Fire codes

Wisconsin Fire Code & Departments

Legacy adoption vintage (2018) with a volunteer-heavy roster (647 volunteer vs 50 career departments).

International Fire Code (IFC) Adopted 2018

International Fire Code (IFC)

Wisconsin adopts the IFC through the Department of Safety and Professional Services. The State Fire Marshal coordinates enforcement.

International Fire Code (IFC) · fires rank #23 of 51

Wisconsin adopts International Fire Code (IFC) (2018), shared by 33 of 51 states in this extract. 894 fire departments; the state ranks #23 of 51 nationally by annual fires (USFA).

  • Annual-fires rank #23 of 51 nationally
  • 33 of 51 states share this code type
  • 50 career / 647 volunteer depts
894
Fire Departments
26,974
Total Personnel
647
Volunteer Depts
50
Career Depts

Largest Fire Departments in Wisconsin

#1
City of Madison Fire Department
Madison
318 personnel
#2
Green Bay Fire Department
Green Bay
198 personnel
#3
Cedarburg Volunteer Fire Department
Cedarburg
180 personnel
#4
Racine Fire Department
Racine
155 personnel
#5
Kenosha Fire Department
Kenosha
153 personnel
View all 894 departments in Wisconsin →

Wisconsin: volunteer-led legacy code desk

Legacy vintage (2018) with volunteer share 93% (647 volunteer vs 50 career among typed orgs). Rural companies often rely on the state fire marshal for plan review while the statewide floor ages in place.

Enforcement capacity is volunteer-dominant: 647 volunteer vs 50 career departments (7% career among typed orgs), with 26,974 personnel on HIFLD. In this mix, statewide code language matters most where the state fire marshal or county inspector fills gaps rural companies cannot staff full-time. Largest roster in-state: City of Madison Fire Department (318 personnel, 1.2% of the state total).

USFA annual-fires rank for Wisconsin is #23 of 51 (~30,100 fires/year ; 54 fire deaths; 295 injuries). Pair that incident load with the adoption vintage above when judging how hard the code is tested in the field. Figures: HIFLD Open Data ( FEMA / U.S. Fire Administration ), USFA published statistics, and state code-adoption records in this portal's extract.

Same International Fire Code (IFC) family: nearest adoption peers

  • AK · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • AZ · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • HI · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • ID · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • KS · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • KY · adopted 2018 (same model year)

Frequently Asked Questions

What fire code does Wisconsin use?
Wisconsin adopts the International Fire Code (IFC) (adopted 2018). Wisconsin adopts the IFC through the Department of Safety and Professional Services. The State Fire Marshal coordinates enforcement.
How many fire departments are in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 894 fire departments registered in the HIFLD database, including 50 career departments and 647 volunteer departments with 26,974 total personnel.
How current is Wisconsin's adopted fire code?
Wisconsin shows adoption year 2018 in this extract (legacy band, 2018 or earlier). Local amendments can still tighten sprinkler or wildland rules beyond the statewide floor.
How does Wisconsin's fire load compare nationally?
USFA ranks Wisconsin #23 of 51 by annual fires (~30,100 fires/year in this extract). Pair that load with the adoption vintage and department mix on this page, high-load states stress code enforcement differently than low-load peers on the same code family.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData

Keep reading: Methodology (HIFLD + USFA join notes for this extract).