Firefighting departments close in some US states amid lack of volunteers

About 65% of US firefighters are volunteers, as New York state says number has fallen to lowest level in 40 years Officials have warned of serious consequences after the number of volunteer firefighters, the bedrock of firefighting in the US, plunged, leading to entire departments to close in some states. About 65% of American firefighters are volunteers, serving in their free-time alongside regular jobs. In 2008 there were 827,000 volunteers nationwide, but that figure dropped to 635,000 in ...

By Adam Gabbatt