County profile
Howard County, IA 5 departments
Volunteer share 80% across 5 HIFLD departments in Howard County (Iowa) - staffing mix and EMS flags below.
Howard County, IA is volunteer-led in HIFLD (80% of 5 departments; 84 personnel), #79 of 99 in-state.
- Personnel rank #79 of 99 in Iowa
- 4.76 stations per 100 personnel
- 31% of roster in Cresco City Fire Department
- 5 of 810 Iowa departments statewide
Fire Departments in Howard County
| Department | Type | Personnel |
|---|---|---|
| Chester Fire Department Chester | volunteer | 16 |
| Cresco City Fire Department Cresco | volunteer | 26 |
| Elma Fire Department Elma | other | - |
| Lime Springs Fire Department Lime Springs | volunteer | 20 |
| Protivin Fire Department Protivin | volunteer | 22 |
Coverage desk
Volunteer-share lane (80% of departments) - density and concentration from the same HIFLD extract.
Staffing mix: 0 career, 4 volunteer, 0 combination (80% volunteer).
4.76 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (4 stations / 84 roster).
Largest book: Cresco City Fire Department holds 31% of county personnel (26 of 84).
Photo-finish peer: Ouray County, CO (+0 personnel).
No EMS-flagged departments in this HIFLD extract for the county.
FAQ
Are Howard County fire departments mostly volunteer? ▼
Yes, 4 of 5 departments (80%) in Howard County are volunteer.
How many fire departments are in Howard County, IA? ▼
Howard County, IA has 5 fire departments with available federal data. 4 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #79 of 99 among Iowa counties with at least one listed department.
How many firefighters serve Howard County? ▼
Howard County has 84 total fire department personnel across 5 departments. The average per department is 17, which is 15% below the Iowa average.
Does Howard County have EMS coverage? ▼
EMS coverage data is not available for Howard County from federal records.
Nationwide counties with similar fire coverage
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, National Fire Department Registry NFDR (National Fire Department Registry) · 2024 Volunteer-share read for Howard County uses HIFLD staffing-type flags; NFDR participation is voluntary.