Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department

Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department operates as a Volunteer department in Bigelow, within Nobles County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 24 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as not provided.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Minnesota has 883 registered fire departments and 18,231 total personnel, averaging roughly 21 staff per department. Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department runs 14% above that state average, signalling a larger-than-typical crew likely tied to denser population or higher call volume. The state records about 28,000 fires, 48 fire deaths, and 68% 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: Bigelow Volunteer Fire Department has received 1 FEMA grant totaling $242,250 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.