Plains Township Fire Department

What This Data Tells You About Plains Township Fire Department

Plains Township Fire Department operates as a Career (Paid) department in Plains, within Luzerne County, and the HIFLD and USFA records give a precise structural picture of its response capacity. The department reports 23 total personnel, 2 stations, no truck inventory reported. EMS capability is listed as active.

Benchmarking against the state gives this profile context. Pennsylvania has 2,427 registered fire departments and 85,879 total personnel, averaging roughly 35 staff per department. Plains Township Fire Department runs 34% below that state average, signalling a leaner crew typical of smaller jurisdictions or heavily volunteer-staffed areas. The state records about 73,800 fires, 115 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: Plains Township Fire Department has received 1 FEMA grant totaling $30,952.38 through the AFG and SAFER programs, money typically spent on PPE, SCBA, training, and hiring or retaining career staff.