U.S. Needs Assessment Survey Deadline Extended to February 15

January 13, 2026

The deadline for U.S. fire departments to complete the 2025 U.S. Needs Assessment survey – the sixth one conducted by the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) since 2001 – has been extended to February 15. The new deadline works to ensure that as many fire departments as possible complete the survey and generate a strong response rate.

“The U.S. Needs Assessment survey provides one of the single most effective opportunities for fire departments to make their needs and challenges known amongst the very groups and policymakers that determine where fire department funding and resources are allocated,” said Shelby Hall, fire analysis research manager with NFPA’s Fire Analysis and Research Division. “That’s why participation from every fire department across the country is critical to its success and impact.”

Every five years, the U.S. Needs Assessment survey aims to capture current resources and staffing levels among U.S. fire departments, and to identify where they are able to meet the needs of their communities and where gaps exist. Fire service stakeholders rely on its findings to advocate for needed funding and resources within their jurisdictions. But in order for the survey to sustain its full value, more participation from fire departments nationwide is needed.

“The response rate for the 2020 survey was the lowest to date across all U.S. Needs Assessment surveys, which was not unexpected given the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hall. “Increasing the response rate for the new survey will help ensure that the final 2025 U.S. Needs Assessment report continues to be the impactful resource it has been since its launch in 2001.”

NFPA worked with representatives from the nation’s leading fire service organizations, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the National Volunteer Fire Council, to identify timely issues and challenges facing fire departments of all sizes and demographics. More than 40 changes were made to the 2025 survey to maintain its relevance to the fire service, including new questions about responses to lithium-ion battery fires and specialized rescue operations. Updated questions also explore current fire service issues, such as physical and behavioral health, medical programs, and community risk reduction. At the same time, the overall number of questions within the survey was reduced to help make survey completion less time-consuming.

The survey is accessible online, making it easier for fire departments to fill out and return. (A print version was mailed out as well.) The survey must be completed by a fire department chief or an assigned designee and returned to NFPA by February 15, 2026. An FAQ is also available to answer commonly asked questions about completing and returning the survey.

To hear an in-depth conversation about the critical role that the 2025 U.S. Needs Assessment survey plays in highlighting today’s needs and challenges among fire departments nationwide, listen to the newly released NFPA Podcast episode, “Assessing the Needs of the U.S. Fire Service.”

Anyone who has questions or concerns can also contact NFPA’s research division at 1-800-343-8890 or nasurvey@nfpa.org.