Des Moines Fire and Rescue Department

What This Data Tells You About Des Moines Fire and Rescue Department

Des Moines Fire and Rescue Department operates as a fire department in Des Moines, within Polk County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports unreported personnel, no station count on file, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Iowa has 810 registered fire departments and 16,337 total personnel, averaging roughly 20 staff per department. Direct staffing comparisons are limited where personnel counts are not reported. The state records about 22,700 fires, 39 fire deaths, and 70% 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: Des Moines Fire and Rescue Department has received 4 FEMA grants totaling $4,376,296.45 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.