Much of the US relies heavily on non-career firefighters, but their ranks are dwindling. If the problem doesn't abate, there's a lot at stake.

During Covid-19, I – like many others – found myself wondering what I could do to help. After passing by a local fire station many times, I checked out the department's website and found that they needed volunteers. 

Having lived in rural areas growing up, I knew volunteer fire departments existed. But I didn't think my town, an 8,500-person suburb of New York City – Hastings-on-Hudson, 20 miles (32km) from Midtown Manhattan – had one. I was also surprised to learn that even in the largest metropolitan area in the US, a large percentage of the population doesn't have full-time fire departments…