Keeping the Flame Alive: Describing Marriage and Divorce Among Professional Firefighters

Abstract

There is a common belief, but little empirical evidence, that firefighters are uniquely vulnerable to divorce. The present study aimed to examine key demographic and occupational factors related to divorce among firefighters. Online survey data (relationship status, relationship history, demographics, and occupational history) were collected from 163 firefighters in an urban city of the Southern United States. Divorced firefighters were older, in fire service longer, and younger at the age of their first marriage compared to non-divorced firefighters. Firefighters who married before joining fire service were more likely to experience divorce than firefighters who married after joining fire service; however, after controlling for age and age at first marriage, this effect became nonsignificant. Divorce was reported by firefighters at greater rates than the general population, and most divorces occurred after entry into fire service. However, non-occupational factors may better explain this trend.