Chatham Volunteer Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Chatham Volunteer Fire Department

Chatham Volunteer Fire Department operates as a Volunteer department in Chatham, within Pittsylvania County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 29 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as not provided.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Virginia has 766 registered fire departments and 25,415 total personnel, averaging roughly 33 staff per department. Chatham Volunteer Fire Department runs 12% below that state average, signalling a leaner crew typical of smaller jurisdictions or heavily volunteer-staffed areas. The state records about 43,900 fires, 86 fire deaths, and 67% 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: Chatham Volunteer Fire Department has received 1 FEMA grant totaling $204,804 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.