ATLANTA – A new study found that Georgia ranked in the list of top five states with the fewest fire departments.

Release:

• California & Florida are tied at the top of the ranking for the states with the fewest fire departments per 100,000 people  
• North Dakota is revealed to have the most fire departments per 100,000 people  
• Data from the U.S Fire Administration was analyzed  

New research has revealed the states with the fewest fire departments, with Florida & California joining in first place.  

Real estate investors specializing in fire damage firecashbuyers.com analyzed data from the U.S Fire Administration to discover the number of fire departments in each state; the number was weighted against the population to determine which states have the fewest departments per 100,000 people, as well as those that have the most.  

States with the fewest fire departments  

Rank	State	No. of fire departments per 100,000 people
1	Florida & California	2.15
2	Nevada	2.83
3	Arizona	3.33
4	Maryland	4.23
5	Georgia	4.31
6	Massachusetts	5.16
7	Texas & Washington	5.22
8	Colorado	5.35
9	Utah	5.84
10	Delaware	5.86

Florida and California are joint first in the list of the states with the fewest fire departments, with both states having just 2.15 fire departments per 100,000 people. This low number may be alarming for citizens, given that both states experience extremely hot climates that impose a risk of wildfires. 

However, despite having the fewest fire departments, 29.8% of those in California are registered as a career department, this being slightly higher than the number of registered volunteer departments at 28.7%. Career departments are typically more equipped, with the firefighters usually having more experience. As well as this, Florida has 39% career departments compared to 34.6% volunteer departments.  

Nevada, California’s neighbor, is second on the list. Despite wildfires being a common occurrence each year in Nevada, there are just 2.83 fire departments for every 100,000th person – so those residing in the Silver State must remain extra vigilant of fire hazards.  

Third on the list is Arizona, having only 3.33 fire departments per 100,000 citizens. Like Florida and California, Arizona has more career fire departments than volunteer departments by a small percentage, with 31.5% for the former and 30.6% for the latter.  

Maryland places fourth in the list, with 4.23 fire departments for every 100,000th citizen. One way to protect yourself from fires is to avoid overloading extension cords – if appliances that are plugged in at once exceed the maximum rating for the cord, the plug can overheat and cause a fire. You can prevent this by checking the rating for each lead which is usually visible on the back, or you can even use an overload calculator. 

Following closely behind is Georgia. The state has 4.31 fire departments per 100,000 people, so citizens need to stay aware of potential hazards; cooking fires are the most common in the US, where grease fires can start from using oil at high temperatures. Always have a fire extinguisher nearby, and don’t leave the area unless you can appoint someone to keep a close eye on the food.  

States with the most fire departments  

Rank	State	No. of fire departments per 100,000 people
1	North Dakota	41.97
2	South Dakota	33.16
3	Vermont	32.03
4	Montana	25.92
5	Maine	24.81
6	Iowa	23.13
7	Arkansas	22.98
8	West Virginia	22.36
9	Alaska	21.00
10	Nebraska	19.83

On the other end of the scale, North Dakota is crowned as the state with the most fire departments, with the state boasting 41.97 fire departments for every 100,000th person. This is almost 20 times more than California and Florida’s rate of only 2.15 per 100,000 people.  

North Dakota’s neighbor, South Dakota, is second in the ranking. The state is home to 33.16 fire departments per 100,000 residents.  

Third on the list is Vermont, with 32.03 fire departments for every 100,000th residents. Being one of the nation’s coldest states, many citizens may rely on things like log burners to stay warm at home.  

Montana is fourth on the list, with 25.92 fire departments per 100,000 people. Like Vermont, Montana is another particularly cold state, so residents may use items in their home for warmth such as electrical heaters that impose risks if not used correctly.  

Fifth in the ranking is Maine. The state has an impressive 24.91 fire departments for every 100,000th person.  

A spokesperson from firecashbuyers.com has commented: “It’s interesting to see that six of states with the fewest departments reside on the West side of the country, while six of the states with the most departments are situated up and around the North. 

“However, fires can be causes by various factors, such as electrical equipment, cigarettes, and cooking – so it’s crucial for all Americans, regardless of where you live, to remain cautious of fires at all times.” 

This information was provided by firecashbuyers.com, who cover the buying and selling of fire damaged homes across the United States.