County profile
Palo Alto County, IA 8 departments
Volunteer share 75% across 8 HIFLD departments in Palo Alto County (Iowa) - staffing mix and EMS flags below.
Palo Alto County, IA is volunteer-led in HIFLD (75% of 8 departments; 157 personnel), #42 of 99 in-state.
- Personnel rank #42 of 99 in Iowa
- 3.82 stations per 100 personnel
- 28% of roster in Ruthven Fire Department
- 3 of 8 depts provide EMS
- 8 of 810 Iowa departments statewide
Fire Departments in Palo Alto County
| Department | Type | Personnel |
|---|---|---|
| Cylinder Fire Department Cylinder · EMS | volunteer | 18 |
| Emmetsburg Fire Department Emmetsburg | volunteer | 21 |
| Graettinger Fire Department Graettinger | volunteer | 22 |
| Mallard Fire Department First Responders Mallard · EMS | volunteer | 30 |
| Rodman Fire Department West Bend | other | - |
| Ruthven Fire Department Ruthven | volunteer | 44 |
| Silver Lake Fire and Rescue Ayrshire · EMS | other | - |
| West Bend Fire Department West Bend | volunteer | 22 |
Coverage desk
Volunteer-share lane (75% of departments) - density and concentration from the same HIFLD extract.
Staffing mix: 0 career, 6 volunteer, 0 combination (75% volunteer).
3.82 stations per 100 HIFLD personnel (6 stations / 157 roster).
Largest book: Ruthven Fire Department holds 28% of county personnel (44 of 157).
Photo-finish peer: Ouachita County, AR (+0 personnel).
FAQ
Are Palo Alto County fire departments mostly volunteer? ▼
Yes, 6 of 8 departments (75%) in Palo Alto County are volunteer.
How many fire departments are in Palo Alto County, IA? ▼
Palo Alto County, IA has 8 fire departments with available federal data. 6 volunteer, By total reported personnel it ranks #42 of 99 among Iowa counties with at least one listed department.
How many firefighters serve Palo Alto County? ▼
Palo Alto County has 157 total fire department personnel across 8 departments. The average per department is 20, which is 0% above the Iowa average.
Does Palo Alto County have EMS coverage? ▼
Yes - 3 departments in Palo Alto County provide EMS services.
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 Palo Alto County uses HIFLD staffing-type flags; NFDR participation is voluntary.