Fire brigade employees; professional and voluntary, ranks, region 2000-2019

Fire brigade employees; professional and voluntary, ranks, region 2000-2019

Region Years Total staff (number) Operational staff Total operational staff (number) Operational staff Professional staff Total professional fire fighter (number) Operational staff Professional staff By rank Higher and mid-level ranks (number) Operational staff Professional staff By rank Lower- level ranks (number) Operational staff Voluntary staff Total voluntary employees (number) Operational staff Voluntary staff By rank Higher and mid-level ranks (number) Operational staff Voluntary staff By rank Lower-level ranks (number) Non-operational staff Total non-operational staff (number)
Nederland 2000 . 26,902 4,770 1,767 3,003 22,132 4,362 17,770 .
Nederland 2001 . 26,992 4,915 1,940 2,975 22,077 4,432 17,645 .
Nederland 2002 . 27,082 4,994 1,982 3,012 22,088 4,449 17,639 .
Nederland 2003 . 27,213 5,175 2,139 3,036 22,038 4,412 17,626 .
Nederland 2004 . 27,413 5,352 2,248 3,104 22,061 4,507 17,554 .
Nederland 2005 30,624 27,299 5,260 2,221 3,039 22,039 5,010 17,029 3,325
Nederland 2006 30,674 27,373 5,413 2,312 3,101 21,960 5,305 16,655 3,301
Nederland 2007 30,480 27,084 5,440 2,389 3,051 21,644 4,721 16,923 3,396
Nederland 2008 30,428 27,027 5,548 2,322 3,226 21,479 4,806 16,673 3,401
Nederland 2009 30,736 27,154 5,525 2,252 3,273 21,629 4,902 16,727 3,582
Nederland 2010 31,066 27,137 5,510 2,211 3,299 21,627 4,696 16,931 3,929
Nederland 2011 30,608 26,602 5,416 2,099 3,317 21,186 4,742 16,444 4,006
Nederland 2012 30,261 26,223 5,252 2,057 3,195 20,971 5,528 15,443 4,038
Nederland 2013 29,789 26,031 5,220 2,074 3,146 20,811 4,893 15,918 3,758
Nederland 2014 28,855 25,061 5,023 2,032 2,991 20,038 4,900 15,138 3,794
Nederland 2015 27,964 24,135 4,892 1,933 2,959 19,243 4,808 14,435 3,829
Nederland 2016 27,733 23,951 5,152 2,166 2,986 18,799 4,672 14,127 3,782
Nederland 2017 27,850 24,042 5,123 2,130 2,993 18,919 4,635 14,284 3,808
Nederland 2018 28,158 24,310 5,398 2,322 3,076 18,912 4,727 14,185 3,848
Nederland 2019* 28,140 24,232 5,375 2,244 3,131 18,857 4,726 14,131 3,908
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table includes information on the number of employees of municipal and regional fire brigades and security regions on 1 January of the reference year. Operational staff are broken down by professional and voluntary status. Since 2005, non-operational fire brigade employees are also included. Operational staff is broken down by rank and non-operational staff by education level. The figures refer to the situation on 1 January of a particular year. Data are available for the Netherlands as a whole and for each security region.

Since 1 January 2011, figures may vary from previous years due to introduction of a new ranking system and a revised questionnaire. Since that date, the questionnaire can be completed consistent with the new ranking system as published in “Het besluit personeel Veiligheidsregio’s” (for details see: Staatsblad 2010, nr 253)”. The “Leidraad Conversie Rangen van de Nederlandse Vereniging voor Brandweerzorg en Rampenbestrijding (NVBR)” is used for the translation from function to rank and from the old to the new ranking system.

Since 2012, higher and mid-level ranks are included in one category. This decision was made because a reliable break-down by region cannot be made.

Since 1 January 2011, the definitions of professional, voluntary and non-operational staff are also adjusted.

The security regions Limburg Noord en Brabant-Zuidoost could not deliver data of 2019 before the closingdate of the survey.They agreed that the figures for 2018 are also valid for 2019.
De security regions Kennemerland en Haaglanden have indicated that for 2019 they have reported data with a higher quality than before. They agreed that the figures for 2019 are retroactively also valid for 2018.

Data available from: 2000.

Status of the figures:
Figures for the period 2000-2018 are definitive and figures for the year 2019 are provisional.

Changes effective from 25 February 2021:
None, this table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable.

Description topics

Total staff
The total of operational and non-operational staff of municipal and regional fire brigades. Data for the period 2000-2004 are not accessible, as figures for non-operational staff were not available in this period.
Operational staff
Fire brigade employees trained to fulfil repressive (fire-fighting) duties. They are mostly engaged in fire-fighting duties and they render assistance. Employees in management functions are also included. These employees can be engaged in repressive and non-repressive duties. New definition (since 2011): fire brigade employees fulfilling repressive duties (including trainees), also if fire-fighting is not their main duty.
Total operational staff
Professional staff
Public servants, employed on a temporary or permanent basis by a municipality or security region, whose main job is to provide fire-fighting services. New definition (since 2011): professional fire-fighters fulfilling repressive (fire-fighting) duties (including trainees), also if fire-fighting is not their main duty.
Total professional fire fighter
Public servants, temporarily or permanently appointed by the municipality or region, who fulfill their fire fighting service as main profession. As from 2011 professional fire-fighters who have a repressive task which is not their main task are also reported as professional fire-fighters.
By rank
Higher and mid-level ranks
Trainee fire control operator, senior fire control operator and higher ranks. Since 2011, it is possible to report in accordance with the new ranking system. Since the introduction of the new ranking system, the category higher and mid-level ranks includes trainee fire control operator, fire control officer and higher ranks.
Lower- level ranks
Trainee fire control operator, fire control operator and leading fire control operator. Since 2011, it is possible to report in accordance with the new ranking system. Since the introduction of the new ranking system, the category lower ranks includes trainee fire control operator, fire control operator and leading fire control operator.     
Voluntary staff
Public servants employed by a municipality or security region who fulfil their fire-fighting duties in addition to their main employment. New definition (since 2011): voluntary fire-fighters with repressive (fire-fighting) duties (including trainees).  
Total voluntary employees
By rank
Higher and mid-level ranks
Trainee fire control operator, senior fire control operator and higher ranks. Since 2011, it is possible to report in accordance with the new ranking system. Since the introduction of the new ranking system, the category higher and mid-level ranks includes trainee fire control operator, fire control officer and higher ranks.
Lower-level ranks
Trainee fire control operator, fire control operator and leading fire control operator. Since 2011, it is possible to report in accordance with the new ranking system. Since the introduction of the new ranking system, the category lower ranks includes trainee fire control operator, fire control operator and leading fire control operator.     
Non-operational staff
Fire brigade employees not fulfilling repressive (fire-fighting) duties, but, for example, preventive and administrative duties. New definition (since 2011): staff (including voluntary staff) not fulfilling repressive duties, but responsible for management duties or other duties, e.g. administration, communication, salary administration, maintenance or front desk services, etc. This information is available since 2005.  

Total non-operational staff
Fire brigade employees not fulfilling repressive (fire-fighting) duties, but, for example, preventive and administrative duties. This information is available since 2005. New definition (since 2011): Staff (including voluntary staff) not fulfilling repressive (fire-fighting) duties, but responsible for management duties or other duties, e.g. administration, communication, salary administration, maintenance or front desk services, etc.