Ohio Fire Marshal Launches New Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment Portal

(From the Office of the State Fire Marshal)

As the state of Ohio continues to experience an alarming decline in the number of its volunteer firefighters, the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal’s Ohio Fire Academy has launched an innovative new portal to more easily and directly connect Ohioans with available opportunities at their local fire houses so communities across the state continue to have access to the protection they deserve.

Approximately 70% of Ohio’s nearly 1,200 fire departments rely on volunteers, but a significant decline in the volunteer fire service is jeopardizing its future viability. While the number of emergency calls is increasing across the state, the number of volunteer firefighters is decreasing. From 2018 to 2021, there was a 6.5% decreas