COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Fire Marshal's office has launched a new online portal to help local departments find volunteer firefighters as their numbers decline across the state.

The new Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment Portal aims to connect Ohioans with nearby volunteer fire departments by streamlining the inquiry process. Users can enter their contact information and location, and the system sends the inquiry directly to fire chiefs in their area.

About 70% of Ohio's nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers. However, the number of volunteer firefighters has been falling while the volume of emergency calls has increased. From 2018 to 2021, the number of volunteers decreased by 6.5%, while emergency calls increased by 9% between 2018 and 2020.

The state's trend mirrors a natio

See Full Page