News

Did you know it would cost American taxpayers more than $37.6 billion annually if all volunteer first responders nationwide were replaced with career staffing? Estimate your department’s contribution to the community today by using the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Foundation’s Volunteer Fire and EMS Cost Savings Calculators, available at www.nvfc.org/calculators.

 

Volunteer fire and EMS departments can use these tools to educate their city/town council, department boards, local groups, and others about the value their department provides to the community. These cost-savings figures can help make the case for the need for local, state, and federal investment in the volunteer emergency services.

 

The calculators are based on two studies conducted by the Public Safety and Environmental Protection Institute at St. Joseph's University, which were made possible by a grant from UBS. The calculators use factors such as population and area served, apparatus, and equivalent salary figures to determine how much your department saves your local community. Simply fill in the requested information and the calculator will determine the savings.

 

The NVFC web site features online and downloadable versions of the calculators, the complete studies, and customizable PowerPoint presentations to help you make the case for local support. Learn more and access the Cost Savings Calculators at www.nvfc.org/calcuators.