Volunteer Fire Foundation exists to support volunteer firefighters in Northern California and beyond.
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VFF awarded $425k FEMA SAFER grant to support the recruitment and retention of local volunteer firefighters
Four-year grant for recruitment and retention programs
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VFF Executive Director publishes AR-enabled children's book to support families and raise funds for VFF
Trauma-informed and augmented reality-enabled!
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VFF wins "Excellence in Innovation" award at Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership's annual event
Award honors new solutions to critical issues
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VFF and partner organizations complete ground-breaking 16-week firefighter detoxification program
See results from the last round and register for the next
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VFF provides infrared saunas for Graton, Sonoma Valley, and Healdsburg FDs to help firefighters reduce chemical load
Where should we install the next one? Let us know!
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Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation funds a year's worth of integrative wellness and lung detox clinics
91% reported reduced anxiety, 84% reported reduced pain
Nationwide, 65% of all firefighters are volunteers.
In Sonoma County, that number is 50% and falling – but we’ve never needed them more.
From medical calls to major disasters, volunteer firefighters have our backs – but who has theirs?
Volunteer firefighters have long been the backbone of emergency response throughout Sonoma and neighboring counties but the recent proliferation of mega-fires in California’s North Bay has elevated their role from provincial to central.
Despite their value, volunteer numbers are falling at alarming rates as funding wanes and the expense of local living soars.
Volunteer Fire Foundation exists to meet the real-world needs of volunteer firefighters, from supplies to scholarships and wellness to awareness.
Let this sink in: 85% of fire departments in the U.S. are entirely or mostly volunteer,* including more than half of all fire departments in Sonoma County.
To be clear, volunteer firefighters are highly skilled emergency personnel who complete the same trainings and answer the same calls as their paid peers but without the benefit of a salary, health insurance, or pension.
Most volunteer fire agencies rely on annual fundraisers to keep their lights on – but firefighting is expensive and pancake breakfasts don’t make a dent in their list of needs. Those needs include critical equipment upgrades, recruitment and retention strategies, physical and mental health support, and more. That’s where we come in.
*National Fire Protection Association
There are different kinds of volunteer firefighters, but they’re all indispensable when it comes to protecting Sonoma & neighboring counties
Whether it’s a third-generation volunteer in rural West County or a Geyserville volunteer-intern on a career track, volunteer firefighters serve their immediate communities in profound ways. And when catastrophe strikes, as it has all too often in recent years, volunteer firefighters provide a critical staffing surge when their paid peers need it most.
“Without our volunteers who got out there fast, I am certain that more people would have died in the Tubbs Fire, and more houses would have been lost.”
In our recent firestorms, approximately half of the earliest dispatched engines were staffed with volunteer firefighters who came from every corner of Sonoma County, from the valley to the coast.
Firefighter feedback.
“Thank you for your dedication and services to us. We aren’t used to being taken care of, but that’s what happened! It’s hard to put my gratitude into words but it is extreme.”
— V.B., Gold Ridge Fire District volunteer firefighter
“Thank you for thinking of us yet again! Your strike team supplies just got loaded up in case we deploy out of county for mudslides or other major event… huge help! It’s just an amazing feeling that you are out there supporting us at every turn. Truly heartwarming!”
— Bill Bullard, Graton Fire Chief
“Congrats on the success of the recent wellness days! You and your foundation continue to provide much needed and critical support to our firefighters! Thank You!!!