FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fosston, MN · Polk County
FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving Fosston, MN (Polk County), with 1 station and 44 total personnel. The department also provides EMS services. Full equipment, coverage, and staffing data from HIFLD are below.
- 44
- Total personnel
- 1
- Stations
- —
- Fire trucks
- Yes
- EMS service
(21/dept)
of 617 MN depts
staffing density
AFG / SAFER
Department Profile
- Type
- VOLUNTEER
- Location
- Fosston, MN
- County
- Polk County
- FDID
- 60108
Staffing vs the Minnesota average
How FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT's personnel count compares to the typical department in Minnesota. It is larger than 90% of the 617 reporting departments statewide.
- Stations
- 1
- State fire deaths/yr
- 48
- MN departments
- 883
What This Data Tells You About FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operates as a Volunteer department in Fosston, within Polk County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 44 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active, which directly affects how medical calls in the service area are routed and how quickly an advanced life support unit can reach a patient. Department type matters because career, volunteer, and combination organizations carry very different response-time profiles and funding sources.
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. FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT runs 110% 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.
No FEMA AFG or SAFER grant awards are recorded against this department's FDID in USAspending data, which is common for smaller or volunteer-heavy organizations that lean on state and local funding instead. Residents, insurers, and mutual-aid partners use these data points to judge whether coverage is adequate for the built environment, whether ISO ratings are defensible, and where future capital investment should flow. All figures on this page come from the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) public dataset, USFA published statistics, and USAspending.gov, and are presented without editing so the underlying federal record remains transparent and verifiable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many firefighters does FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT have? ▼
FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT has 44 total personnel according to HIFLD data. This is 110% above the Minnesota average of 21 per department.
Does FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT provide EMS services? ▼
Yes, FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT provides Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in addition to fire response.
How many fire stations does FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operate? ▼
FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT operates 1 fire station.
What type of fire department is FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT? ▼
FOSSTON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving Polk County, MN. Volunteer departments rely on community members who serve without full-time compensation.
How many fire departments are in Minnesota? ▼
Minnesota has 883 fire departments with 18,231 total personnel. 68% are volunteer departments.
Learn More
Related Fire Data
Data from HIFLD Open Data (FEMA/DHS). Not all departments report equally.
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Related
Federal data sources
- HIFLD Fire Stations (DHS/CISA) — station inventory, personnel, and apparatus counts.
- USFA National Fire Department Registry (FEMA) — department-type classification and federal registration.
- FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants — federal grant award history.
- NFPA 1710 / NFPA 1720 — career and volunteer response benchmarks.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from FEMA/DHS HIFLD Open Data. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.