Big Timber Volunteer Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Big Timber Volunteer Fire Department

Big Timber Volunteer Fire Department operates as a Volunteer department in Big Timber, within Sweet Grass County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 40 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as not provided.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Montana has 416 registered fire departments and 6,294 total personnel, averaging roughly 15 staff per department. Big Timber Volunteer Fire Department runs 167% above that state average, signalling a larger-than-typical crew likely tied to denser population or higher call volume. The state records about 8,500 fires, 19 fire deaths, and 54% volunteer coverage each year, which shapes training, funding priorities, and mutual-aid patterns felt at every department in the state.

Federal investment further defines this department's trajectory: Big Timber Volunteer Fire Department has received 1 FEMA grant totaling $280,440 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.