What if we told you that the majority of firefighters protecting American communities aren’t paid career staff, but volunteers?
These everyday heroes balance careers, families, and personal lives while standing ready to respond when their neighbors need them most.
At Full Sail Media, we’re thrilled to spotlight the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) as our April 2025 Changemakers community partner. To mark the occasion, we sat down with the organization’s CEO, Sarah Lee.
Each month, our Changemaker initiative celebrates organizations making a profound difference in our communities. These changemakers embody the spirit of service and community that strengthens the fabric of our state, and few organizations exemplify this commitment better than the NVFC.
The Voice for Volunteer Emergency Services
Since its founding in 1976, the National Volunteer Fire Council has served as the unified voice for volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services across America.
As the leading nonprofit membership association in this sector, the NVFC provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for volunteer first responders nationwide.
“So many departments have budgets that are less than $100,000 for the year, and a fire truck can cost one and a half million dollars,” explains Sarah Lee, CEO of the NVFC, highlighting the resource challenges these essential community services face.
What many don’t realize is that the volunteer fire service operates with remarkable dedication despite significant financial constraints. Many rural stations operate on shoestring budgets, sometimes with dirt floors and without internet access.
Yet, these committed volunteers still show up when their communities need them most.
Making a National Impact Through Local Service
The NVFC addresses these challenges through a comprehensive suite of national programs designed to support local volunteer departments:
Make Me A Firefighter Campaign
The NVFC’s flagship recruitment initiative provides marketing tools and resources for volunteer departments that may not have dedicated marketing staff.
Through the Make Me A Firefighter platform, departments can post volunteer opportunities while potential volunteers can discover ways to serve.
“We launched the first and so far only national recruitment and retention campaign for firefighters,” Lee shares. “It provides marketing tools and resources for small volunteer departments that maybe don’t have a marketing person on staff and don’t have that expertise.”
Training Programs
The NVFC offers both technical and leadership training, including hazmat response courses and a train-the-trainer program for wildland fire risk mitigation. These resources ensure volunteer departments maintain high standards of service despite budget limitations.
Corporate Partnerships
The NVFC has fostered powerful partnerships with national organizations like Anheuser-Busch, State Farm®, and others to provide grants and essential resources to volunteer departments. These partnerships deliver everything from drinking water for wildland firefighters to monetary grants that help departments acquire equipment and training.
Additional Specialized Programs
The organization also administers numerous other initiatives including:
- The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program to address health risks faced by emergency responders
- The National Junior Firefighter Program to engage the next generation of volunteers
- The Share The Load Program focusing on mental health resources
- The Wildland Fire Assessment Program providing training and resources for wildland fire risk mitigation
Community Impact Beyond Emergency Responses
What sets volunteer fire departments apart is their deep integration into community life.
These aren’t just emergency response units—they’re community institutions that often serve as social hubs through pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, Christmas tree sales, and other fundraising events.
Most remarkably, volunteer firefighters often serve for decades, demonstrating extraordinary dedication.
“So many of our board members have been volunteering for 30, 40, 50 years,” Lee notes. “I can’t think of anywhere else where people volunteer for that long. The national average for most volunteer organizations is about a year, but in the fire service, it’s usually years or decades that people stick around because they love it so much.”
Supporting Our Local Heroes
The volunteer fire service represents community service at its finest—neighbors helping neighbors through their greatest challenges.
Here’s how you can support this vital community resource:
- Consider volunteering: You don’t have to fight fires to help. Departments need administrative support, event planning, fundraising assistance, and many other non-operational roles.
- Attend community events: Mark your calendar for Fire Prevention Week (the first week of October), when many departments host open houses and community activities.
- Make a donation: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the NVFC relies on donations to fund its vital programs.
- Explore membership: If you’re already in the fire service or aligned with it, consider joining the NVFC as a member.
At Full Sail Media, we’re proud to partner with organizations like the NVFC that embody the spirit of community service and dedication.
Just as we work alongside businesses to help them grow and succeed, the NVFC works to ensure volunteer emergency services have the resources and support they need to protect our communities.
To learn more about the NVFC and how you can get involved, visit nvfc.org or makemeafirefighter.org.
