Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal

The 2023 Medal of Honor Ceremony and The Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service was held on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 10 AM. The video of the ceremony is now available. 

Statistics show 1 in 4 people suffer from some form of mental illness in any given year. Firefighters are three times more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty. According to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance, 105 firefighters took their own lives in the United States in 2014. The US Firefighters Association (USFA reports that about 10 percent of firefighters may be abusing illicit substances and that alcohol abuse among this population is more than twice the rates seen in the general public. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among first responders are also common and believed to be triggered or worsened by repeat exposure to trauma, including physical abuse and death among the people they serve, loss of people close to them, and life-threatening situations.

As part of the rule changes that were adopted by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) on January 1, 2023, the Confined Space Technician certification was added to the firefighter certification program.  

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) announced today the recipients of the 2023 Small Equipment Grant Program. A total of $1.5 million was awarded to 64 fire departments/districts and EMS providers across the state. The OSFM received 296 applications, requesting around $4.5 million in funding for this grant period. The program was established to provide grants of up to $26,000 each for the purchase of small firefighting and ambulance equipment.

This is National Volunteer Week across the nation. Did you know, 70% of the Illinois fire service community is made up of volunteers? Visit your local department or click this link to find opportunities near you. Every department has a task that might fit your unique talents.