May 7, 2025
CT volunteer firefighter ranks have shrunk by 62.7%: ‘Wake-up call’
mark pazniokas / ct mirror
Comptroller Sean Scanlon outlining the findings of the firefighter census.
By Mark Pazniokas, CT Mirror
The ranks of volunteer firefighters, who are the first line of fire protection in a majority of Connecticut communities, have shrunk by a stunning 62.7% since the completion of the last firefighter census in 2017.
A study by the office of Comptroller Sean Scanlon documents what Scanlon called “a recruitment and retention crisis in the fire service in this state and in this country.”
“What this report, I believe, is meant to do is serve as a wake-up call to people in every level of government, from state government to municipal government to federal government,” Scanlon said.
The report was formally released Tuesday, but some of the data had been published previously by The Hartford Courant.
The study is based on a survey conducted from August 2024 through February 2025, which eventually produced responses from 163 of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns.
The data is being used by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, whose divisions include the state police, the state fire marshal and a state firefighters academy, in developing a strategic plan.
“Connecticut is facing an urgent moment in this state, and it has become clear to me … that this just isn’t a firefighter crisis, this is a public safety crisis,” said Ronnell Higgins, the commissioner of DESPP.
The difficulty in attracting volunteers may now be a crisis, but it has unfolded slowly, reflecting a wide range of societal changes: two-career families, greater transience that undermines community ties, people working farther from home, and employers less willing to release volunteers for calls.
Firefighting also has become more complicated, requiring greater commitments to training, and the once-hidden dangers of exposure to carcinogens in fires, fire-suppressing materials and turnout gear also can be a deterrent.
Overall, the number of firefights in Connecticut shrunk by 50%, with a 6.5% increase in paid positions partly offsetting the loss of volunteers.
Eighty-eight of the 169 communities are only served by fully volunteer departments. Only 15 communities, including Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury and some large suburbs, exclusively rely on paid departments.
Sixty-six cities and towns have a mix of a paid department supported by one or more smaller volunteer departments that serve certain neighborhoods.
While the number of paid firefighters has increased, recruitment has grown more difficult, said Paul Januszewski, the fire chief in North Haven. The days of getting hundreds of applications for a handful of jobs are over.
“We now see a fraction of that. The presence of cancer in the fire service, due to the constant exposure to PFAS [and the presence of] smoking chemicals … has soured the interest of new applicants,” he said.
Higgins said the strategic plan will look for remedies, though some are obvious.
“We need more to improve training for our firefighters,” he said. “We also need to provide our firefighters with the health benefits and the equipment they deserve. Above all, we must reach this together, and we have done so. That’s what makes this moment in time so exciting.”
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said one solution is to do a better job of recruiting women. She noted the state fire marshal and fire chiefs of Hamden and Meriden are women.
“Our Council on Women and Girls here in Connecticut has been holding forums to introduce our fabulous female leaders in the fire service across the state,” she said.
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