While the number of fire-related calls to U.S. fire departments has steadily declined in recent decades, the volume of calls to fire departments has continued to grow. As fire departments have become increasingly relied upon to provide emergency response to an ever-growing range of incidents, so have firefighters’ roles and responsibilities.
NFPA continually works to support fire departments by developing standards, trainings, resources and initiatives that help them perform their work as effectively and safely as possible, wherever they’re required to go. Similarly, NFPA has proactively addressed emerging issues in which fire departments have become actively involved.