How to Form a Volunteer Fire Department

The average person may think that every community in the United States is protected by a fire department of some type. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and thousands of communities go unprotected from fires, medical emergencies, rescue situations, or natural disasters. In fact, in some states such as Arizona, existing fire departments are not required by state law to respond out of their jurisdictions to help unprotected communities. Many communities have successfully organized fire departments, yet others do not know where to begin. Here are a few tips on how to form a volunteer fire department (VFD).

Organization

Starting a volunteer fire department involves more than just getting a fire engine and responding to emergencies. Even someone with a fire department background may have no idea that there are legal requirements and ramifications including fines and penalties if a department is not properly organized. One of the best resources for forming a volunteer fire department is the National Volunteer Fire Council http://www.nvfc.org/. You do not even need to be a member to benefit from the information available through this organization, but at $50 per year, membership will provide additional benefits and resources. In the resources section of their website, you will find various regulations and how they apply to your volunteer fire department. One of the best sources of information available is from the National Fire Protection Association http://www.nfpa.org/, however you may find that initially NVFC is a little more user friendly. Your State Fire Marshal may be able to provide additional information regarding training requirement, grants available, and applicable state regulations. Other information is available from the United States Fire Administration at https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/publications/ .