In 2024, the EU countries combined had 390 600 professional firefighters, representing 0.19% of the total EU employment. Compared with 2023, the number of firefighters increased by 28 200.

Among the 20 EU countries with available data, Croatia registered the highest share of firefighters in total employment (0.45%). Greece followed with 0.41%, ahead of Czechia with 0.34%.

The lowest shares were registered in the Netherlands (0.07%), Denmark (0.08%) and Sweden (0.10%).

Share of firefighters in the total employment, 2024, %. Chart. See link to the full dataset below.

Source dataset:  ad hoc EU Labour Force Survey extraction

Across the EU, 75.2% of all professional firefighters were aged 15 to 49. That’s a noticeably younger workforce compared with the total EU employment, where only 64.8% of workers fall into that age group.

EU governments spent €40.6 billion on fire-protection services in 2023

In 2023, EU governments spent €40.6 billion on ‘fire-protection services’, reflecting an 8.5% increase in the general government expenditure on this function compared with 2022 (€37.4 billion). 

The increase in expenditure on fire-protection services in absolute numbers is however in line with the increases in other functions, so that fire-protection services have consistently accounted for 0.5% of total government expenditure since 2017.

General government expenditure on fire-protection services, 2023, % of total expenditure. Chart. See link to the full dataset below.

Source datasets: gov_10a_exp and  ad hoc calculation

In 2023, Romania had the highest share of expenditure on fire-protection services at 0.9% of general government total expenditure, followed by Estonia and Greece with 0.7% each. 

By contrast, Denmark reported the lowest share of expenditure on fire-protection services (0.1%), followed by Malta (0.2%), Portugal and Austria (both 0.3%).Â