Gov. Mike DeWine and other officials are again highlighting the statewide shortage of volunteer firefighters, and with more than two-thirds of jurisdictions’ fire departments reliant on volunteers, they say it's something unsustainable in many communities.
“We believe that there are many individuals within the state of Ohio who are really unaware of this significant need for volunteer firefighters and many of them do not realize that they have the ability to volunteer,” DeWine said at a Friday morning news conference in Reynoldsburg.
Among recent efforts to combat dwindling forces, the state will air public service announcements on television and social media platforms for the next eight weeks, he said Friday. The two 30-second PSAs feature firefighters locally telling their own stories.
State statistics mirror national statistics, showing that from 2018 to 2021, emergency calls rose by 9% as volunteer ranks fell by 6.5%.
Ohio has nearly 400 vacant volunteer roles in various volunteer departments, according to Make Me a Firefighter listings.
The Ohio Department of Commerce's State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said those duties often go beyond what Ohioans might think—it's not just about using a ladder and a hose. Volunteer work can include everything from rendering medical aid to writing grants to doing administrative work.
“They only need to share a commitment and dedication to serving their neighbors and their communities,” Reardon said. “And they do it for nothing. Volunteer means exactly that—there's no pay involved with being a volunteer firefighter. In fact, it may cost you some of your own money to buy gear.”
In January 2023, DeWine's task force on Volunteer Fire Service released 31 findings and recommendations, and creating and coordinating PSAs was one of them. Since last fall, Ohio has also been offering Fire Academy training free of charge to new volunteer recruits and increasing grant offerings.
More information about becoming a volunteer firefighter is here.
