Staffing, funding and increased demands for service are three common and resounding challenges facing fire departments across the United States, according to an e-mail survey conducted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs. More than 1,000 IAFC members responded to the November 2005 survey.

Respondents listed staffing (61%), funding (55%) and increased demands for service (23%) as their top three challenges. Volunteer departments listed staffing as their most common challenge, while career departments listed financial problems as their top issue. Other commonly cited challenges were training firefighters and fire officers (21.9%), issues with personnel and labor groups (16.2%), and the need for new equipment to replace an aging fleet or to comply with new standards (11.9%).

“Budget cuts, staffing concerns and increased demands for services continue to plague fire departments of all types and sizes,” said IAFC President Chief Bill Killen. “Fire chiefs are constantly challenged to find ways to do more with less.”

The most common challenge facing fire departments is recruiting and maintaining qualified staff. Fire departments are being forced to reduce staff while facing increased call volume and new responsibilities.

Increased demands for services were commonly cited as a major challenge; respondents are facing rapid community growth and additional expectations for their departments, such as preparing for potential terrorist attacks or a possible outbreak of pandemic flu.

Nearly every issue had a link to fire department budgets. Many respondents indicated that tax revenues are insufficient and that there is a significant need for additional funds to maintain the status quo and to meet elevated demands for service.

Fire chiefs noted a need to secure and maintain grant money to help offset some of the costs of running their departments.

Departments also indicated that training to meet federally required standards would be a challenge, particularly finding the time and money to conduct the training.