The Wisconsin Policy Forum is raising concerns about a decline in volunteer firefighting.
The group says that Wisconsin has lost over 930 positions since 2020, or a 5.5% decline in volunteers.
Meanwhile, call volume has been increasing due to an aging population.
A 2023 EMS Reliability report by the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health points to strain: 62% of volunteer agencies report relying on 6 or fewer staff to cover 80% or more of calls, and 63% report periods when they didn’t have adequate staff to provide ambulance response.
The Policy Forum also recorded that emergency response capabilities vary substantially across the state, including in Manitowoc County.
Manitowoc and Two Rivers Fire Departments hold paramedic licenses, while departments like Branch, Mishicot, and Reedsville hold only Emergency Medical Responder licenses.
More details about the study can be found at wispolicyforum.org.
