments in communities of less than 2,500 population.
54

Table 25

Which Programs or Activities Does Department Conduct?

by Community Size

(Q. 20)

Routine Free School

Testing of Distribution Juvenile Fire Safety Other

Population Plans Permit Active of Smoke Firesetter Education Prevention

of Community Review Approval Systems Alarms Program Program Program

1,000,000 or more 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 70.0% 80.0% 80.0% 30.0%

500,000 to 999,999 87.8 90.9 84.8 81.8 93.9 93.9 45.4

250,000 to 499,999 93.8 81.3 68.8 81.3 75.0 85.4 37.5

100,000 to 249,999 89.5 84.0 72.9 74.0 67.4 75.1 34.3

50,000 to 99,999 92.1 74.2 67.1 69.7 66.3 76.8 28.2

25,000 to 49,999 85.1 62.8 61.7 62.0 58.9 74.4 28.7

10,000 to 24,999 48.4 23.3 24.0 36.0 20.0 64.5 22.5

5,000 to 9,999 73.1 43.4 42.2 49.1 39.8 72.6 25.2

2,500 to 4,999 33.8 13.1 16.4 29.7 11.0 57.0 16.8

Under 2,500 20.6 10.4 11.3 19.9 5.8 40.6 14.1

Total 37.9 21.0 21.6 30.7 17.0 52.9 18.1

Source: FEMA U. S. Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown is based on 7,159 departments reporting on Question 20. Departments were asked to circle all that apply, so 

departments could select multiple responses. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 20: Which of the following programs or activities does your department conduct? Plans review; permit approval; routine testing of active 

systems (e.g., fire sprinkler, detection/alarm, smoke control); free distribution of home smoke alarms; juvenile firesetter program; school fire safety 

education program based on a national model curriculum; other prevention program.
55

Table 26

Who Conducts Fire-Code Inspections in the Community?

by Community Size

(Q. 21)

Full-Time

Fire Separate

Population Department In-Service Building Inspection

of Community Inspectors Firefighters Department Department Other No One

1,000,000 or more 80.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 0.0%

500,000 to 999,999 96.9 63.6 24.2 9.1 6.1 0.0

250,000 to 499,999 89.6 56.3 12.5 4.2 4.2 0.0

100,000 to 249,999 92.8 50.3 14.4 7.2 5.0 0.0

50,000 to 99,999 86.3 48.9 14.2 7.9 8.2 1.0

25,000 to 49,999 69.6 47.0 17.6 5.0 11.7 1.4

10,000 to 24,999 46.1 36.2 21.8 8.3 17.9 5.7

5,000 to 9,999 19.6 18.3 22.5 12.8 28.2 14.7

2,500 to 4,999 8.4 14.7 16.7 11.3 28.5 25.9

Under 2,500 3.3 10.9 12.1 11.8 22.1 39.4

Total 16.3 18.0 15.7 11.1 22.7 27.3

Source: FEMA U. S. Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown is based on 8,218 departments reporting on Question 21. Departments were asked to circle 

all that apply, so departments could select multiple responses. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 21: Who conducts fire code inspections in your community? 
56

Table 27

Who Determines That a Fire Was Deliberately Set?

by Community Size

(Q. 22)

Fire Regional

Department Arson State

Population Arson Task Force Arson Incident Police Contract Insurance

of Community Investigator Investigator Investigator Commander Department Investigator Investigator Other

1,000,000 or more 90.0% 0.0% 0.0% 10.0% 10.0% 0.0% 0.0% 10.0%

500,000 to 999,999 93.9 3.0 15.2 42.4 18.2 0.0 0.0 3.0

250,000 to 499,999 95.8 12.5 6.3 33.3 8.3 0.0 4.2 6.3

100,000 to 249,999 93.4 14.9 22.1 30.4 17.1 1.1 2.8 3.9

50,000 to 99,999 90.5 13.7 37.4 32.1 26.6 0.8 3.7 2.9

25,000 to 49,999 80.3 22.0 47.9 34.9 25.5 0.3 6.3 6.1

10,000 to 24,999 64.2 18.7 61.3 35.5 24.6 1.3 9.7 9.7

5,000 to 9,999 40.4 16.4 71.0 36.4 18.1 2.6 12.5 12.1

2,500 to 4,999 28.5 13.4 73.7 33.8 15.3 1.1 13.5 11.5

Under 2,500 14.5 10.8 73.3 29.3 14.1 1.3 15.1 9.7

Total 30.9 13.4 69.4 32.0 16.7 1.4 13.2 10.0

Source: FEMA U. S. Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown is based on 8,376 departments reporting on Question 22. Departments were asked to circle all that apply, so 

departments could select multiple responses. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 22: Who determines that a fire was deliberately set? “Incident commander” includes other first-in fire officer.
57

FACILITIES, APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT

Fire Stations

Table 28 (p. 71) describes the average number of fire stations per department by size of 

community. Note that a community may have two or more fire stations, and each fire 

station may have two or more firefighting companies, each attached to a particular 

apparatus, such as an engine/pumper. Table 28 also describes the fraction of stations 

with characteristics that indicate potential needs, specifically age of station over 40 years, 

a lack of backup power, or a lack of exhaust emission control equipment. Table K 

converts these figures to total numbers of fire stations with those needs, by size of 

community and overall.

Table K. Number of Fire Stations With Characteristics Indicating 

Potential Need, by Size of Community Protected (Q. 23)

Total Number of Fire Stations With Indicated 

Characteristics in Communities of This Population Size

Population Protected

Over 40 

Years Old

No Backup 

Power

Not Equipped for

Exhaust Emission 

Control

1,000,000 or more 428 481 440

500,000 to 999,999 504 449 784

250,000 to 499,999 610 520 577

100,000 to 249,999 585 816 1,162

50,000 to 99,999 750 805 1,188

25,000 to 49,999 1,097 1,221 1,928

10,000 to 24,999 1,966 4,888 6,778

5,000 to 9,999 1,888 2,937 4,575

2,500 to 4,999 2,150 3,841 5,667

Under 2,500 5,516 11,564 14,789

Total 15,494 27,523 37,888

Percent of US total 32% 57% 78%

The above projections are based on 6,420 departments reporting on all four parts 

of Question 23. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding. See Table 28.

Q. 23: Number of fire stations, number over 40 years old, number having backup power, number 

equipped for exhaust emission control (e.g., diesel exhaust extraction).

In addition to needs associated with the condition of fire stations, there are also questions 

about needs with respect to the number and coverage of fire stations. The number and 

coverage needed are those required to achieve response with sufficient fire suppression 
58

flow within a target period of time. The information contained in the Needs Assessment 

Survey is not sufficient to perform such a calculation, but a simplified version is possible.

The Fire Suppression Rating Schedule of the Insurance Services Office includes a 

number of guidelines and formulas to use in performing a complete assessment of the 

adequacy of fire department resources, but for this simplified calculation on adequacy of 

number of fire stations, Item 560 has a basis: “The built-upon area of the city should 

have a first-due engine company within 1- 1⁄2 miles and a ladder -service company within 

2- 1⁄2 miles.” * For this simplified calculation, we can use these two numbers as a range for 

the maximum distance from any point in the community to the nearest fire station.

NFPA 1710 states its requirements in terms of time, specifically, a requirement that 90% 

of responses by the initial arriving company shall be within 4 minutes. If the firstresponse area is considered as a circle with the fire station in the middle, and if 

emergency calls are evenly distributed throughout the response area, then 90% of 

responses will be within 95% of the distance from the fire station to the boundary of the 

response area.** If the average speed of fire apparatus is 21 mph, as it might be in the 

downtown area of a city, then the 4-minute requirement corresponds to a 1.5-mile 

requirement. If the average speed of fire apparatus is 36 mph, as it might be in a 

suburban or rural area, then the 4-minute requirement corresponds to a 2.5-mile 

requirement. In a very rural community, the average speed could be even higher, and the 

allowable distance would be even greater.

Note the limitations in this assumption: Item 560 implies that a larger maximum distance 

is acceptable for parts of the community that are not “built-upon”; this will be especially 

relevant for smaller communities. This larger maximum distance may or may not be on 

the order of the 2 1⁄2 miles cited for ladder -service companies responding in the built-upon 

area, so the use of 2 1⁄2 miles as an upper bound for calculation is done for convenience 

rather than through any compelling logic. Item 560 does not reflect variations in local 

travel speeds or the need for adequate fire flow by the responding apparatus; those issues 

are addressed elsewhere in the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. This guideline is not a 

mandatory government requirement or a consensus voluntary standard.

To use this guideline with the data available from the Needs Assessment Survey, it is 

necessary to have a formula giving the maximum distance from fire station to any point 

in the community as a function of data collected in the survey. The Rand Institute 

developed such a formula for expected (i.e., average) distance as part of its extensive 

research on fire deployment issues in the 1960s and 1970s.*** 

* Fire Suppression Rating Schedule, New York: Insurance Services Office, Inc., August 1998, p. 28.

** If r is the distance from station to boundary, then the size of the response area is πr

2

, and the radius of a 

circle with area equal to 0.9πr

2

 will be r√0.9 or approximately 0.95r.

*** Warren E. Walker, Jan M. Chaiken, and Edward J. Ignall, eds., Fire Department Deployment Analysis, 

Publications in Operations Research series of the Operations Research Society of America, New York: 

Elsevier North Holland, 1979, pp. 180-184.
59

The formula has been developed and tested against actual travel-distance data from 

selected fire departments for both straight-line travel and the more relevant right-angle 

travel that characterizes the grid layout of many communities. It has been developed 

assuming either a random distribution of fire stations throughout the community or an 

optimal placement of stations to minimize travel distances and times. 

The formula is called the square root law: Expected distance = k √(A/n)

where k is a proportionality constant

A is the community’s area in square miles

n is the number of fire stations

Note the limitations of this approach, cited by the Rand authors: Most importantly, it 

ignores the effect of natural barriers, such as rivers or rail lines. It assumes an alarm is 

equally likely from any point in the community. It assumes a unit is always ready to 

respond from the nearest fire station.

 

If one further assumes that response areas can be approximated by circles with fire 

stations at the center, then expected distance equals one-half of maximum distance. If 

response areas are more irregularly shaped, expected distance will be a smaller fraction of 

maximum distance.

With these assumptions, the number of fire stations will be sufficient to provide 

acceptable coverage, defined as a maximum travel distance that is less than the ISObased value, if the following is true:

A - 1⁄2 (n)(D max)

2

/(k2) < 0

where

A is the community’s area in square miles

n is the number of fire stations

Dmax is the maximum acceptable travel distance (1- 1⁄2 miles or 2 - 1⁄2 miles) 

k is the Rand proportionality constant, which is assumed to be for rightangle travel and is 0.6267 for random station location and 0.4714 for 

optimal station location

Table L gives the estimates of need based on the four calculations (i.e., two possible 

maximums for travel distance times two possible location protocols for fire stations). 

It may be appropriate to use the shorter maximum distance for larger communities and 

the larger maximum distance for smaller communities. In fact, as noted, if the average 

speed achievable by fire apparatus is well above 36 mph, an even larger maximum 

distance is justified under NFPA 1710. Note also that NFPA 1720, the standard for 

volunteer fire departments, has no speed of response or distance requirement, reflecting 

the fact that very low population densities in the smallest communities mean the number 

of people exposed to long response times may be very small.

Also, while few if any communities will have optimal station locations, it is likely that 

most will have placements that are considerably better than random. If these two 
60

approaches are used, then Table L suggests that in every population interval, roughly 

two-thirds to three-fourths of fire departments have too few stations to provide the 

indicated coverage. (Specifically, if 1.5 miles is used for communities of 10,000 or more 

and 2.5 miles is used for smaller communities, with optimal location used for both, then 

Table L indicates that 65-76% of departments have too few stations, except for 

communities of 500,000 to 999,999 population, where the percentage is 82%.) 

Table L. Estimated Percent of Fire Departments Lacking Sufficient Fire 

Stations to Achieve Specified Maximum Travel Distance

by Size of Community Protected, Maximum Travel Distance Specified, 

and Assumption Regarding Optimality of Fire Station Placement (Q. 2, 23)

Estimated Percent of Departments 

With Too Few Stations

Random station location Optimal station location

Population Protected

Maximum

distance of

1.5 miles

Maximum 

distance of

2.5 miles

Maximum

distance of

1.5 miles

Maximum

distance of

2.5 miles

1,000,000 or more 80.0% 40.0% 70.0% 20.0%

500,000 to 999,999 87.9% 69.7% 81.8% 33.3%

250,000 to 499,999 83.0% 40.4% 63.8% 23.4%

100,000 to 249,999 92.1% 39.9% 66.9% 23.0%

50,000 to 99,999 88.0% 37.8% 64.4% 22.9%

25,000 to 49,999 88.7% 52.5% 70.4% 30.8%

10,000 to 24,999 91.6% 64.7% 75.7% 47.5%

5,000 to 9,999 93.3% 76.4% 82.2% 64.6%

2,500 to 4,999 93.5% 81.5% 85.8% 72.6%

Under 2,500 92.5% 80.8% 83.9% 72.6%

The above projections are based on 8,217 departments reporting on Questions 2 

and 23. 

Q. 2: Area (in square miles) your department has primary responsibility to protect (exclude 

mutual aid areas)

Q. 23: Number of fire stations

Remember the many limitations of this calculation procedure, however; a more complete 

calculation should be performed before drawing conclusions with regard to any particular 

community.
61

Apparatus

Table 29 (p. 72) characterizes the size of the engine/pumper fleet inventory, overall and 

by age of vehicle. Using the statistics from Table 2 on departments by population 

interval, one can identify the number of engines whose ages raise questions about the 

need for replacement. The breakdown by community size is shown in Figure 4 in terms 

of percent of apparatus and in Table M in terms of the number of apparatus.

Figure 4 indicates that in larger communities, those with at least 100,000 population, onefifth to one-fourth (actually 20-24%) of engines are at least 15 years old. In smaller 

communities, those with less than 5,000 population, roughly one-half to two-thirds 

(actually 55-65%) of engines are at least 15 years old. Table M indicates there are more 

than 40,000 engines in use that are at least 15 years old, including more than 10,000 that 

are at least 30 years old. Most of these engines aged 15 years old or more are in use in 

smaller communities, with less than 5,000 population, but hundreds are in use in 

departments for every community size. 

Vehicle age alone is not sufficient to confirm a need for replacement, but it is indicative 

of a potential need, which should be examined.

Table 29 also indicates the average number of ambulances or other patient transport 

vehicles per department, by community size. Communities of less than 10,000 

population average less than one such vehicle per department; communities with 10,000 

to 49,999 population average less than two; and even communities with less than 250,000 

population average less than four. The averages are calculated over all departments, but 

larger shares of the small communities have fire departments that do not provide EMS, 

and this partially explains their lower numbers of ambulances per department.

Figure 4. Percent of Engines and Pumpers 

That Are At Least 15 Years Old

65%

55%

47%

39%

31%

28%

22%

24%

20%

22%

0 % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent
62

Table M. Number of Engines in Service, Limited to 

Engines At Least 15 Years Old 

by Age of Equipment and Size of Community Protected (Q. 24)

Total Number of Engines in Service of This Age in Fire 

Departments Protecting Communities of This Population 

Population Protected Size

15 to 19 Years 

Old

20 to 29 Years 

Old

30+ Years Old

1,000,000 or more 159 101 0

500,000 to 999,999 268 91 7

250,000 to 499,999 282 79 47

100,000 to 249,999 441 181 43

50,000 to 99,999 560 282 102

25,000 to 49,999 863 569 190

10,000 to 24,999 1,791 1,820 426

5,000 to 9,999 2,032 2,214 944

2,500 to 4,999 2,012 3,063 1,646

Under 2,500 4,838 8,602 6,854

Total 13,247 17,000 10,259

Percent of US total 16% 21% 13%

The above projections are based on 4,769 departments reporting on all parts of 

Question 24. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding. See Table 29.

Q. 24: Number of engines/pumpers in service. Total, 0-14 years old, 15-19 years old, 20-29 

years old, 30 or more years old, unknown age

Table 30 (p. 73) provides information on the percentage of departments with ladder/aerial 

apparatus. This type of apparatus is of use for buildings at least four stories in height, 

although it can also be used for shorter buildings with access problems for ground 

ladders. 

Therefore, it is useful to compare the percentage of departments, by community size, 

having no ladder/aerial apparatus with the percentage having buildings 4 stories high or 

higher. (See Table 31, p. 74.) If the percentage of departments without ladder/aerial 

apparatus is greater than the percentage of departments with no buildings of at least 4 

stories in height, then the difference is a measure of the minimum percentage of 

departments that could justify acquiring a ladder/aerial apparatus but do not have one. 

Table N provides that comparison. 

Table N indicates that at least 2.1% of departments (2.1% minus 0.0%) protecting 

communities of 250,000 to 499,999 population have no ladder/aerial apparatus but have 

at least one building tall enough to justify such apparatus. This is also true for 1.1% of 
63

departments (3.4% minus 2.3%) protecting communities of 100,000 to 249,999 

population; 0.5% of departments (9.3% minus 8.8%) protecting communities of 50,000 to 

99,999 population; 2.2% of departments (32.2% minus 29.8%) protecting communities of 

10,000 to 24,999 population; 10.3% of departments (61.9% minus 51.6%) protecting 

communities of 5,000 to 9,999 population; 16.6% of departments (86.0% minus 69.4%) 

protecting communities of 2,500 to 4,999 population; and 15.4% of departments (95.7% 

minus 80.3%) protecting communities of less than 2,500 population. 

Table N. Departments With No Ladder/Aerial Apparatus vs. 

Departments With No Buildings of At Least 4 Stories in Height

Percent of Departments, by Size of Community Protected (Q. 25)

Population Protected

No Ladder/Aerial 

Apparatus

No Buildings 

At Least 4 Stories in 

Height

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0.0% 0.0%

250,000 to 499,999 2.1% 0.0%

100,000 to 249,999 3.4% 2.3%

50,000 to 99,999 9.3% 8.8%

25,000 to 49,999 13.7% 15.1%

10,000 to 24,999 32.2% 29.8%

5,000 to 9,999 61.9% 51.6%

2,500 to 4,999 86.0% 69.4%

Under 2,500 95.7% 80.3%

Total 76.5% 64.1%

The above projections are based on 7,216 departments reporting on 

the first part of Question 25 and 7,082 reporting on the second part. 

See Tables 30-31.

Q. 25: Number of ladders/aerials in service. Number of buildings in community that 

are 4 or more stories in height. None, 1-5, 6-10, 11 or more

Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing

Table 32 (p. 75) indicates what percentage of emergency responders on a single shift are 

equipped with portable radios. Tables 33 and 34 (pp. 76-77) indicate what fractions of 

those radios are water-resistant and intrinsically safe in an explosive atmosphere, 

respectively. Finally, Table 35 (p. 78) indicates whether departments have reserve radios 

at least equal to 10% of the in-service radios. 
64

Figure 5 and Table O translates the results of Tables 32-34 into estimated percentages of 

emergency responders on a shift who lack radios and estimated percentages of radios that 

lack water-resistance or intrinsic safety in an explosive atmosphere. 

For communities of 1 million population, an estimated 18% of emergency responders on 

a shift lack radios. For communities of 10,000 to under 1 million population, roughly 

one-fourth (24-29%) of emergency responders on a shift are estimated to lack radios. 

The percentage without radios increases as community size decreases, reaching a 

majority of emergency responders on a shift (51%) lacking radios for communities with 

less than 2,500 population.

Table 35 is considered to speak for itself, without conversion. 

In the last two columns of Table O, the range indicates two approaches to the “Don’t 

Know” responses. The higher numbers assume that the “Don’t Know” responses are all 

cases of unrecognized need, because one would expect fire department managements to 

be aware if their radios have these sophisticated features. The lower numbers use the 

more conventional assumption that “Don’t Know” respondents look like the other 

respondents, so the former are statistically allocated over the latter.

Overall, roughly three-fifths of radios are not water-resistant and two-thirds are not 

intrinsically safe in an explosive atmosphere. 

From Table 35, two-fifths to half of departments in communities with at least 50,000 

population have sufficient reserve radios to replace at least 10% of in-service radios. 

This fraction falls with community size, reaching one-ninth for communities with less 

than 2,500 population.

Figure 5. Percent of Emergency Responders on a Shift 

Who Lack Radios

51%

47%

40%

29%

24%

23%

25%

28%

26%

18%

0 % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent
65

Table O. Emergency Responders on a Shift Who Lack Radios 

and Radios Lacking Water-Resistance or Intrinsic Safety 

in an Explosive Atmosphere

by Size of Community Protected (Q. 27a, 27b, 27c)

Percent of Radios Lacking

Population Protected

Percent of 

Emergency 

Responders on 

Shift

Lacking Radios

Water 

Resistance

Intrinsic Safety 

in Explosive 

Atmosphere

1,000,000 or more 18% 14-21% 36-46%

500,000 to 999,999 26% 38-40% 31-39%

250,000 to 499,999 28% 37-38% 48-53%

100,000 to 249,999 25% 45-48% 45-53%

50,000 to 99,999 23% 32-40% 38-48%

25,000 to 49,999 24% 38-45% 44-53%

10,000 to 24,999 29% 41-48% 51-61%

5,000 to 9,999 40% 50-57% 58-70%

2,500 to 4,999 47% 57-64% 64-77%

Under 2,500 51% 64-72% 69-84%

Total 45% 56-64% 61-76%

The above projections are based on 8,343 departments reporting on Question 

27a, 8,307 reporting on Question 27b, and 8,269 reporting on Question 27c. 

“Most” and “Some” are converted to 2/3 and 1/3. See Tables 32-34.

Q. 27a: How many of your emergency responders on-duty on a single shift can be equipped with 

portable radios? All, Most, Some, None

Q. 27b: How many of your portable radios are water-resistant? All, Most, Some, None

Q. 27c: How many of your portable radios are intrinsically safe in an explosive atmosphere? All, 

Most, Some, None

Table 36 (p. 79) estimates how many eme rgency responders on a shift or otherwise onduty are equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). 

Table 37 (p. 80) estimates what fraction of the SCBA units are at least 10 years old. 

The breakdown of need by community size is given in Figure 6 and Table P, in terms of 

percent of personnel on a shift who lack SCBA and percent of SCBA units that are at 

least 10 years old, both by size of community protected. 

The second-column percentages in Table P cannot be safely converted to number of 

needed SCBA units using Table A, because the need is for sufficient units to equip all 

personnel on a shift, and so the base required to apply the percentages is the number of 

personnel per shift, not the number per department, as given in Table A. This base is not 

known.
66

Figure 6. Percent of Firefighters per Shift Lacking 

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

48%

37%

26%

13%

7 %

3 %

2 %

2 %

2 %

0 %

0 % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent

Table P. Firefighters per Shift Lacking SCBA and 

SCBA Units At Least 10 Years Old, by Size of Community (Q. 28a, 28b)

Population Protected

Estimated Percent of 

Firefighters per Shift 

Not Equipped With 

SCBA

Estimated Percent of 

SCBA Units That Are 

At Least 10 Years Old

1,000,000 or more 0% 26%

500,000 to 999,999 2% 13%

250,000 to 499,999 2% 21%

100,000 to 249,999 2% 24%

50,000 to 99,999 3% 25%

25,000 to 49,999 7% 27%

10,000 to 24,999 13% 33%

5,000 to 9,999 26% 38%

2,500 to 4,999 37% 41%

Under 2,500 48% 53%

Total 36% 45%

The above projections are based on 8,346 departments reporting on Question 

28a and 8,303 reporting on Question 28b. “Most” and “Some” are converted to 

2/3 and 1/3. “Don’t Know” responses to Question 28b are proportionally 

allocated. See Tables 36-37.

Q. 28a: How many emergency responders on-duty on a single shift can be equipped with selfcontained breathing apparatus (SCBA)? All, Most, Some, None

Q. 28b: How many of your SCBA are 10 years old or older? All, Most, Some, None
67

For communities with at least 50,000 population, at most 3% of emergency responders on 

a shift in the average department need SCBA units. This rises to roughly half needing 

SCBA units in the average department protecting communities with less than 2,500 

population. 

For larger communities, roughly one-fourth of SCBA units are at least 10 years old, while 

for smaller communities, the fraction rises to one-half.

Table 38 (p. 81) indicates what fraction of emergency responders on a single shift are 

equipped with Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices. 

The breakdown of need is given in Figure 7 and Table Q, in terms of percent of personnel 

on a shift who lack PASS devices, by size of community protected. 

These percentages cannot be safely converted to number of needed PASS devices, using 

Table A, because the need is for sufficient units to equip all personnel on a shift, and so 

the base required to apply the percentages is the number of personnel per shift, not the 

number per department. This base is not known.

For communities with at least 50,000 population, at most 3% of emergency responders on 

a shift in the average department need PASS devices. 

This rises to one-eighth for communities with 10,000 to 24,999 population, one-fourth for 

communities with 5,000 to 9,999 population, two-fifths for communities with 2,500 to 

4,999 population, and roughly three-fifths needing PASS units in the average department 

protecting communities with less than 2,500 population. 

Figure 7. Percent of Emergency Responders per Shift Lacking 

Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) Devices

58%

40%

27%

13%

8 %

3 %

3 %

3 %

1 %

0 %

0 % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent
68

Table Q. Estimated Average Percent of Emergency Responders per Shift 

Not Provided With PASS Devices, by Size of Community (Q. 29)

Population Protected

Emergency 

Responders per Shift 

Not Provided with 

PASS Devices

1,000,000 or more 0%

500,000 to 999,999 1%

250,000 to 499,999 3%

100,000 to 249,999 3%

50,000 to 99,999 3%

25,000 to 49,999 8%

10,000 to 24,999 13%

5,000 to 9,999 27%

2,500 to 4,999 40%

Under 2,500 58%

Total 42%

The above projections are based on 8,326 

departments reporting on Question 29. “Most” and 

“Some” are converted to 2/3 and 1/3. See Table 

38.

Q. 29: How many of your emergency responders on-duty on 

a single shift are equipped with Personal Alert Safety 

System (PASS) devices? All, Most, Some, None

Table 39 (p. 82) indicate how many emergency responders are equipped with their own 

personal protective clothing. 

Here, the percentages can be applied to Table A, because all firefighters should have their 

own personal protective clothing. Using the simple estimation approach established 

earlier, it is estimated that 57,000 firefighters are not equipped with personal protective 

clothing. 

The breakdown by community size is shown in Figure 8 and Table R. For communities 

with at least 5,000 population, 0-3% of firefighters are estimated to lack personal 

protective clothing. For communities, with at least 500,000 population, none are 

estimated to lack personal protective clothing. 

For communities of 2,500 to 4,999 population, 5% of firefighters are estimated to lack 

personal protective clothing. For communities of less than 2,500 population, the 

percentage is 10%.
69

Figure 8. Estimated Percent of Firefighters Lacking 

Personal Protective Clothing

10%

5 %

3 %

1 %

1 %

1 %

1 %

2 %

0 %

0 %

0 % 2 % 4 % 6 % 8 % 10% 12%

Under 2,500

2,500 to 4,999

5,000 to 9,999

10,000 to 24,999

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 249,999

250,000 to 499,999

500,000 to 999,999

1,000,000 or more

Percent

Nearly all of the firefighters estimated to lack personal protective clothing are in fire 

departments that protect communities with less than 10,000 population. 

More specifically, communities with less than 2,500 population are estimated to account 

for 42,000 of the 57,000 unprotected firefighters (74% of the total). Communities with 

2,500 to 4,999 population are estimated to account for 8,000 of the 57,000 unprotected 

firefighters (13% of the total). And communities with 5,000 to 9,999 population are 

estimated to account for 4,000 of the 57,000 unprotected firefighters (7% of the total). 

The total for communities of less than 10,000 population is 95% of the total number of 

unprotected firefighters.

Except for odd results for communities of 250,000 to 499,999, in the average department 

protecting a community with at least 25,000 population, roughly one-sixth of the personal 

protective clothing is at least 10 years old. (See Table 40, p. 83.) This rises to nearly half 

for communities with less than 2,500 population.

Table 41 (p. 84) describes the extent to which departments have reserve protective 

clothing sufficient to equip 10% of responders. 

Apart from some volatile results for communities of 500,000 or more population, twothirds of the departments protecting communities with at least 100,000 population have 

reserve clothing sufficient to equip 10% of responders. 

This falls to three-fifths for communities of 25,000 to 99,999 population and falls further 

as community size shrinks, reaching one-third for communities with less than 2,500 

population.
70

Table R. Firefighters in Departments Where Not All Firefighters 

Are Equipped With Personal Protective Clothing and 

Percent of Personal Protective Clothing That Is At Least 10 Years Old

by Size of Community (Q. 30a, 30b)

Population Protected

Estimated Firefighters 

Lacking Personal 

Protective Clothing

Estimated Percent of 

Personal Protective 

Clothing That Is

At Least 10 Years Old

1,000,000 or more 0 7%

500,000 to 999,999 0 16%

250,000 to 499,999 0* 48%

100,000 to 249,999 0* 17-18%

50,000 to 99,999 0* 15-16%

25,000 to 49,999 1,000 19%

10,000 to 24,999 1,000 24%

5,000 to 9,999 4,000 30-31%

2,500 to 4,999 8,000 36%

Under 2,500 42,000 45%

Total 57,000 37-38%

* Rounds to zero but is not zero

The above projections are based on 8,394 departments reporting on Question 

30a and 8,364 reporting on Question 30b. “Most” and “Some” are converted to 

2/3 and 1/3. Ranges in the last column reflect the difference between allocating 

“Don’t Know” responses proportionally and treating them all as unmet need. 

Numbers are shown to nearest 1,000 and may not sum to totals because of 

rounding. See Tables 39-40.

Q. 30a: How many of your emergency responders are equipped with personal protective 

clothing? All, Most, Some, None

Q. 30b: How much of your personal protective clothing is at least 10 years old? All, Most, Some, 

None
71

Table 28

Number of Fire Stations and Selected Characteristics

by Community Size

(Q. 23)

Average Percent Percent Stations Percent Stations

Population Number Stations Over Having Equipped for

of Community of Stations 40 Years Old Backup Power Exhaust Control

1,000,000 or more 75.80 43.4% 51.2% 55.3%

500,000 to 999,999 38.91 34.1 69.6 47.0

250,000 to 499,999 20.53 46.4 60.4 56.1

100,000 to 249,999 10.72 25.4 64.6 49.6

50,000 to 99,999 5.35 28.8 69.1 54.4

25,000 to 49,999 3.36 31.0 65.5 45.5

10,000 to 24,999 2.98 23.2 42.3 20.0

5,000 to 9,999 1.53 34.0 47.1 17.6

2,500 to 4,999 1.34 35.1 37.3 7.5

Under 2,500 1.20 34.2 28.3 8.3

Total 1.84 31.9 43.3 21.9

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 6,420 departments answering all four parts of Question 23. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 23: Number of fire stations, number over 40 years old, number having backup power, number 

equipped for exhaust emission control (e.g., diesel exhaust extraction).
72

Table 29

Average Number of Engines/Pumpers and Ambulances* in Service

and Age of Engine/Pumper Apparatus

by Community Size

(Q. 24, 26)

Population

of Community

Average

Number of

Engines

Engines

0-14 

Years Old

Engines

15-19 

Years Old

Engines

20-29

Years Old

Engines

30 or More

Years Old

Average 

Number of 

Ambulances*

1,000,000 or more 91.11 71.11 12.22 7.78 0.00 23.86

500,000 to 999,999 47.10 38.03 7.06 2.39 0.19 15.58

250,000 to 499,999 26.96 20.59 4.41 1.23 0.73 6.69

100,000 to 249,999 13.75 10.63 2.05 0.84 0.20 3.75

50,000 to 99,999 6.94 4.97 1.15 0.58 0.21 2.47

25,000 to 49,999 4.99 3.38 0.82 0.54 0.18 1.71

10,000 to 24,999 3.67 2.23 0.63 0.64 0.15 1.05

5,000 to 9,999 3.06 1.63 0.56 0.61 0.26 0.65

2,500 to 4,999 2.69 1.21 0.44 0.67 0.36 0.44

Under 2,500 2.32 0.82 0.36 0.64 0.51 0.32

Total 3.09 1.55 0.50 0.65 0.39 0.64

* “Ambulances” include other patient transport vehicles.

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown, except for the last column, is based on 4,769 departments 

answering all parts of Question 24. The last column is based on 7,968 departments answering 

Question 26.

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 24: Number of engines/pumpers in service, number 0-14 years old, number 15-19 years old, 

number 20-29 years old, number 30 or more years old, number unknown age.

Q. 26: Number of ambulances or other patient transport vehicles.
73

Table 30

Number of Ladders/Aerials In-Service, by Community Size

(Q. 25)

For Departments Protecting Populations of 250,000 or More, Percent of Departments With

No 20 or More

Population of Ladders/ 1-5 Ladders/ 6-9 Ladders/ 10-19 Ladders/ Aerials/

Community Aerials Aerials Aerials Aerials Ladders Total

1,000,000 or more 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 30.0% 70.0% 100.0%

 500,000 to 999,999 0.0 15.7 28.1 46.9 9.4 100.0%

 250,000 to 499,999 2.1 59.6 19.1 14.9 4.3 100.0%

For Departments Protecting Populations of Less Than 250,000, Percent of Departments With

No 5 or More

Population of Ladders/ 1 Ladder/ 2 Ladders/ 3-4 Ladders/ Ladders/

Community Aerials Aerial Aerials Aerials Aerials Total

 100,000 to 249,999 3.4% 21.6% 25.0% 31.3% 18.8% 100.0%

 50,000 to 99,999 9.3 39.6 33.9 15.8 1.4 100.0%

 25,000 to 49,999 13.7 59.4 23.3 3.6 0.0 100.0%

 10,000 to 24,999 32.2 60.1 7.2 0.5 0.0 100.0%

 5,000 to 9,999 61.9 36.2 1.7 0.0 0.0 100.0%

 2,500 to 4,999 86.0 13.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 100.0%

Under 2,500 95.7 4.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 100.0%

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown is based on 7,216 departments reporting on Question 25. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.
74

Table 31

Number of Buildings in Community That Are 4 or More Stories in Height

by Community Size

(Q. 25)

Number of Buildings

None 1 to 5 6 to 9 10 or more Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 2.6 37 97.4 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 3.1 62 96.9 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 5 2.3 27 12.6 20 9.3 163 75.8 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 43 8.8 100 20.5 71 14.6 273 56.1 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 159 15.1 316 30.0 202 19.2 377 35.8 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 847 29.8 1,004 35.3 562 19.8 430 15.2 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,871 51.6 1,146 31.6 355 9.8 258 7.1 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,173 69.4 1,083 23.7 201 4.4 115 2.5 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 10,794 80.3 2,337 17.4 200 1.5 109 0.8 13,440 100.0

Total 16,893 64.1 6,013 22.8 1,611 6.1 1,836 7.0 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 7,082 departments reporting on Question 25. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.
75

Table 32

How Many of Department's Emergency Responders

on a Single Shift Are Equipped With Portable Radios?

by Community Size

(Q. 27a)

All Most Some None Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 1 7.7% 3 23.1% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 16 42.1 14 36.8 8 21.1 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 27 42.2 20 31.3 17 26.6 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 99 46.0 68 31.6 48 22.3 0 0.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 233 47.8 171 35.1 83 17.0 0 0.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 508 48.2 329 31.3 211 20.0 5 0.5 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,217 42.8 754 26.5 858 30.2 14 0.5 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 973 26.8 950 26.2 1,688 46.5 18 0.5 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 846 18.5 1,074 23.5 2,589 56.6 64 1.4 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 2,099 15.6 3,010 22.4 7,456 55.5 875 6.5 13,440 100.0

Total 6,026 22.9 6,392 24.3 12,959 49.2 976 3.6 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,343 departments reporting on Question 27a. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 27a: How many of your emergency responders on-duty on a single shift can be equipped with portable radios?
76

Table 33

What Fraction of Department’s Portable Radios Are Water-Resistant?

by Community Size

(Q. 27b)

All Most Some None Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 77.0% 0 0.0% 1 7.7% 1 7.7% 1 7.7% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 15 39.5 8 21.1 8 21.1 6 15.8 1 2.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 31 48.4 8 12.5 11 17.2 13 20.3 1 1.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 85 39.5 27 12.6 23 10.7 67 31.1 13 6.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 232 47.6 68 14.0 52 10.7 83 17.0 52 10.7 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 441 42.1 149 14.2 116 11.1 227 21.7 115 10.9 1,048 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 994 35.1 530 18.7 349 12.3 614 21.7 343 12.1 2,829 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 968 26.8 574 15.9 597 16.5 973 27.0 498 13.8 3,611 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 888 19.7 715 15.9 755 16.8 1,401 31.1 750 16.6 4,508 100.0

Under 2,500 2,145 17.1 1,352 10.8 1,962 15.6 4,173 33.2 2,928 23.3 12,565 100.0

Total 5,808 22.9 3,431 13.5 3,875 14.3 7,560 29.8 4,705 18.5 25,378 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,307 departments reporting on Question 27b. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 27b: How many of your portable radios are water-resistant?
77

Table 34

What Fraction of Department’s Portable Radios

Are Intrinsically Safe in an Explosive Atmosphere?

by Community Size

(Q. 27c)

All Most Some None Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 4 30.8% 3 23.1% 3 23.1% 1 7.7% 2 15.4% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 18 47.4 5 13.2 6 15.8 5 13.2 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 18 28.1 11 17.2 15 23.4 14 21.8 6 9.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 77 35.8 22 10.2 33 15.3 53 24.7 30 14.4 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 199 40.9 48 9.9 61 12.5 100 20.5 79 16.2 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 360 34.4 134 12.8 141 13.4 240 22.9 173 16.5 1,048 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 737 26.0 337 11.9 404 14.3 737 26.0 615 21.7 2,829 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 691 19.1 367 10.1 489 13.6 1,049 29.1 1,015 28.1 3,611 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 621 13.8 366 8.1 566 12.6 1,361 30.2 1,594 35.4 4,508 100.0

Under 2,500 1,210 9.6 745 5.9 1,174 9.3 3,243 25.8 6,194 49.3 12,565 100.0

Total 3,935 15.5 2,035 8.0 2,891 11.4 6,805 26.8 9,712 38.3 25,378 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,269 departments reporting on Question 27c. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 27c: How many of your portable radios are intrinsically safe in an explosive atmosphere?
78

Table 35

Does Department Have Reserve Portable Radios

Equal to or Greater Than 10% of In-Service Radios?

by Community Size

(Q. 27d)

Yes No Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 6 46.2% 6 46.2% 1 7.6% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 17 44.7 17 44.7 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 26 40.6 34 53.1 4 6.3 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 95 44.2 116 54.0 4 1.8 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 207 42.5 272 55.9 8 1.6 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 390 37.3 646 61.6 12 1.1 1,048 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 863 30.5 1,915 67.7 52 1.8 2,829 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 723 20.0 2,829 78.4 58 1.6 3,611 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 727 16.1 3,660 81.2 122 2.7 4,508 100.0

Under 2,500 1,486 11.8 10,544 83.9 540 4.3 12,565 100.0

Total 4,538 17.9 20,035 78.9 804 3.2 25,378 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,288 departments reporting on Question 27d. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 27d: Do you have reserve portable radios equal to or greater than 10% of your in-service 

radios?
79

Table 36

How Many Emergency Responders

on a Single Shift Are Equipped With

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)?

by Community Size

(Q. 28a)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 36 94.7 2 5.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 61 95.3 3 4.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 204 94.8 7 3.4 4 1.7 0 0.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 448 92.0 31 6.3 8 1.7 0 0.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 877 83.3 145 13.8 31 2.9 0 0.0 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,925 67.7 729 25.6 186 6.6 2 0.1 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,502 41.4 1,473 40.6 651 17.9 3 0.1 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,105 24.2 1,938 42.4 1,503 32.9 26 0.6 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 1,750 13.0 4,451 33.1 6,945 51.7 293 2.2 13,440 100.0

Total 7,920 30.0 8,783 33.3 9,327 35.3 324 1.2 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,346 departments reporting on Question 28a. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 28a: How many emergency responders on-duty on a single shift can be equipped with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)?
80

Table 37

How Much of Department’s

SCBA Equipment Is At Least 10 Years Old?

by Community Size

(Q. 28b)

All Most Some None Don’t Know Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 0 0.0% 1 10.0% 3 20.0% 8 60.0% 1 10.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 0 0.0 3 7.9 6 15.8 28 73.7 1 2.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 2 3.1 8 12.5 11 17.2 41 64.0 2 3.1 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 13 6.0 22 10.2 72 33.4 108 50.2 1 0.6 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 32 6.6 50 10.2 145 29.8 252 51.7 8 1.6 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 82 7.8 109 10.4 361 34.3 492 46.8 9 0.8 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 253 8.9 498 17.5 967 34.0 1,109 39.0 16 0.6 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 422 11.6 689 19.0 1,359 37.4 1,115 30.7 44 1.2 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 603 13.2 958 20.9 1,803 39.4 1,177 25.7 32 0.7 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 3,272 24.3 2,940 21.9 4,507 33.5 2,460 18.3 260 1.9 13,440 100.0

Total 4,682 17.8 5,280 20.0 9,237 35.0 6,782 25.7 373 1.4 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,303 departments reporting on Question 28b. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 28b: How many of your self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are 10 years old or older?
81

Table 38

What Fraction of Emergency Responders on a Single Shift 

Are Equipped With Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) Devices?

by Community Size

(Q. 29)

Population

of Community

All

Number

of Depts Percent

Most

Number 

of Depts Percent

Some

Number 

of Depts Percent

None

Number

of Depts Percent

Total

Number

of Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 37 97.4 1 2.6 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 61 95.3 2 3.2 0 0.0 1 1.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 206 96.0 2 1.1 4 1.7 3 1.2 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 450 92.3 27 5.5 9 1.9 1 0.3 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 902 85.6 90 8.5 36 3.4 25 2.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,112 74.3 417 14.7 233 8.2 81 2.9 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,836 50.6 898 24.7 629 17.3 266 7.3 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,578 34.5 1,120 24.5 1,244 27.2 631 13.8 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 2,827 21.0 2,352 17.5 3,916 29.1 4,345 32.3 13,440 100.0

Total 10,018 38.0 4,909 18.6 6,073 23.0 5,353 20.3 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,326 departments reporting on Question 29. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 29: How many of your emergency responders on-duty on a single shift are equipped with Personal Alert Safety System (PASS) devices?
82

Table 39

What Fraction of Emergency Responders

Are Equipped With Personal Protective Clothing?

by Community Size

(Q. 30a)

Population

of Community

All

Number

Depts Percent

Most

Number 

Depts Percent

Some

Number 

Depts Percent

None

Number

Depts Percent

Total

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 61 95.3 3 4.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 211 98.2 4 1.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 480 98.6 6 1.2 0 0.0 1 0.3 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 1,036 98.4 14 1.3 2 0.2 2 0.2 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,754 96.9 81 2.8 6 0.2 2 0.1 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 3,302 91.0 294 8.1 26 0.7 8 0.2 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 4,050 88.6 413 9.0 97 2.1 11 0.3 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 10,372 77.2 2,174 16.2 803 6.0 90 0.7 13,440 100.0

Total 22,319 84.7 2,986 11.3 934 3.5 115 0.4 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,394 departments reporting on Question 30a. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 30a: How many of your emergency responders are equipped with personal protective clothing?
83

Table 40

How Much of Department’s Personal 

Protective Clothing Is At Least 10 Years Old?

by Community Size

(Q. 30b)

All Most Some None Don’t Know Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 3 20.0% 10 80.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 1 3.1 0 0.0 14 37.5 23 59.4 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 0 0.0 29 45.2 35 54.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 4 1.9 5 2.3 89 41.3 115 53.5 2 0.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 5 1.1 15 3.0 170 34.9 290 59.6 7 1.4 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 19 1.8 64 6.1 404 38.4 560 53.2 5 0.5 1,051 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 71 2.5 268 9.4 1,301 45.8 1,193 42.0 8 0.3 2,841 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 153 4.2 537 14.8 1,751 48.4 1,168 32.3 13 0.4 3,621 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 271 5.9 924 20.3 2,243 49.2 1,100 24.1 23 0.5 4,561 100.0

Under 2,500 1,615 12.1 3,733 28.0 5,585 41.8 2,360 17.7 55 0.4 13,350 100.0

Total 2,138 8.1 5,549 21.1 11,590 44.2 6,847 26.1 115 0.4 26,239 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,364 departments reporting on Question 30b. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 30b: How much of your personal protective clothing is at least 10 years old?
84

Table 41

Does Department Have Reserve Protective Clothing 

Sufficient to Equip 10% of Emergency Responders?

by Community Size

(Q. 30c)

Yes No Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 80.0% 3 20.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 20 51.5 18 48.5 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 43 67.5 19 30.0 2 2.5 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 143 66.5 70 32.4 2 1.2 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 300 61.5 180 37.1 7 1.4 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 598 57.2 424 40.5 24 2.3 1,051 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,392 49.0 1,406 49.5 43 1.5 2,841 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,412 39.0 2,169 59.9 40 1.1 3,621 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,600 35.1 2,901 63.6 59 1.3 4,561 100.0

Under 2,500 4,272 32.0 8,730 65.4 347 2.6 13,350 100.0

Total 9,760 37.2 15,953 60.8 525 2.0 26,239 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,355 departments reporting on Question 30c. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 30c: Do you have reserve personal protective clothing sufficient to equip 10% of your 

emergency responders?
85

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT

Table 42 (p. 87) indicates what fraction of departments can communicate by radio at 

incident scenes with their Federal, state or local partners. Interestingly, the percentage 

who can declines as the size of the department increases, the reverse of every other 

question so far. Specifically, only three-fifths of departments serving communities of 

1,000,000 or more population can communicate with partners. This rises to two-thirds 

for communities with 100,000 to 499,999 population, to three-fourths for communities 

with 5,000 to 99,999 population, and to four-fifths for communities with less than 5,000 

population.

Table 43 (p. 88) indicates what fraction of partners departments can communicate with, 

for those departments that indicated in the previous question tha t they can communicate 

with partners. Responses were similar across all community sizes, with two-fifths saying 

they can communicate with all partners, nearly half saying they can communicate with 

most partners, and one-sixth saying they can communicate only with some partners.

Tables 44 and 45 (pp. 89-90) collectively address the ability of fire departments to access 

a map coordinate system with sufficient standardization of format to provide effective 

functionality in directing the movements of emergency response partners.

Table 44 indicates that nearly half of all fire departments have no map coordinate system. 

This is a problem particularly for smaller communities, up to 99,999 population. About 

one-seventh of communities with at least 500,000 population have no map coordinate 

system.

Table 45 indicates that the vast majority of departments with a map coordinate system 

have only a local system, which means the system they have is unlikely to be usable with 

global positioning systems (GPS) or familiar to, or easily used by, non-local emergency 

response partners, such as Urban Search and Rescue Teams, the National Guard, and 

state or national response forces. Moreover, interoperability of spatial-based information 

systems, equipment, and procedures will likely be rendered impossible beyond the local 

community under these circumstances. This reliance almost exclusively on local systems 

exists across-the-board, in all sizes of communities.

Table 46 (p. 91) indicates the use of 911 type telephone communication systems. Onequarter (25%) of departments have 911 Basic (32% of rural fire departments, protecting 

less than 2,500 population). About two-thirds (69%) have 911 Enhanced (59% of rural 

fire departments). Less than 1% have some other, unspecified 3-digit system. And 6% 

have no system with a special 3-digit number (8% of rural fire departments).

Table 47 (p. 92) indicates who has primary responsibility for dispatch operations. 

Overall, only one department in 12 (8.7%) has that responsibility lodged with the fire 

department, but the percentage goes up sharply with the size of the community. It is only 
86

6-8% for communities with less than 10,000 population but rises to 80% for communities 

of at least 1 million population.

Roughly one-third (32.5%) have responsibility lodged with the police department, and 

that is fairly consistent until the size of community reaches 250,000 or more. Overall, 

1.8% have responsibility lodged with a private company. 

Another one-third (34.3%) have responsibility lodged with a combined public safety 

agency, and that is fairly consistent until the size of community reaches 500,000 or more, 

where the percentage drops. And the other one-fifth to one-fourth (22.7%) have some 

other arrangement.

Table 48 (p. 93) indicates whether there is a backup dispatch facility. Two of every five 

departments (40%) say no. The percentage without such a facility is 47% for 

departments protecting less than 2,500 population, 35% for departments protecting 2,500 

to 4,999 population, 28-31% for departments protecting 5,000 to 99,999 population, and 

23-27% for the larger communities, except for those protecting 250,000 to 499,999 

population, where the percentage without was 33%.

Table 49 (p. 94) indicates whether there is Internet access for the department. The 

overall percentage of departments with access is 58%, but the percentages are much 

higher for departments protecting 5,000 or more population. 

Table 50 (p. 95) indicates what kind of access departments have. Roughly half (49.8%) 

of departments with access have it at the department’s only fire station. Another 11.4% 

have individual access for all personnel. Another 10.3% have access at each of their 

several fire stations, and 15.1% have access only at headquarters despite having multiple 

fire stations. The rest (13.5%) have some other arrangement.
87

Table 42

Can Department Communicate by Radio at an Incident Scene 

With Federal, State or Local Partners?

by Community Size

(Q. 31a)

Yes No Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

of Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 8 61.5% 5 38.5% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 24 63.1 12 31.6 2 5.3 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 44 68.8 20 31.2 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 142 66.0 63 29.3 10 4.7 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 362 74.4 107 22.0 18 3.6 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 741 70.4 279 26.5 32 3.1 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,060 72.5 708 24.9 75 2.6 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,734 75.3 792 21.8 103 2.8 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,617 79.1 803 17.6 152 3.3 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 11,034 82.1 1,881 14.0 523 3.9 13,440 100.0

Total 20,768 78.9 4,670 17.7 915 3.5 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,370 departments reporting on Question 31a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 31a: Can you communicate by radio on an incident scene with your federal, state and local 

emergency response partners (includes frequency compatability)?
88

Table 43

For Departments That Can Communicate With Partners at an Incident Scene

What Fraction of Partners Can They Communicate With?

by Community Size

(Q. 31b)

All Most Some Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 3 37.5% 0 0.0% 5 62.5% 8 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 10 41.7 10 41.7 4 16.6 24 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 14 31.8 22 50.0 8 18.1 44 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 57 40.1 63 44.3 22 15.5 142 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 133 36.7 152 42.0 77 21.3 362 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 274 37.0 320 43.2 147 19.9 741 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 729 35.4 987 47.9 344 16.7 2,060 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,080 39.5 1,241 45.4 413 15.1 2,734 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,367 37.8 1,649 45.6 600 16.6 3,617 100.0

Under 2,500 4,336 39.3 4,855 44.0 1,854 16.8 11,034 100.0

Total 7,992 39.8 9,283 46.3 3,467 17.3 20,786 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 6,405 departments reporting yes to 

Question 31a and also reporting on Question 31b. Numbers may not add to 

totals due to rounding.

Q. 31b: If [you can communicate by radio on an incident scene with your federal, state, and local 

emergency response partners], how many of your partners can you communicate with at an 

incident scene?
89

Table 44

Does Department Have a Map Coordinate System

to Help Direct Emergency Response Partners?

by Community Size

(Q. 32a)

Yes No Don’t Know Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 76.9% 3 23.1% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 32 84.2 5 13.2 1 2.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 45 70.3 19 29.7 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 154 71.6 58 27.0 3 1.4 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 267 53.4 217 44.6 9 1.9 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 526 49.9 519 49.3 9 0.8 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,223 43.0 1,567 55.1 52 1.8 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,770 48.8 1,796 49.5 62 1.7 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,391 52.3 2,080 45.5 101 2.2 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 7,734 57.5 5,383 40.1 322 2.4 13,440 100.0

Total 14,154 53.7 11,641 44.2 559 2.1 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,344 departments reporting on Question 32a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 32a: Do you have a map coordinate system you would use to help direct your emergency 

response partners to specific locations?
90

Table 45

For Departments That Have a Map Coordinate System

What System Do They Use?

by Community Size

(Q. 32b)

State

Longitude/ Military Plane

Latitude Local Grid Coordinate Other Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 1 10.0% 9 90.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 10 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 3 9.4 29 90.6 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 32 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 6 13.3 39 86.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 45 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 7 4.5 134 87.1 0 0.0 9 5.8 4 2.6 154 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 30 11.2 224 84.0 3 1.0 5 1.9 5 1.9 267 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 45 8.6 446 84.8 2 0.3 9 1.7 24 4.6 526 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 106 8.7 1,064 86.9 10 0.8 13 1.1 31 2.5 1,223 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 214 12.1 1,473 83.2 12 0.7 12 0.7 57 3.2 1,770 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 237 9.9 2,020 84.5 29 1.2 31 1.3 74 3.1 2,391 100.0

Under 2,500 595 7.7 6,652 86.1 69 0.9 85 1.1 325 4.2 7,734 100.0

Total 1,251 8.8 12,084 85.4 124 0.8 162 1.1 520 3.7 14,154 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 4,327 departments reporting yes to Questions 32a and also reporting on Question 32b. Numbers may not 

add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 32b: If [you have a map coordinate system you would use to help direct your emergency response partners to specific locations], what system 

do you use? “Local system” includes map grid, street address, and box alarm number.
91

Table 46

Does Department Have 911 or Similar System?

by Community Size

(Q. 33)

Yes – 911 

Basic

Yes – 911 

Enhanced

Yes – Other 

3-Digit 

System

No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number 

Depts Percent

Number 

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 1 7.7% 12 92.3% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 2 5.3 36 94.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 6 9.3 59 90.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 14 6.5 199 92.6 1 0.5 1 0.5 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 25 5.1 462 94.9 0 0.0 0 0.0 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 106 10.1 937 88.9 3 0.3 7 0.6 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 420 14.8 2,378 83.6 6 0.2 40 1.4 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 700 19.3 2,799 77.1 5 0.1 125 3.4 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,076 23.5 3,274 71.6 6 0.1 215 4.7 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 4,342 32.3 7,915 58.9 65 0.5 1,117 8.3 13,440 100.0

Total 6,697 25.4 18,064 68.6 87 0.3 1,504 5.7 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,358 reporting on Question 33. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 33: Do you have 911 or similar system?
92

Table 47 

Who Has Primary Responsibility for Dispatch Operations?

by Community Size

(Q. 34a)

Fire Police Private Combined Public

Department Department Company Safety Agency Other Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 76.9% 2 15.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 1 7.7% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 25 65.8 3 7.9 0 0.0 6 15.8 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 25 39.1 10 15.7 0 0.0 21 32.8 8 12.5 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 66 30.6 66 30.6 1 0.5 62 28.9 20 9.3 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 90 18.5 169 34.7 13 2.8 154 31.7 60 12.4 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 158 15.0 366 34.7 9 1.8 376 35.7 145 13.7 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 343 12.1 1,079 38.0 64 2.2 880 30.9 477 16.8 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 223 6.2 1,189 32.8 70 1.9 1,308 36.1 839 23.1 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 328 7.2 1,348 29.5 86 1.9 1,714 37.5 1,095 23.9 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 1,022 7.6 4,342 32.3 228 1.7 4,523 33.7 3,324 24.7 13,440 100.0

Total 2,293 8.7 8,572 32.5 470 1.8 9,044 34.3 5,972 22.7 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown and projections are based on 8,334 reporting on Question 34a. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 34a: Who has primary responsibility for dispatch operations?
93

Table 48

Does Department Have a Backup Dispatch Facility?

by Community Size

(Q. 34b)

Yes No Total

Population 

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 76.9% 3 23.1% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 28 73.7 10 26.3 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 43 67.2 21 32.8 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 157 73.0 58 27.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 338 69.4 149 30.6 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 759 72.1 294 27.9 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,994 70.1 849 29.9 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,504 69.0 1,125 31.0 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,960 64.7 1,612 35.3 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 7,145 53.2 6,295 46.8 13,440 100.0

Total 15,940 60.5 10,414 39.5 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 7,239 departments reporting on Question 34a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 34a: Who has primary responsibility for dispatch operations?
94

Table 49

Does Department Have Internet Access?

by Community Size

(Q. 35a)

Yes No Total

Population 

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 64 100.0 0 0.0 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 211 98.1 4 1.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 471 96.7 16 3.3 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 981 93.2 72 6.8 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,480 87.3 362 12.7 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,755 75.9 874 24.1 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,863 62.6 1,709 37.4 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 5,472 40.7 7,968 59.3 13,440 100.0

Total 15,347 58.2 11,007 41.8 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above table breakdown and projections are based on 8,302 departments reporting on 

Question 35a. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 35a: Does your department have Internet access?
95

Table 50

For Departments That Have Internet Access

What Kind of Access Do They Have?

by Community Size

(Q. 35b)

All Personnel One Access Point One Access Access at

Have Individual per Station – Point at the Headquarters –

Access Multiple Stations Only Station Multiple Stations Other Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 1 7.7% 4 30.8% 0 0.0% 4 30.8% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 8 21.0 17 44.7 0 0.0 9 23.7 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 12 18.8 23 35.9 0 0.0 21 32.8 8 12.5 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 63 29.9 86 40.8 0 0.0 52 24.5 11 5.3 211 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 132 28.0 163 34.6 0 0.0 155 32.8 21 4.6 471 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 253 25.8 256 26.1 102 10.4 293 29.9 77 7.8 981 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 389 15.7 459 18.5 806 32.5 692 27.9 134 5.4 2,480 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 300 10.9 237 8.6 1,623 58.9 424 15.4 174 6.3 2,755 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 195 6.8 146 5.1 1,918 67.0 298 10.4 309 10.8 2,863 100.0

Under 2,500 389 7.1 180 3.3 3,195 58.4 361 6.6 1,340 24.5 5,472 100.0

Total 1,734 11.4 1,562 10.3 7,590 49.8 2,299 15.1 2,060 13.5 15,347 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,482 departments reporting yes to Question 35a and also reporting on Question 35b. Numbers may not add

to totals due to rounding.

Q. 35b: If [your department has Internet access], describe the access you have.
96
97

ABILITY TO HANDLE UNUSUALLY CHALLENGING INCIDENTS

Questions 36-39 were designed to check the capabilities of fire departments, in 

communities of various sizes, to handle unusually severe and challenging incidents, only 

one of which involved a fire. These have to do with the increasingly important first 

responder role of fire departments. 

In addition to asking whether such incidents were within the department’s scope, the 

survey asked whether fire departments could handle such incidents with local personnel 

and equipment and whether a plan existed to support effective coordination with nonlocal resources and partners.

Technical Rescue and EMS at Structural Collapse With 50 Occupants

Table 51 (p. 110) indicates whether a technical rescue with EMS at a structural collapse 

of a building with 50 occupants is within the scope of the department. 

Affirmative answers become less likely as the size of the department shrinks, so that less 

than half the fire departments protecting rural communities (less than 2,500 population) 

answered affirmatively, while all of the largest departments (those protecting at least 

500,000 population) did. 

Tables 52-54 (pp. 111-113) address, for the departments that consider such a rescue 

within their scope, how far they have to go for people and equipment and whether they 

have a plan, respectively. 

By combining Table 51 with Tables 52-54, one can obtain an even better indication of 

different types of department needs to address such incidents, as seen in Tables S to U. 

In Tables S to U, the rightmost column reproduces the “No, not within scope” statistics 

from Table 51. The other columns are produced by multiplying the columns from Tables 

52-54, respectively, by the “Yes, within scope” statistics from Table 51.

For communities with at least 5,000 but less than 500,000 population, the majority of fire 

departments will look elsewhere for at least some of the specially trained people they 

would need. 

In the smaller communities, most departments that consider such an incident within their 

scope would need non-local personnel, but they do not constitute a majority of 

departments because so many departments do not consider such incidents within their 

scope. For communities of 10,000 to 24,999 population, 27% of departments do not 

consider an incident such as this to be within their scope. For communities of 5,000 to 

9,999 population, the percentage of departments considering such an incident outside 

their scope rises to 32%, and to 39% for communities of 2,500 to 4,999 population. For 

communities with less than 2,500 population, the majority of departments (56%) consider 

such an incident outside their scope.
98

Table S. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident,

Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With Specialized Training, 

and Size of Community (Q. 36b)

Can Department Handle Technical Rescue with EMS at 

Structural Collapse of a Building with 50 Occupants?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Trained 

People

Yes But Need NonLocal Trained 

People

No, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 91% 9% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 63% 37% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 42% 46% 12%

100,000 to 249,999 25% 61% 14%

50,000 to 99,999 17% 66% 17%

25,000 to 49,999 12% 70% 18%

10,000 to 24,999 11% 62% 27%

5,000 to 9,999 13% 55% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 13% 48% 39%

Under 2,500 10% 35% 56%

Total 11% 45% 44%

The above projections are based on 8,268 departments reporting on Question 

36a and 5,146 reporting on Question 36b. See Tables 51 and 52.

Q. 36b: If [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse is 

within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with 

specialized training for this incident?

Except for communities with 500,000 or more population, at least half of fire 

departments must look elsewhere for at least some of the specialized equipment they 

would need – except for communities with less than 2,500 population, where the majority 

of departments do not consider an incident like this within their scope. For communities 

with less than 2,500 population, the majority of departments (56%) consider such an 

incident outside their scope.

For communities with 1 million or more population, 77% of departments will handle such 

an incident and require only locally available equipment. The percentage is 63% for 

communities with 500,000 to 999,999 population, 37% for communities with 250,000 to 

499,999 population, and 25% for communities with 100,000 to 249,999 population.

For communities with 10,000 to 99,999 population, 63-70% of fire departments will look 

elsewhere for specialized equipment, and 17-27% will not be looking because such an 

incident is not within their scope. Only 10-17% consider such an incident within their 

scope and are prepared to address it with only locally available equipment.
99

Table T. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized Equipment, 

and Size of Community (Q. 36c)

Can Department Handle Technical Rescue with EMS

at Structural Collapse of a Building with 50 Occupants?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Equipment

Yes But Need NonLocal EquipmentNo, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 77% 23% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 63% 37% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 37% 51% 12%

100,000 to 249,999 25% 61% 14%

50,000 to 99,999 17% 66% 17%

25,000 to 49,999 12% 70% 18%

10,000 to 24,999 10% 63% 27%

5,000 to 9,999 12% 56% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 11% 50% 39%

Under 2,500 9% 35% 56%

Total 11% 46% 44%

The above table breakdown and projections are based on 8,268 departments 

reporting on Question 36a and 5,083 reporting on Question 36c. See Tables 

51and 53.

Q. 36c: If [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse is 

within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized 

equipment to handle this incident?

At least 64% of departments protecting communities of less than 50,000 population either 

would not consider such an incident within their scope or do not have a written 

agreement in place to obtain and use resources in a timely, efficient and effective manner 

for such an incident. 

Many departments that consider such an incident within their scope have no agreement of 

any kind.

Written agreements are in place for 92% of communities with at least 1 million 

population, for 58% of communities with 500,000 to 999,999 population, for 67% of 

communities with 250,000 to 499,999 population, for roughly half (47-50%) of 

communities with 50,000 to 249,999 population.

Written agreements are in place for only one-third (30-36%) of communities with 10,000 

to 49,999 population, only one-fourth (23%) of communities with 5,000 to 9,999 

population, only one-fifth (18%) of communities with 2,500 to 4,999 population, and 

only one-twelfth (13%) of communities with less than 2,500 population.
100

Table U. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident,

Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources, 

and Size of Community (Q. 36d)

Can Department Handle Technical Rescue with EMS

at Structural Collapse of a Building with 50 Occupants?

Population Protected

Yes –

Written 

Agreement

Yes – But 

Not Written 

Yes – But 

No Plan

No, Not 

Within 

Scope

1,000,000 or more 92% 8% 0% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 58% 42% 0% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 67% 22% 0% 12%

100,000 to 249,999 50% 30% 6% 14%

50,000 to 99,999 47% 29% 8% 17%

25,000 to 49,999 36% 33% 13% 18%

10,000 to 24,999 30% 32% 12% 27%

5,000 to 9,999 23% 33% 12% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 18% 30% 14% 39%

Under 2,500 13% 21% 11% 56%

Total 19% 26% 11% 44%

The above table breakdown and projections are based on 8,268 departments 

reporting on Question 36a and 5,090 reporting on Question 36d. See Tables 51 

and 54.

Q. 36d: If [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse is 

within your department’s scope], do you have a plan for working with others on this type of 

incident?

Hazmat and EMS for Incident Involving Chemical/Biological Agents 

and 10 Injuries

Table 55 indicates whether hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/ 

biological agents and 10 injuries is within the scope of the department. (Note that 

casualty counts of 100 to 1,000 are not unusual in chemical/biological agent weapons of 

mass destruction.) 

Affirmative answers become less likely as the size of the department shrinks, so that less 

than half the fire departments protecting rural communities (less than 2,500 population) 

answered affirmatively, while all of the largest departments (those protecting at least 

500,000 population) did.

Tables 56-58 address, for the departments that consider such an incident within their 

scope, how far they have to go for people and equipment and whether they have a plan, 

respectively. 
101

By combining Table 55 with Tables 56-58, one can obtain an even better indication of 

different types of department needs to address such incidents, as seen in Tables V to X.

In Tables V to X, the rightmost column reproduces the “No, not within scope” statistics 

from Table 55. The other columns are produced by multiplying the columns from Tables 

56-58, respectively, by the “Yes, within scope” statistics from Table 55.

Table V. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With Specialized Training, 

and Size of Community (Q. 37b)

Can Department Handle a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Trained 

People

Yes But Need 

Non-Local 

Trained People

No, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 100% 0% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 90% 11% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 73% 25% 2%

100,000 to 249,999 56% 37% 7%

50,000 to 99,999 33% 59% 8%

25,000 to 49,999 27% 58% 16%

10,000 to 24,999 18% 59% 24%

5,000 to 9,999 14% 54% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 11% 49% 40%

Under 2,500 9% 37% 53%

Total 13% 45% 42%

The above table breakdown and projections are based on 8,250 departments 

reporting on Question 37a and 5,292 reporting on Question 37b. See Tables 55 

and 56.

Q. 37b: If [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries is 

within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with 

specialized training for this incident?

Except for communities with 100,000 or more population, the majority of fire 

departments will look elsewhere for at least some of the specially trained people they 

would need – except for communities with less than 5,000 population, where at least 40% 

of departments do not consider an incident like this within their scope. 

One-sixth of communities with 25,000 to 49,999 population (16%) consider an incident 

such as this outside their scope. One-fourth (24%) of communities with 10,000 to 24,999 
102

population consider such an incident outside their scope. The percentage of communities 

where departments consider such incidents outside their scope rises to one-third (32%) 

for communities with 5,000 to 9,999 population and to roughly half (40-53%) for 

communities with less than 5,000 population.

Table W. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident,

Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized Equipment, 

and Size of Community (Q. 37c)

Can Department Handle a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Equipment

Yes But Need NonLocal EquipmentNo, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 92% 8% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 82% 18% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 69% 30% 2%

100,000 to 249,999 51% 42% 7%

50,000 to 99,999 29% 63% 8%

25,000 to 49,999 21% 63% 16%

10,000 to 24,999 16% 61% 24%

5,000 to 9,999 12% 57% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 9% 51% 40%

Under 2,500 8% 39% 53%

Total 11% 47% 42%

The above projections are based on 8,250 departments reporting on Question 

37a and 5,239 reporting on Question 37c. See Tables 55 and 57.

Q. 37c: If [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries is 

within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized 

equipment to handle this incident?

Except for communities with 100,000 or more population, the majority of fire 

departments must look elsewhere for at least some of the specialized equipment they 

would need – except for communities with less than 2,500 population, where the majority 

of departments do not consider an incident like this within their scope. 

For communities with 10,000 to 99,999 population, 61-63% of fire departments will look 

elsewhere for specialized equipment, and many of the rest will not be looking only 

because such an incident is not within their scope. 

At least one-third of departments protecting communities of less than 500,000 population 

either would not consider such an incident within their scope or do not have a written 
103

agreement in place to obtain and use resources in a timely, efficient and effective manner 

for such an incident. 

Many departments that consider such an incident within their scope have no agreement of 

any kind.

Table X. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources, 

and Size of Community (Q. 37d)

Can Department Handle a Hazmat and EMS Incident 

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries?

Population Protected

Yes –

Written 

Agreement

Yes – But 

Not Written 

Yes – But 

No Plan

No, Not 

Within 

Scope

1,000,000 or more 92% 8% 0% 0%

500,000 to 999,999 71% 29% 0% 0%

250,000 to 499,999 67% 31% 0% 2%

100,000 to 249,999 64% 27% 2% 7%

50,000 to 99,999 62% 25% 5% 8%

25,000 to 49,999 51% 27% 6% 16%

10,000 to 24,999 36% 34% 6% 24%

5,000 to 9,999 25% 34% 9% 32%

2,500 to 4,999 18% 32% 11% 40%

Under 2,500 13% 24% 10% 53%

Total 21% 28% 9% 42%

The above projections are based on 8,250 departments reporting on Question 

37a and 5,227 reporting on Question 37d. See Tables 55 and 58.

Q. 37d: If [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries is 

within your department’s scope], do you have a plan for working with others on this type of 

incident?

Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres

Table 59 indicates whether a wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within 

the scope of the department. 

Affirmative answers are more likely for both the larger communities (at least 500,000 

population) and the most rural communities (less than 10,000 population). However, a 

majority of all sizes of communities say such incidents are within their scope.
104

Tables 60-62 address, for the departments that consider such an incident within their 

scope, how far they have to go for people and equipment and whether they have a plan, 

respectively. 

By combining Table 59 with Tables 60-62, one can obtain an even better indication of 

different types of department needs to address such incidents, as seen in Tables Y to AA. 

In Tables Y to AA, the rightmost column reproduces the “No, not within scope” statistics 

from Table 59. The other columns are produced by multiplying the columns from Tables 

60-62, respectively, by the “Yes, within scope” statistics from Table 59.

Table Y. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With Specialized Training, 

and Size of Community (Q. 38b)

Can the Department Handle a Wildland/Urban 

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Trained 

People

Yes But Need 

Non-Local 

Trained People

No, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 31% 38% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 37% 42% 21%

250,000 to 499,999 25% 36% 39%

100,000 to 249,999 18% 43% 39%

50,000 to 99,999 16% 41% 43%

25,000 to 49,999 14% 38% 48%

10,000 to 24,999 17% 44% 39%

5,000 to 9,999 21% 47% 31%

2,500 to 4,999 24% 48% 28%

Under 2,500 30% 42% 28%

Total 26% 44% 31%

The above projections are based on 8,248 departments reporting on Question 

38a and 5,503 reporting on Question 38b. See Tables 59 and 60.

Q. 38b: If [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?

Wildland/urban interface fires have a much different profile from the first two types of 

major incidents. 

A large share of departments in every community-population interval do not consider 

such incidents within their scope, and the majority who do in every interval do not 

consider their local personnel sufficient. 
105

Table Z. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized Equipment, 

and Size of Community (Q. 38c)

Can the Department Handle a Wildland/Urban 

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Equipment

Yes But Need NonLocal EquipmentNo, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 31% 38% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 26% 53% 21%

250,000 to 499,999 23% 37% 39%

100,000 to 249,999 15% 46% 39%

50,000 to 99,999 15% 43% 43%

25,000 to 49,999 12% 40% 48%

10,000 to 24,999 16% 45% 39%

5,000 to 9,999 18% 51% 31%

2,500 to 4,999 22% 50% 28%

Under 2,500 26% 46% 28%

Total 22% 47% 31%

The above projections are based on 8,248 departments reporting on Question 

38a and 5,468 reporting on Question 38c. See Tables 59 and 61.

Q. 38c: If [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?

An even more dominant majority of departments considering such incidents within their 

scope in each population interva l do not consider their local specialized equipment 

sufficient to handle such an incident.

This widely shared lack of local sufficiency has been recognized for many years by the 

US Forest Service, which has applied considerable effort to create formal networks and 

plans to move resources from wherever they are to wherever they are needed. Their 

efforts appear to have borne fruit, because the current state of planning is also much 

different for these incidents – and specifically much better.

For communities with less than 10,000 population where the department considers such 

an incident within its scope, nearly half of the departments have written plans for 

accessing and using non-local personnel and equipment. 

For communities with at least 10,000 population where the department considers such an 

incident within its scope, considerably more than half the departments have written plans.
106

Table AA. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources,

and Size of Community (Q. 38d)

Can the Department Handle a Wildland/Urban 

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres?

Population Protected

Yes –

Written 

Agreement

Yes – But 

Not Written 

Yes – But 

No Plan

No, Not 

Within 

Scope

1,000,000 or more 69% 0% 0% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 50% 21% 8% 21%

250,000 to 499,999 42% 16% 3% 39%

100,000 to 249,999 43% 15% 2% 39%

50,000 to 99,999 40% 13% 4% 43%

25,000 to 49,999 34% 15% 3% 48%

10,000 to 24,999 33% 23% 5% 39%

5,000 to 9,999 33% 30% 5% 31%

2,500 to 4,999 32% 34% 6% 28%

Under 2,500 32% 35% 5% 28%

Total 33% 31% 5% 31%

The above projections are based on 8,248 departments reporting on Question 

38a and 5,448 reporting on Question 38d. See Tables 59 and 62.

Q. 38d: If [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within your department’s scope], do 

you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident?

Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood

Table 63 indicates whether mitigation of a developing major flood is within the scope of 

the department. 

Affirmative answers become less likely as the size of the department shrinks, so that less 

than half the fire departments protecting communities with less than 5,000 population 

answered affirmatively, while two-thirds of the departments protecting communities with 

at least 500,000 population did.

Tables 64-66 address, for the departments that consider such an incident within their 

scope, how far they have to go for people and equipment and whether they have a plan, 

respectively. 

By combining Table 63 with Tables 64-66, one can obtain an even better indication of 

different types of department needs to address such incidents, as seen in Tables AB to 

AD. 
107

In Tables AB to AD, the rightmost column reproduces the “No, not within scope” 

statistics from Table 63. The other columns are produced by multiplying the columns 

from Tables 64-66, respectively, by the “Yes, within scope” statistics from Table 63.

Table AB. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident, 

Where They Obtain Necessary Personnel With Specialized Training, 

and Size of Community (Q. 39b)

Can the Department Handle 

Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Trained 

People

Yes But Need 

Non-Local 

Trained People

No, Not

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 54% 15% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 39% 29% 32%

250,000 to 499,999 19% 47% 34%

100,000 to 249,999 14% 50% 36%

50,000 to 99,999 11% 51% 38%

25,000 to 49,999 12% 46% 42%

10,000 to 24,999 11% 43% 46%

5,000 to 9,999 12% 41% 47%

2,500 to 4,999 14% 35% 51%

Under 2,500 12% 27% 61%

Total 12% 33% 54%

The above projections are based on 8,162 departments reporting on Question 

39a and 3,967 reporting on Question 39b. See Tables 63 and 64.

Q. 39b: If [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood is within your 

department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized 

training for this incident?

Except for communities with 500,000 or more population, less than one-fifth of fire 

departments are prepared to handle mitigation of a developing major flood with local 

specialized people. 

Far more departments (two to five times as many) consider such an incident within their 

scope but would have to use non-local people.

Significant fractions of departments in all community-size groups consider such an 

incident to be outside their scope. 
108

This is true for one-third (31-34%) of communities with at least 250,000 population and 

slightly more than one-third (36-38%) of communities with 50,000 to 249,999 

population. 

Departments considering such an incident to be outside their scope account for nearly 

half (42-47%) of communities with 5,000 to 49,999 population, half (51%) of 

communities with 2,500 to 4,999 population, and three-fifths (61%) of communities with 

less than 2,500 population.

Table AC. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident,

Where They Obtain the Necessary Specialized Equipment, 

and Size of Community (Q. 39c)

Can the Department Handle 

Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood?

Population Protected

Yes and With 

Local Equipment

Yes But Need NonLocal EquipmentNo, Not 

Within Scope

1,000,000 or more 23% 46% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 32% 37% 32%

250,000 to 499,999 17% 48% 34%

100,000 to 249,999 11% 53% 36%

50,000 to 99,999 9% 53% 38%

25,000 to 49,999 10% 49% 42%

10,000 to 24,999 10% 44% 46%

5,000 to 9,999 10% 43% 47%

2,500 to 4,999 12% 37% 51%

Under 2,500 10% 28% 61%

Total 11% 35% 54%

The above projections are based on 8,162 departments reporting on Question 

39a and 3,947 reporting on Question 39c. See Tables 63 and 65.

Q. 39c: If [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood is within your 

department’s scope], how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to 

handle this incident?

Except for communities with 500,000 or more population, less than one-fifth of fire 

departments are prepared to handle mitigation of a developing major flood with local 

equipment. 

Far more departments (three to five times as many) consider such an incident within their 

scope but would have to use non-local equipment.
109

Except for communities with 100,000 to 499,999 population, there are more departments 

that consider such an incident within their scope but have no written plan than there are 

departments that have a written plan. 

For communities with at least 50,000 population, only 30-39% of departments have a 

written plan. 

The percentages are lower for smaller communities – 25% for communities of 25,000 to 

49,999 population, 20% for communities of 10,000 to 24,999 population, 16% for 

communities of 5,000 to 9,999 population, 13% for communities of 2,500 to 4,999 

population, and only 8% for communities with less than 2,500 population.

Combined with the results on local resources, this suggests that, of the four reference 

major incidents included on the Needs Assessment Survey, mitigation of a major flood is 

the one that most combines an insufficiency of local resources with a lack of written 

plans to effectively access and use non-local resources, across the entire spectrum of 

community sizes.

Table AD. Departments by Whether They Can Handle This Type of Incident,

Type of Plan for Using Non-Local Resources, 

and Size of Community (Q. 39d)

Can the Department Handle 

Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood?

Population Protected

Yes –

Written 

Agreement

Yes – But 

Not Written 

Yes – But 

No Plan

No, Not 

Within 

Scope

1,000,000 or more 31% 31% 8% 31%

500,000 to 999,999 32% 37% 0% 32%

250,000 to 499,999 39% 25% 2% 34%

100,000 to 249,999 36% 22% 6% 36%

50,000 to 99,999 36% 18% 8% 38%

25,000 to 49,999 25% 21% 13% 42%

10,000 to 24,999 20% 23% 12% 46%

5,000 to 9,999 16% 24% 13% 47%

2,500 to 4,999 13% 24% 13% 51%

Under 2,500 8% 20% 11% 61%

Total 13% 21% 11% 54%

The above projections are based on 8,162 departments reporting on Question 

39a and 3,916 reporting on Question 39d. See Tables 63 and 66.

Q. 39d: If [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood is within your 

department’s scope], do you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident?
110

Table 51

Is Technical Rescue and EMS for a Building

With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse

Within the Scope of Department?

by Community Size

(Q. 36a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 57 88.4 7 11.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 184 85.7 31 14.3 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 405 83.2 82 16.9 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 860 81.6 193 18.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,090 73.5 753 26.5 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,475 68.2 1,154 31.8 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,787 61.0 1,785 39.0 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 5,961 44.4 7,478 55.6 13,440 100.0

Total 14,872 56.4 11,482 43.6 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,268 departments reporting on Question 36a. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 36a: Is [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural 

collapse] within your department’s scope?
111

Table 52

For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS For a Building 

With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within Their Scope,

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient People

 With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 36b)

Local Regional State National Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 92.3% 0 0.0% 1 7.7% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 24 63.2 8 21.0 4 10.5 2 5.2 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 27 47.4 24 42.1 4 7.0 2 3.5 57 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 54 29.3 95 51.6 29 15.8 6 3.3 184 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 85 20.9 238 58.8 70 17.3 12 3.0 405 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 127 14.8 505 58.7 185 21.5 43 5.0 860 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 315 15.1 1,213 57.9 506 24.3 56 2.7 2,090 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 463 18.8 1,387 56.0 580 23.4 44 1.8 2,475 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 570 20.5 1,603 57.5 576 20.7 38 1.4 2,787 100.0

Under 2,500 1,324 22.2 3,399 57.0 1,176 19.7 61 1.0 5,961 100.0

Total 3,002 20.2 8,470 57.0 3,134 21.1 264 1.8 14,872 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,146 departments reporting yes to Question 36a and also reporting on Question 36b. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 36b: If [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?
112

Table 53

For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS For a Building

With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within Their Scope,

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such an Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 36c)

Local Regional State National Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 76.9% 0 0.0% 3 23.1% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 24 63.2 8 21.1 4 10.5 2 5.3 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 24 42.1 31 54.4 2 3.6 0 0.0 57 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 53 28.9 94 51.0 32 17.4 5 2.7 184 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 81 20.0 232 57.3 78 19.3 14 3.4 405 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 125 14.5 467 54.4 220 25.6 47 5.4 860 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 291 13.9 1,151 55.0 576 27.6 73 3.5 2,090 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 431 17.4 1,353 54.7 632 25.5 58 2.4 2,475 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 509 18.3 1,528 54.8 693 24.8 59 2.1 2,787 100.0

Under 2,500 1,264 21.2 3,312 55.6 1,312 22.0 72 1.2 5,961 100.0

Total 2,806 18.9 8,177 55.0 3,553 23.9 329 2.2 14,872 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,083 departments reporting yes to Question 36a and also reporting on Question 36c. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 36c: If [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?
113

Table 54

For Departments Where Technical Rescue and EMS for a Building 

With 50 Occupants After Structural Collapse Is Within Their Scope,

Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others?

by Community Size

(Q. 36d)

Yes – Written Yes – Yes –

Agreement Informal Other No Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 92.3% 1 7.6% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 22 57.8 13 34.2 3 7.9 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 43 75.4 14 24.5 0 0.0 0 0.0 57 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 108 58.7 53 28.8 12 6.5 12 6.5 184 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 227 56.0 125 30.9 14 3.4 38 9.4 405 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 376 43.7 293 34.0 57 6.6 134 15.7 860 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 851 40.7 793 37.9 113 5.4 333 16.0 2,090 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 824 33.3 1,057 42.7 148 6.0 444 17.9 2,475 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 799 28.7 1,218 43.7 147 5.3 622 22.3 2,787 100.0

Under 2,500 1,686 28.3 2,429 40.8 406 6.8 1,441 24.2 5,961 100.0

Total 4,941 33.2 6,000 40.4 900 6.1 3,025 20.3 14,872 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,090 departments reporting yes to Question 36a and also reporting on Question 36d. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 36d: Do you have a plan for working on others on [technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural 

collapse]?
114

Table 55

Is a Hazmat and EMS Incident Involving Chemical/Biological Agents 

and 10 Injuries Within the Scope of Department?

by Community Size

(Q. 37a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 38 100.0 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 63 98.4 1 1.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 200 93.0 15 7.0 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 447 91.8 40 8.2 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 889 84.4 164 15.6 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 2,183 76.8 670 23.6 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,486 68.5 1,143 31.5 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,739 59.9 1,833 40.1 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 6,295 46.8 7,145 53.2 13,440 100.0

Total 15,352 58.3 11,002 41.7 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,250 departments reporting on Question 37a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 37a: Is [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 

injuries] within your department’s scope?
115

Table 56

For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient People

 With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 37b)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 13 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 34 89.5 2 5.3 2 5.3 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 47 74.6 11 17.5 5 7.9 0 0.0 63 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 121 60.5 72 36.0 6 3.0 1 0.5 200 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 159 35.6 234 52.3 47 10.5 7 1.6 447 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 283 31.8 463 52.1 130 14.6 12 1.3 889 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 503 23.0 1,180 54.1 467 21.4 32 1.5 2,182 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 522 21.0 1,347 54.2 569 22.8 47 1.9 2,486 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 497 18.1 1,456 53.2 733 26.8 53 1.9 2,739 100.0

Under 2,500 1,251 19.9 3,068 48.7 1,884 29.9 92 1.5 6,295 100.0

Total 3,427 22.3 7,832 51.0 3,843 25.0 244 1.6 15,352 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,292 departments reporting yes to Question 37a and also reporting on Question 37b. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 37b: If [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?
116

Table 57

For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such An Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 37c)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 92.3% 1 7.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 31 81.6 4 10.5 2 5.2 1 2.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 44 69.8 11 17.5 7 11.1 1 1.6 63 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 109 54.5 76 38.0 14 7.0 1 0.5 200 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 142 31.8 224 50.1 73 16.3 8 1.8 447 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 226 25.4 467 52.5 177 19.9 17 1.9 889 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 446 20.4 1,155 53.0 536 24.6 45 2.1 2,182 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 424 17.1 1,337 53.8 661 26.6 64 2.6 2,486 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 416 15.2 1,421 51.9 823 30.1 77 2.8 2,739 100.0

Under 2,500 1,014 16.1 2,992 47.5 2,184 34.7 103 1.7 6,295 100.0

Total 2,862 18.7 7,683 50.1 4,478 29.2 317 2.1 15,352 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,239 departments reporting yes to Question 37a and also reporting on Question 37c. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 37c: If [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries is within your department’s scope], 

how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?
117

Table 58

For Departments Where a Hazmat and EMS Incident

Involving Chemical/Biological Agents and 10 Injuries Is Within Their Scope

Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others?

by Community Size

(Q. 37d)

Yes – Written Yes – Yes –

Agreement Informal Other No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 92.3% 1 7.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 27 71.1 8 21.1 3 7.9 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 43 68.3 17 27.0 3 4.8 0 0.0 63 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 138 69.0 45 22.5 12 6.0 5 2.5 200 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 304 68.0 101 22.6 19 4.3 23 5.1 447 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 538 60.6 241 27.1 47 5.3 61 6.9 889 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,031 47.2 858 39.3 118 5.4 175 8.0 2,183 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 911 36.7 1,103 44.3 148 6.0 323 13.0 2,486 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 811 29.6 1,245 45.5 192 7.1 486 17.8 2,739 100.0

Under 2,500 1,738 27.6 2,780 44.2 387 6.2 1,388 22.0 6,295 100.0

Total 5,552 36.2 6,400 41.7 929 6.0 2,461 16.0 15,352 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,227 departments reporting yes to Question 37a and also reporting on Question 37d. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 37d: Do you have a plan for working on others on [hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 

injuries]?
118

Table 59

Is a Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres

Within the Scope of Department?

by Community Size

(Q. 38a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 30 78.9 8 21.1 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 39 60.9 25 39.1 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 131 60.9 84 39.1 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 278 57.1 209 42.9 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 551 52.3 502 47.7 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,735 61.0 1,109 39.0 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 2,491 68.6 1,138 31.4 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 3,279 71.7 1,293 28.3 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 9,699 72.2 3,741 27.8 13,440 100.0

Total 18,242 69.2 8,112 30.8 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,248 departments reporting on Question 38a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 38a: Is [a wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres] within your department’s scope?
119

Table 60

For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient People

 With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 38b)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 4 44.4% 3 33.3% 2 22.2% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 14 46.7 10 33.3 6 20.0 0 0.0 30 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 16 41.0 20 51.3 3 7.7 0 0.0 39 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 39 29.8 62 47.3 28 21.4 2 1.5 131 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 80 28.8 139 50.0 60 21.6 1 0.4 278 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 149 27.0 266 48.3 131 23.8 5 0.9 551 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 492 28.4 743 42.8 486 28.0 14 0.8 1,735 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 775 31.1 1,034 41.5 649 26.0 34 1.4 2,491 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,104 33.7 1,320 40.3 803 24.5 47 1.4 3,279 100.0

Under 2,500 4,053 41.8 3,801 39.2 1,700 17.5 143 1.5 9,699 100.0

Total 6,722 36.9 7,399 40.6 3,868 21.2 247 1.4 18,242 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,503 departments reporting yes to Question 38a and also reporting on Question 38b. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 38b: If [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to 

obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?
120

Table 61

For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such An Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 38c)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 4 44.4% 3 33.3% 2 22.2% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 10 33.3 14 46.7 6 20.0 0 0.0 30 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 15 38.5 19 48.7 5 12.8 0 0.0 39 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 32 24.4 63 48.1 34 25.9 2 1.5 131 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 71 25.5 143 51.4 62 22.3 1 0.3 278 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 131 23.8 257 46.6 159 28.9 4 0.7 551 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 449 25.9 723 41.7 542 31.2 20 1.2 1,735 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 644 25.9 1,088 43.7 719 28.8 40 1.6 2,491 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 986 30.1 1,330 40.6 913 27.8 50 1.5 3,279 100.0

Under 2,500 3,534 36.4 3,902 40.2 2,092 21.6 170 1.8 9,699 100.0

Total 5,876 32.2 7,538 41.3 4,534 24.9 287 1.6 18,242 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,468 departments reporting yes to Question 38a and also reporting on Question 38c. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 38c: If [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres is within your department’s scope], how far would you have to go to 

obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?
121

Table 62

For Departments Where a Wildland/Urban

Interface Fire Affecting 500 Acres Is Within Their Scope

Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others?

by Community Size

(Q. 38d)

Yes – Written Yes – Yes –

Agreement Informal Other No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 100.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 19 63.3 7 23.3 1 3.3 3 10.0 30 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 27 69.2 7 17.9 3 7.7 2 5.1 39 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 93 71.0 30 22.9 3 2.3 5 3.8 131 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 195 70.1 52 18.7 12 4.3 19 6.8 278 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 357 64.8 142 25.8 17 3.1 35 6.3 551 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 945 54.5 583 33.5 73 4.2 132 7.5 1,735 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,195 48.0 977 39.2 120 4.8 197 7.9 2,491 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 1,451 44.3 1,390 42.4 153 4.7 285 8.7 3,279 100.0

Under 2,500 4,301 44.3 4,136 42.6 522 5.4 740 7.6 9,699 100.0

Total 8,590 47.1 7,324 40.2 905 5.0 1,418 7.8 18,242 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 5,448 departments reporting yes to Question 38a and also reporting on Question 38d. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 38d: Do you have a plan for working on others on [wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres]?
122

Table 63

Is Mitigation of a Developing Major Flood

Within the Scope of Department?

by Community Size

(Q. 39a)

Yes No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 9 69.2% 4 30.8% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 26 68.4 12 31.6 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 42 65.6 22 34.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 138 64.2 77 35.8 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 300 61.6 187 38.4 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 616 58.5 437 41.5 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,540 54.2 1,303 45.8 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,908 52.6 1,721 47.4 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 2,239 49.0 2,333 51.0 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 5,194 38.6 8,246 61.4 13,440 100.0

Total 12,014 45.6 14,340 54.4 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,162 departments reporting yes on Question 39a. Numbers 

may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 39a: Is [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood] within your 

department’s scope?
123

Table 64

For Departments Where Mitigation of a Major Flood Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient People

 With Specialized Training to Handle Such an Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 39b)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 7 77.7% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 15 57.7 8 30.8 3 11.5 0 0.0 26 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 12 28.6 15 35.7 15 35.7 0 0.0 42 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 31 22.5 57 41.3 45 32.6 5 3.6 138 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 53 17.7 133 44.3 109 36.3 5 1.7 300 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 128 20.8 238 38.6 221 35.9 28 4.5 616 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 318 20.6 577 37.5 600 38.9 45 2.9 1,540 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 432 22.6 705 37.0 719 37.7 51 2.7 1,908 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 648 29.0 850 38.0 703 31.3 39 1.7 2,239 100.0

Under 2,500 1,578 30.4 2,013 38.7 1,510 29.1 93 1.8 5,194 100.0

Total 3,222 26.8 4,598 38.3 3,925 32.7 266 2.2 12,014 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 3,967 departments reporting yes to Question 39a and also reporting on Question 39b. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 39b: If [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood is within your department’s scope], how far would you 

have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?
124

Table 65

For Departments Where Mitigation of a Major Flood Is Within Their Scope

How Far Do They Have to Go to Obtain Sufficient

Specialized Equipment to Handle Such An Incident?

by Community Size

(Q. 39c)

Local Regional State National Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 3 33.3% 5 55.5% 1 11.1% 0 0.0% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 12 46.2 9 34.6 5 19.2 0 0.0 26 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 11 26.2 16 38.1 14 33.3 1 2.4 42 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 24 17.4 65 47.1 43 31.2 6 4.3 138 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 42 14.0 128 42.7 124 41.3 7 2.3 300 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 105 17.0 234 38.0 245 39.8 32 5.2 616 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 280 18.2 587 38.2 610 39.6 62 4.0 1,540 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 367 19.2 715 37.9 755 40.0 56 3.0 1,908 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 570 25.4 810 35.8 816 36.1 59 2.7 2,239 100.0

Under 2,500 1,363 26.2 2,026 39.0 1,673 32.2 130 2.5 5,194 100.0

Total 2,776 23.1 4,596 38.3 4,276 35.6 353 2.9 12,014 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 3,947 departments reporting yes to Question 39a and also reporting on Question 39c. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 39c: If [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood is within your department’s scope], how far would you 

have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?
125

Table 66

For Departments Where Mitigation of a Major Flood Is Within Their Scope

Do They Have a Plan for Working With Others?

by Community Size

(Q. 39d)

Yes – Written Yes – Yes –

Agreement Informal Other No Total

Population

of Community

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

Number

Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 4 44.4% 3 33.3% 1 11.1% 1 11.1% 9 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 12 46.2 12 46.2 2 7.7 0 0.0 26 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 25 59.5 13 31.0 3 7.1 1 2.4 42 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 77 55.8 38 27.5 10 7.2 13 9.4 138 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 174 58.0 76 25.3 11 3.7 38 12.7 300 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 265 43.1 184 30.0 35 5.7 132 21.5 616 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 554 36.0 572 37.1 70 4.5 344 22.4 1,540 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 588 30.8 778 40.7 85 4.5 456 23.9 1,908 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 582 26.0 957 42.8 120 5.4 579 25.8 2,239 100.0

Under 2,500 1,084 20.9 2,380 45.8 266 5.1 1,460 28.2 5,194 100.0

Total 3,365 28.0 5,011 41.7 603 5.0 3,025 25.2 12,014 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 3,916 departments reporting yes to Question 39a and also reporting on Question 39d. 

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 39d: Do you have a plan for working on others on [mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood]?
126
127

NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

Tables 67-70 (pp. 128-131) address the ownership and planned purchase of four types of 

relatively new technologies. 

One quarter of fire departments now own thermal imaging cameras, but most that do not 

already have them – and two-fifths of all departments – have no plans to acquire them. 

(See Table 67.)

Only one department in 28 has mobile data terminals, though most of the fire 

departments protecting at least 500,000 population have them, and most departments 

(78% overall) have no plans to acquire them. (See Table 68.)

Only one department in 50 has advanced personnel location equipment, though one-fifth 

of the fire departments protecting communities of at least 500,000 population have them. 

Plans to acquire them vary considerably by department size, but four-fifths of 

departments overall have no plans. The survey did not provide details on what 

constituted advanced personnel location equipment, which raises the possibility that 

departments differed in their views of the kind of equipment that would qualify as such. 

(See Table 69.)

Only one department in 23 has equipment to collect chemical or biological samples for 

remote analysis, though most of the fire departments protecting communities of at least 

250,000 population have such equipment. Only one department in 12 overall has plans to 

acquire such equipment. (See Table 70.)
128

Table 67

Plans to Acquire Thermal Imaging Cameras

by Community Size

(Q. 40)

Plan to Have One Plan to Have One No Plans

Now Own One in One Year in Five Years to Acquire Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 10 76.9% 3 23.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 35 92.1 1 2.6 2 5.3 0 0.0 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 51 81.4 9 14.0 2 2.3 2 2.3 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 174 80.9 26 12.1 9 4.1 6 2.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 370 76.0 59 12.0 33 6.8 25 5.2 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 719 68.3 132 12.6 134 12.7 68 6.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 1,622 57.0 356 12.5 533 18.7 333 11.7 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 1,402 38.6 452 12.4 986 27.2 790 21.8 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 929 20.3 443 9.7 1,487 32.5 1,714 37.5 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 1,124 8.4 578 4.3 3,105 23.1 8,632 64.2 13,440 100.0

Total 6,435 24.4 2,058 7.8 6,290 23.9 11,570 43.9 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,355 departments reporting on Question 40. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 40: Do you have any [thermal imaging cameras] now or plan to acquire any?
129

Table 68

Plans to Acquire Mobile Data Terminals

by Community Size

(Q. 41)

Plan to Have One Plan to Have One No Plans

Now Own One in One Year in Five Years to Acquire Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 11 84.6% 2 15.4% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 23 60.6 1 2.6 10 26.3 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 25 39.1 11 17.2 17 26.6 11 17.2 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 63 29.3 51 23.7 62 28.9 39 17.9 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 115 23.4 65 13.4 168 34.5 139 28.5 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 152 14.4 126 12.0 406 38.6 369 35.0 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 217 7.6 249 8.8 917 32.3 1,459 51.3 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 137 3.8 150 4.1 815 22.4 2,527 69.6 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 87 1.9 96 2.1 635 13.9 3,754 82.1 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 133 1.0 148 1.1 913 6.8 12,246 91.1 13,440 100.0

Total 960 3.6 899 3.4 3,944 15.0 20,551 78.0 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,300 departments reporting on Question 41. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 41: Do you have any [mobile data terminals] now or plan to acquire any?
130

Table 69

Plans to Acquire Advanced Personnel Location Equipment

by Community Size

(Q. 42)

Plan to Have One Plan to Have One No Plans

Now Own One in One Year in Five Years to Acquire Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 3 23.1% 4 30.8% 5 38.5% 1 7.7% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 8 21.1 1 2.6 13 34.2 4 10.5 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 3 4.7 3 4.7 27 42.2 31 48.4 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 19 8.9 19 8.9 61 28.4 116 53.5 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 19 3.9 23 4.8 147 30.1 298 61.1 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 37 3.5 54 5.1 305 29.0 657 62.4 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 86 3.0 94 3.3 626 22.0 2,037 71.7 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 84 2.3 71 2.0 679 18.7 2,795 77.0 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 91 2.0 94 2.1 594 13.0 3,793 83.0 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 170 1.3 144 1.1 1,493 11.1 11,633 86.6 13,440 100.0

Total 523 2.0 510 1.9 3,951 15.0 21,371 81.1 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,181 departments reporting on Question 42. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 42: Do you have any [advanced personnel location equipment] now or plan to acquire any?
131

Table 70

Plans to Acquire Equipment to Collect Chemical/Biological Samples for Analysis Elsewhere

by Community Size

(Q. 43)

Plan to Have One Plan to Have One No Plans

Now Own One in One Year in Five Years to Acquire Total

Population Number Number Number Number Number

of Community Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent Depts Percent

1,000,000 or more 12 90.0% 0 0.0% 1 10.0% 0 0.0% 13 100.0%

500,000 to 999,999 32 84.9 0 0.0 4 9.1 2 6.1 38 100.0

250,000 to 499,999 43 67.4 7 11.6 6 9.5 7 11.6 64 100.0

100,000 to 249,999 103 47.8 39 18.2 22 10.3 51 23.6 215 100.0

50,000 to 99,999 139 28.5 93 19.0 34 7.0 222 45.5 487 100.0

25,000 to 49,999 209 19.9 87 8.3 134 12.7 623 59.1 1,053 100.0

10,000 to 24,999 256 9.0 187 6.6 306 10.8 2,093 73.6 2,843 100.0

5,000 to 9,999 115 3.2 120 3.3 293 8.1 3,101 85.5 3,629 100.0

2,500 to 4,999 93 2.0 70 1.5 256 5.6 4,154 90.9 4,572 100.0

Under 2,500 127 1.0 123 0.9 481 3.6 12,709 94.6 13,440 100.0

Total 1,125 4.3 726 2.8 1,533 5.8 22,970 87.2 26,354 100.0

Source: FEMA US Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the US Fire Service

The above projections are based on 8,250 departments reporting on Question 43. Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.

Q. 43: Do you have any [equipment to collect chem/bio samples for analysis elsewhere] now or plan to acquire any?
132
133

APPENDIX 1: SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The Fire Service Needs Assessment Survey was conducted as a census, with appropriate 

adjustments for non-response. The choice of a census approach rather than a random 

sample approach was based on two considerations. 

First, the survey is a specific requirement of PL 106-398 in Section 1701, Sec. 33(b), and 

the larger act is designed to provide the U.S. Fire Service with appropriate assistance for 

their legitimate needs. Given this intended application, there was general agreement that 

fire departments would view the survey as an opportunity rather than a burden, an 

opportunity that every department would wish to be given. 

Second, current usage of some of the types of equipment and training to be addressed in 

the survey was believed to be sufficiently rare that the study would need the largest 

possible base for analysis.

The NFPA used its own list of local fire departments as the mailing list and sampling 

frame of all fire departments in the U.S. In all, 26,354 fire departments were mailed 

survey forms.

The content of the survey was developed by NFPA, in collaboration with an ad hoc 

technical advisory group consisting of representatives of the full spectrum of national 

organizations and related disciplines associated with the management of fire and related 

hazards and risks in the U.S. A copy of the survey form is provided at the end of this 

section of the report.

The fire departments were mailed the survey form the week of December 11, 2001. 

Despite being mailed during the holiday season, the first mailing resulted in a very strong 

initial response from departments. A second mailing was sent the week of February 11 to 

departments that had not responded to the initial mailing.

Overall, NFPA received 12,240 completed surveys and has edited, coded, and keyed 

8,416 surveys for analysis in this report. The overall response rate is 46%, which is 

unusually high for a survey involving a large number of smaller departments. The betterthan-expected response is due in part to the subject of the survey, its intended use, and 

undoubtedly the events of September 11.

With such a large number of surveys returned and the deadline to have the final report 

ready by September 30, priority was given to editing and keying forms from larger 

departments – those protecting populations of 50,000 or more. An attempt was made to 

edit and key all the returned forms from these larger departments. However, we also 

keyed a sufficient sample size to make accurate estimates of smaller communities as well. 

The NFPA included all survey forms it had edited and keyed by August 22 as the basis 

for this report.
134

At USFA request, NFPA prepared two preliminary reports in May and June. These 

reports were based on the 5,100 surveys that had been edited and keyed at that point. 

Those results have been compared to the results for this report and found to be very 

similar. It is therefore believed that the surveys being keyed late would not, if analyzed, 

materially affect the results, either nationally or by community size. However, they will 

permit a much larger share of US fire departments to have participated, in what clearly is 

shaping up as the highest-participation and most-detailed database on fire service 

resources and needs ever assembled.

Because a census was undertaken, there is no sampling error. However, response rates 

varied considerably by community size, with departments protecting smaller 

communities responding at a much lower rate than departments protecting larger 

communities (Table A-1). Thus where national total results are presented, adjustments 

were made to account for variation in response rates by community size.

Table A-1

Fire Departments Responding to Fire Department Needs Survey

by Size of Community

Population

of Community

Number

of Surveys

Mailed

Percent 

of Surveys

Responded

Of Surveys

Received, 

Percent Keyed 

As of

Cutoff Date

Number of

Surveys

Received and

Keyed as of

Cutoff Date

1,000,000 or more 13 77% 100% 10

500,000 to 999,999 38 87% 100% 33

250,000 to 499,999 64 75% 100% 48

100,000 to 249,999 215 83% 100% 181

50,000 to 99,999 487 78% 100% 380

25,000 to 49,999 1,053 76% 83% 624

10,000 to 24,999 2,843 65% 77% 1,442

5,000 to 9,999 3,629 56% 70% 1,412

2,500 to 4,999 4,572 52% 67% 1,599

Under 2,500 13,440 34% 59% 2,687

Total 26,354 46% 69% 8,416

Source: FEMA U.S. Fire Administration 2002

 Survey of the Needs of the U.S. Fire Service

Numbers may not add to totals due to rounding.
135

APPENDIX 2: SURVEY FORM

The next four pages contain the Needs Assessment Survey form. 

It was printed on legal size paper (8-1/2” x 14”) but has been shrunk to fit letter size 

paper here.
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION 

SURVEY OF THE NEEDS OF THE U.S. FIRE SERVICE

Expiration date: 04/30/02

PART II. BASIC INFORMATION

1. Population (Number of permanent residents) your department has primary responsibility

to protect (exclude mutual aid areas):___________________________________________

2. Area (in square miles) your department has primary responsibility 

to protect (exclude mutual aid areas):___________________________________________

PART III. BUDGET INFORMATION

3. Do you have a plan for apparatus replacement on a regular schedule? 

❑ Yes ❑ No

4. Does your normal budget cover the costs of apparatus replacement?

❑ Yes, budget covers costs 

❑ No, must raise funds or seek special appropriation for purchase

(Questions 5 and 6 are for all or mostly volunteer or call departments ONLY. Indicate % for each, so percents sum to

100 for each question): 

5. What share (%) of your budgeted revenue is from: _____ Fire district or other taxes

____ Payments per call ____ Other local payments _____ State government

____ Fund raising (e.g., donations, raffles, suppers, events)

____ Other (specify) ________________________________________

6. What share (%) of your apparatus was: ____ Purchased new ____ Donated new

____ Purchased used _____ Donated used

____ Converted vehicles not designed as FD apparatus

____ Other (specify) ___________________________________________________________

PART IV. PERSONNEL AND THEIR CAPABILITIES

7. Total number of full-time (career) uniformed fire fighters:_____________________

8. Total number of active part-time (call or volunteer) fire fighters:________________

9. Average number of career/paid firefighters on duty available to respond to emergencies 

(total number for department): ______________

10. Average number of call/volunteer personnel who respond to a mid-day house fire: __________

11. Number of on-duty career/paid personnel assigned to an engine/pumper (Circle one)

1-2 3 4 5+ Not applicable

12. Number of on-duty career/paid personnel assigned to a ladder/aerial (Circle one)

1-2 3 4 5+ Not applicable

PART I. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

Name of person completing form:_______________________________ Date:__________________

Title of person completing form:_______________________________________________________

Non-emergency phone number: ( )____________________ Fax: ( )_____________________ 

e-mail address: __________________________

Fire Analysis and Research Division

1 Batterymarch Park

Quincy, MA 02269-9101 USA

Fax: (617) 984-7478

Please use enclosed postpaid envelope and return completed form to:

If you fax the form back, please reduce it first to 8-1/2" x 11" size.

FEMA Form 95-57, NOV 01

OMB NO 3067-0294
PART IV. PERSONNEL AND THEIR CAPABILITIES (continued)

13. Structural firefighting.

a. Is this a role your department performs? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)?

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

c. Have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following levels? 

(Circle letters for all that apply) A. Firefighter Level I B. Firefighter Level II

14. Emergency medical service (EMS).

a. Is this a role your department performs? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No 

b. If yes, how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)? 

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

c. If yes to a, have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following levels? 

(Circle letters for all that apply)

A. First responder B. Basic Life Support (BLS)/EMT Intermediate (EMT I)

C. Advanced Life Support (ALS)/EMT Intermediate (EMT I) D. ALS/Paramedic

15. Hazardous materials response (Hazmat).

a. Is this a role your department performs? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No 

b. If yes, how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)? 

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

c. If yes to a, have any of your personnel been certified to any of the following levels? 

(circle letters for all that apply) A. Awareness B. Operational C. Technician

16. Wildland firefighting.

a. Is this a role your department performs? 

(Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)?

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

17. Technical rescue. 

a. Is this a role your department performs? 

(Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No 

b. If yes, how many of your personnel who perform this duty have received formal training (not just on-the-job)? 

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

18. Basic firefighter fitness and health. 

Does your department have a program to maintain basic firefighter fitness and health

(e.g., as required in NFPA 1500)? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

19. Infectious disease control. 

Does your department have a program for infectious disease control? 

(Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

PART V. FIRE PREVENTION AND CODE ENFORCEMENT

20. Which of the following programs or activities does your department conduct? 

(Circle letters for all that apply)

A. Plans review B. Permit approval 

C. Routine testing of active systems (e.g., fire sprinkler, detection/alarm, smoke control)

D. Free distribution of home smoke alarms E. Juvenile firesetter program

F. School fire safety education program based on a national model curriculum

G. Other prevention program (specify) ________________________________________

21. Who conducts fire code inspections in your community? (Circle letters for all that apply)

A. Full-time fire department inspectors B. In-service firefighters

C. Building department D. Separate inspection bureau

E. Other (specify) ______________________________________ F. No one

22. Who determines that a fire was deliberately set? (Circle letters for all that apply)

A. Fire department arson investigator B. Regional arson task force investigator

C. State arson investigator D. Incident commander or other first-in fire officer

E. Police department F. Contract investigator G. Insurance investigator

H. Other (specify) ___________________________________________________________
PART VI. FACILITIES, APPARATUS, AND EQUIPMENT

23. Number of fire stations: _________

Number over 40 years old: _________ Number having backup power: ________________

Number equipped for exhaust emission control (e.g., diesel exhaust extraction): ________

24. Number of engines/pumpers in service: (Numbers by age should sum to total.) 

Total: _______________ 0-14 years old: _______ 15-19 years old: __________

20-29 years old: ______ 30 or more years old: _______ Unknown age: ____________

25. Number of ladders/aerials in service: _____________________________________

Number of buildings in community that are 4 or more stories in height: (Check one)

❑ None ❑ 1–5 ❑ 6–10 ❑ 11 or more

26. Number of ambulances or other patient transport vehicles: __________________

27. Portable radios. a. How many of your emergency responders on-duty on a single shift can be equipped with

portable radios? (Check one) 

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

b. How many of your portable radios are water-resistant? (Check one)

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None ❑ Don’t know

c. How many of your portable radios are intrinsically safe in an explosive atmosphere? (Check one)

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None ❑ Don’t know

d. Do you have reserve portable radios equal to or greater than 10% of your in-service radios? (Check one)

❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Don’t know

28. Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). a. How many emergency responders on-duty on a single 

shift can be equipped with SCBA? (Check one)

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

b. How many of your SCBA are 10 years old or older? (Check one)

❑All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None ❑ Don’t know

29. Personal alert safety system (PASS) devices.

How many of your emergency responders on-duty on a single shift are equipped with PASS devices? (Check one)

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

30. Personal protective clothing.

a. How many of your emergency responders are equipped with personal protective clothing? 

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None

b. How much of your personal protective clothing is at least 10 years old? 

(Check one) ❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some ❑ None ❑ Don’t know

c. Do you have reserve personal protective clothing sufficient to equip 10% of your emergency 

responders? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Don’t know

PART VII. COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT:

31. Multi-agency communication.

a. Can you communicate by radio on an incident scene with your federal, state, and local emergency response partners

(includes frequency compatibility)? 

❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Don’t know

b. If yes, how many of your partners can you communicate with at an incident scene?

❑ All ❑ Most ❑ Some

32. Map coordinate system.

a. Do you have a map coordinate system you would use to help direct your emergency response partners to specific

locations? ❑ Yes ❑ No ❑ Don’t know

b. If yes, what system do you use? (Check one) 

❑ Based on longitude/latitude

❑ Local system – Map Grid/Street Address/Box Alarm Number

❑ Based on Military Grid Reference System (MGRS)

❑ State Plane Coordinate System ❑ Other (specify) _______________________________

33. Telephone communication. Do you have 911 or similar system? ❑ Yes, 911 basic

❑ Yes, 911 enhanced ❑ Yes, other 3-digit system (specify) __________ ❑ No

34. Dispatch. a. Who has primary responsibility for dispatch operations? (Check one)

❑ Fire department ❑ Police department ❑ Private company

❑ Combined public safety agency ❑ Other (specify) _______________________________

b. Do you also have a backup dispatch facility? ❑ Yes ❑ No

35. Internet access. a.Does your department have Internet access? ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, describe the access you have. (Check one) ❑ All personnel have individual access

❑ One access point per station, multiple stations ❑ One access point at the only station

❑ Access at headquarters, but there are multiple stations ❑ Other (specify) _____________
PART VIII. ABILITY TO HANDLE UNUSUALLY CHALLENGING INCIDENTS

Each question is based on an example incident. We want to know whether you have enough local resources to handle

such an incident, and if not, how far you would have to go to obtain sufficient resources. Both the type and the size 

of the incident are specified to give you something specific to react to and a challenge that will often need more 

than local resources.

36. Technical rescue and EMS for a building with 50 occupants after structural collapse.

a. Is this type of incident within your department’s scope? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident? 

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

c. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

d. Do you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident? (Check one) 

❑ Yes, written agreement ❑ Yes, informal ❑ Yes, other (specify) ______________ ❑ No

37. Hazmat and EMS for an incident involving chemical/biological agents and 10 injuries.

a. Is this type of incident within your department’s scope? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident? 

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

c. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident?

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

d. Do you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident? (Check one) 

❑ Yes, written agreement ❑ Yes, informal ❑ Yes, other (specify) ______________ ❑ No

38. Wildland/urban interface fire affecting 500 acres.

a. Is this type of incident within your department’s scope? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident? 

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

c. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident? 

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

d. Do you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident? (Check one) 

❑ Yes, written agreement ❑ Yes, informal ❑ Yes, other (specify) ______________ ❑ No

39. Mitigation (confining, slowing, etc.) of a developing major flood.

a. Is this type of incident within your department’s scope? (Check one) ❑ Yes ❑ No

b. If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough people with specialized training for this incident?

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

c.If yes, how far would you have to go to obtain enough specialized equipment to handle this incident? 

(Check one) ❑ Local would be enough ❑ Regional ❑ State ❑ National

d. Do you have a plan for working with others on this type of incident? (Check one) 

❑ Yes, written agreement ❑ Yes, informal ❑ Yes, other (specify)______________ ❑ No

PART IX. NEW AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

40. Thermal imaging cameras. Do you have any now or plan to acquire any? 

(Check one) ❑ Now own ❑ Plan to have in 1 year ❑ Plan to have in 5 years ❑ No plan to acquire

41. Mobile data terminals. Do you have any now or plan to acquire any? 

(Check one) ❑ Now own ❑ Plan to have in 1 year ❑ Plan to have in 5 years ❑ No plan to acquire

42. Advanced personnel location equipment. Do you have any now or plan to acquire any?

(Check one) ❑ Now own ❑ Plan to have in 1 year ❑ Plan to have in 5 years ❑ No plan to acquire

43. Equipment to collect chem/bio samples for analysis elsewhere. Do you have any now or plan to acquire any?

(Check one) ❑ Now own ❑ Plan to have in 1 year ❑ Plan to have in 5 years ❑ No plan to acquire

PART X. YOUR TOP 3 NEEDS IN YOUR WORDS.

44._____________________________________________________________________________________________

45._____________________________________________________________________________________________

46._____________________________________________________________________________________________