With volunteer firefighter numbers decreasing nationwide, the West Virginia University Extension Fire Service is playing a critical role in training and retaining current volunteers while preparing the next generation of firefighters.
In West Virginia, 90% of fire departments are staffed entirely by volunteers, a heavy reliance that Mark Lambert, director of the WVU Extension Fire Service, says was born out of necessity.
“It’s a matter of the rural nature of West Virginia and the mountainous terrain,” Lambert said. “It may be 10 miles as the crow flies on a map, but it may take you 45 minutes to get from point A to point B in West Virginia because you follow the roads through the valleys and the hills.”
While larger cities like Morgantown and Charleston can pay full-time firefighters, volunteer departments are sometimes the only option for fire service in smaller, more rural communities.
“Now, some of those communities are disappearing, and as they disappear, we are lowering the number of fire departments in the state,” Lambert said.
Although overall volunteer firefighter numbers are declining, Lambert says departments have a few different methods of recruiting new members. One of the best ways to do that is through programs like the WVU Extension Fire Service Junior Firefighter Camp.
Since 2006, the West Virginia State Fire Academy at WVU Jackson’s Mill has hosted more than 1,300 junior firefighters from across the country, providing training in skills needed to be a volunteer firefighter, such as live fire training and working as a team during an emergency.
“At the State Fire Academy here in West Virginia, one of the things we are doing is putting money into simulators — fire simulators, driving simulators and pump simulators — that actually give that ‘real-world’ feel that I think a lot of young people want in their training,” Lambert said.
So far, students are responding well to a more realistic approach to fire training. Based on survey responses after the 2025 Junior Firefighter Camp, 109 out of 155 students indicated they planned to return to their hometowns and serve in their local volunteer fire departments.
The WVU Extension Fire Service also keeps current volunteers safe by preparing them to tackle a variety of emergency situations. Electric vehicle fires, aircraft rescues, hazmat scenarios and gas well simulations are just a few of the demonstrations that are available for first responders.
Staci Lentz, a firefighter for the Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency, trained with the State Fire Academy earlier this year to learn more about the management of multiple agencies during large-scale incidents. She had previously trained at the academy after first signing up to be a firefighter in 2024.
“It was a well-run class. The instructor challenged us, but I learned a ton from it. For as dry as that information can sometimes be, it was extremely beneficial,” Lentz said. “All of the instructors I’ve met are really good at taking the time to break down whatever skill it is and working through it until you’re solid in your performance.”
But even if volunteers don’t want to fight fires themselves, the idea of support personnel has also been growing in popularity.
“One misconception is that somebody can’t be part of the fire department unless they’re willing to go into a burning building and fight fire, and that’s just not the case anymore,” Lambert said. “It’s a separate training, but they’re able to be on the fire scene and help assist the firefighters that are going in, and they can still be a valuable member of the fire department.”
Depending on the state, Lambert says volunteer firefighters can also receive benefits, like property tax breaks or retirement programs, which helps with attracting new volunteers at a time when the average age of volunteer firefighters is increasing.
“If you have an accident while traveling, you’re probably going to have a volunteer fire department show up to help you, and that’s why we need the best and the brightest all across the country, not just here in West Virginia.”
