World Civil Defense Day highlights need for volunteer firefighters in rural communities

Clearfork Fire Department in Virginia urges more locals to join the cause

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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World Civil Defense Day honors those who work in civil protection and emergency preparedness, including local volunteer firefighters who address many emergency situations on roads and in homes across the region. The Clearfork Fire Department in Tazewell County, Virginia hopes to encourage more in rural communities to do their part and join the cause, as volunteer firefighters make up almost 70 percent of all U.S. firefighters, yet the numbers have declined in recent years.

Why it matters

With emergency call volumes increasing in the last few decades, rural communities are facing a shortage of volunteer firefighters to respond to critical situations. World Civil Defense Day aims to raise awareness of this issue and encourage more community members to step up and join local fire departments.

The details

The Clearfork Fire Department in Tazewell County, Virginia is urging more locals to volunteer as firefighters, as the department and others like it across the country are facing a decline in volunteer numbers despite increasing emergency call volumes. Volunteer firefighters make up almost 70 percent of all U.S. firefighters, but their numbers have dropped in recent years.

  • World Civil Defense Day is celebrated annually on March 1.

The players

Clearfork Fire Department

A fire department located in Tazewell County, Virginia that is seeking more volunteer firefighters to join its ranks.

Russell Stowers

The chief firefighter for the Clearfork Fire Department in Tazewell County, Virginia.

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What they’re saying

“We need volunteers. We need people to step up in the community. You know, it's a very noble cause. There's nothing like a feeling of going out here and rescuing someone out of a house fire or rescuing someone out of a car accident.”

— Russell Stowers, Chief Firefighter (wvva.com)

The takeaway

World Civil Defense Day serves as a reminder of the critical role volunteer firefighters play in keeping rural communities safe, and the ongoing need to recruit more locals to join the cause and fill the growing shortage of volunteers across the country.