HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut’s firefighting workforce has been halved in under a decade, and the decline is no longer just statistical—it’s operational.
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, whose duties typically center on pensions and healthcare, released a report Tuesday declaring a recruitment and retention “crisis” among firefighters in Connecticut.
“As comptroller, I oversee two key benefits for many Connecticut firefighters: their healthcare and their pensions,” Scanlon said. “Given the work we do on pensions and healthcare, I decided to form the (firefighter recruitment) task force within our office.”
The report shows volunteer firefighter numbers plummeted 62.7% from 22,350 in 2016–17 to 8,337 in 2025. Total firefighters in the state dropped by half during that span, from 26,800 to 13,401.
While career firefighter numbers rose modestly—up 6.5%—the age distribution reveals longer-term structural concerns. According to the data, only 9% of career firefighters are under 30, with the average age just under 40. A combined 83% fall between 30 and 49 years old, and only 8% are over 50.
“Fewer individuals joining could be indicative of a lower desirability to pursue firefighting right after high school,” the report states.
Scanlon, who has familial ties to the fire service, said his roots run deep. “Life took a different path, but my interest in and support of the fire service never changed,” he said, recounting his time as a Fire Explorer in high school and honoring his grandfather, a New Haven firefighter awarded the Medal of Valor.
The crisis is hitting rural departments hardest. Torrington’s Volunteer Fire Department closed on April 1, and Pomfret has seen a 50% drop in volunteers. The vacuum leaves municipalities scrambling to restructure coverage plans or hire more career firefighters, raising operational costs.
Ronnell Higgins, Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), called the current conditions “a public safety crisis.” He urged a broader recruitment approach, stating, “I want to emphasize the need for strategic pathways in the state of Connecticut so that we can get more people into the fire service … and more people protecting our cities and our towns.”
The risks of the profession—including heightened cancer rates and strenuous physical demands—are cited as barriers, alongside reduced benefits due to budgetary constraints.
North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski said the time had come to “sound the alarm.” Tax abatements no longer attract enough volunteers to justify the hours of training. “Vacancies that used to draw hundreds of applicants now draw a small fraction of that,” he said.
To address the attrition, the report made three immediate recommendations:
1. The state should maintain a master list of department chiefs. Currently, there is no central requirement to track leadership.
2. The state should map exact fire department coverage areas, which are not currently well defined.
3. The state should conduct a firefighter census at regular intervals to maintain current and accurate data.
“The exact coverage of each fire department is not well known, which potentially hampers recruitment and retention efforts,” the report reads. “The fluidity and constant attrition of the firefighting profession means that data on the number of firefighters needs to be constantly updated.”
A strategic plan for Connecticut’s fire service is now underway through DESPP. It will require new funding and is expected to include broad recommendations once finalized.
