It should be noted, though, that many former volunteers filled the ranks of these early departments. Elisha Kingsland, long a volunteer, served as New York's first paid chief engineer. A paid department, however, did not guarantee that major fires could be quickly and successfully controlled. As technology advanced, however, risks also increased. The large fires of yesterday were certainly dangerous, but they were not fueled by toxic chemicals, petroleum distillates, and radioactive material, sometimes in a skyscraper setting.
Some departments also have rescue units, fire boats, and ambulance service.
Fire protection in the United States today is provided by volunteer and paid firefighters, male and female, acting both separately and in concert. Volunteer departments greatly outnumber paid ones at present, but the fire service continues to change. In many suburban and rural areas, volunteer departments are in peril. Recruiting and retaining members is becoming increasingly difficult because of the high cost of housing, strict training requirements, population mobility, and distant employment. The coming decades will bring more paid departments, greater reliance upon female firefighters during the day, and increased interdepartmental cooperation via the mutual aid system.