Volunteer

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT

Oelwein, IA · Fayette County

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving Oelwein, IA (Fayette County), with 1 station and 28 total personnel. Full equipment, coverage, and staffing data from HIFLD are below.

28
Total personnel
1
Stations
Fire trucks
EMS service
+40%
above IA avg personnel
(20/dept)
62th
percentile by size
of 590 IA depts
28
personnel per station
staffing density
$807K
2 FEMA grants
AFG / SAFER

Department Profile

Type
MOSTLY VOLUNTEER
Location
Oelwein, IA
FDID
33008

FEMA Grant History

$807K
Total Funding
2
Awards
Year Award Amount
2021 EMW-2021-FF-01566 $44,998
2020 EMW-2020-FG-16665 $761,905

Source: USAspending.gov (CFDA 97.044 AFG / 97.083 SAFER) USAspending.gov (CFDA 97.044 AFG / 97.083 SAFER)

Staffing vs the Iowa average

How OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT's personnel count compares to the typical department in Iowa. It is larger than 62% of the 590 reporting departments statewide.

▲ 40% above the state average
Stations
1
State fire deaths/yr
39
IA departments
810

What This Data Tells You About OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT operates as a Volunteer department in Oelwein, within Fayette County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 28 total personnel, 1 station, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as unspecified, 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. Iowa has 810 registered fire departments and 16,337 total personnel, averaging roughly 20 staff per department. OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT runs 40% above that state average, signalling a larger-than-typical crew likely tied to denser population or higher call volume. 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: OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT has received 2 FEMA grants totaling $806,903 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff. 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 OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT have?

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT has 28 total personnel according to HIFLD data. This is 40% above the Iowa average of 20 per department.

Does OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT provide EMS services?

EMS capability is not specified for OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT in the HIFLD database.

How many fire stations does OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT operate?

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT operates 1 fire station.

What type of fire department is OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT?

OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT is a Volunteer department serving Fayette County, IA. Volunteer departments rely on community members who serve without full-time compensation.

Has OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT received federal grants?

Yes, OELWEIN FIRE DEPARTMENT has received 2 FEMA grants totaling $806,903 through the AFG and SAFER programs. The most recent grant was in fiscal year 2021.

How many fire departments are in Iowa?

Iowa has 810 fire departments with 16,337 total personnel. 70% are volunteer departments.

Data from HIFLD Open Data (FEMA/DHS). Not all departments report equally.

Nearby Departments

CLERMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Clermont · volunteer
ELGIN FIRE DEPARTMENT
Elgin · other
FAYETTE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Fayette · volunteer
HARLAN TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT
Maynard · volunteer
HAWKEYE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Hawkeye · volunteer
SAINT LUCAS FIRE DEPARTMENT
Saint Lucas · volunteer
All IA departments →

Related

Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData Editorial

Federal data sources

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.