# Do "Volunteer Firefighters" actually not get paid?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-volunteer-firefighters-actually-not-get-paid/628116
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 13, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-volunteer-firefighters-actually-not-get-paid/628116 "2012-07-13T15:35:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-volunteer-firefighters-actually-not-get-paid/628116/41 "2012-07-15T05:01:18Z")
> [@Flyer](#):
>
> It’s quite common in Western states, although not in the way that you suggest. Colorado has a State Wildland Inmate Fire Team.
>
> [http://cozine.com/2011-july/swift-crews-–-offenders-fighting-colorado-fires/](http://cozine.com/2011-july/swift-crews-%E2%80%93-offenders-fighting-colorado-fires/)
Just to be clear, they are not sentenced to fight fire by a judge. When they get to prison they can apply for a variety of jobs, firefighting is one of the options.
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### Author:  [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-volunteer-firefighters-actually-not-get-paid/628116/42 "2012-07-15T12:13:06Z")
> [@Shosy](#):
>
> … That said, towns need to think of the substantial savings they get from a volunteer force, rather than having a full time force (tempered with maybe they really need a full time force for practical reasons).
> .
And the savings isn’t just to the town government… it is to each and every person paying homeowners insurance.
IIRC the average savings on homeowner’s insurance was something like 40% based upon the fire protection (ISO rating 7) provided by our VFD (as compared to the previous situation - no service at all!(ISO rating 10)). We would ask for $50 annually per household in donation to help keep, and try to improve) that rating.
[Fire ratings impact insurance rates](http://www.americanownews.com/story/15590022/fire-ratings-impact-insurance-rates?clienttype=printable)
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