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The NVFC supports the over 1 million volunteer first responders protecting U.S. communities. We provide invaluable tools, resources, programs and advocacy for firefighters and EMS providers across the nation.
Why do we exist?
There are over one million volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in the U.S. These brave men and women risk their lives every day to protect their communities. With over half of all Americans living in communities served by departments that are either volunteer or a combination of volunteer and career, chances are that you or someone you know lives in a community that is protected by volunteers.
In addition to providing life-saving services, these volunteers also save communities across the nation a significant amount of money. It would cost U.S. taxpayers an estimated $128 billion every year if all the volunteer first responders were replaced with career staff.
In an emergency, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel are there for you and your loved ones. You can feel safe knowing that if something should happen – be it a fire, medical emergency, natural disaster, terrorist threat, or other crisis – your community’s firefighters and EMTs are ready to protect you. They volunteer their time and risk their own safety to protect others because they care about their neighbors and communities.
These volunteer first responders need our support. Departments nationwide are struggling to recruit and retain members, fund life-saving programs, and continue to offer the services we depend upon. The National Volunteer Fire Council provides critical support to volunteer emergency service departments and personnel through advocacy, programs, and resources that enable the volunteer fire and emergency services to thrive.
What have you accomplished?
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) serves as the voice of the volunteer fire and emergency services on the national level, and provides critical information, resources, and programs to local departments across the country. We meet the critical needs of the fire service in many ways. Our advocacy efforts have led to the passage of national legislation and policies that benefit the fire service and thus our communities, while our programs and resources help make communities stronger and safer on the local level.
One of our focus areas is recruitment and retention. While volunteers make up 71% of the U.S. fire service, the number of volunteer firefighters is actually 10% less than it was 25 years ago. At the same time, the number of calls to fire departments has more than doubled in the last two decades. Through our 1-800-FIRE-LINE campaign, any community member from anywhere in the country can find volunteer opportunities with their local emergency service department. Almost 2,000 potential volunteers called the toll-free hotline in the first six months of 2011 alone.
We also manage the National Junior Firefighter Program, which helps get youth involved in the fire and emergency services. Junior firefighter programs help instill life-skills and values such as responsibility, leadership, teamwork, dedication, and confidence in youth participants. In turn, many of these youth become firefighters or emergency medical providers when they become adults. Seventy-five percent of the firefighters in the Cherryville Fire Department in Cherryville, NC, started out as junior firefighters. There are over 1,300 junior firefighter programs registered with the NVFC.
Another NVFC program is Fire Corps. Through this program, community members can volunteer with their local fire department in a non-emergency role, performing tasks such as preparedness planning, fire and life safety education in the community, administrative support, and much more. This allows first responders to focus on training and response activities while the department is able to provide additional needed programs and services in the community. The impact Fire Corps has on communities across the nation is astounding. For instance, the Johnson County Rural Fire District #1 in Clarksville, AR, was able to significantly increase their fire safety programming because of their Fire Corps team. Fire Corps members conduct fire safety education in elementary schools, civic organizations, and the local university, as well as install smoke alarms in the homes of the elderly. The department saw a 34% decrease in fire-related property loss thanks to the efforts of the Fire Corps team.
The NVFC also focuses on keeping firefighters healthy and safe. More firefighters die of heart attacks while on-duty than from any other cause. The NVFC is working to reverse this trend through the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, which educates firefighters about their health risks and provides the tools and resources to keep first responders healthy and ready to respond. One firefighter in West Virginia recently received a health screening and information from the NVFC and found that she was at risk for heart disease if she didn’t change her lifestyle. She began eating better and exercising more. Within two months, she lost 16 pounds, improved her energy levels, and could sleep better. She is now better able to serve her community and be there for those that depend on her.
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