[SPRINK]

https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/fires.jpg

Fires have been cut in half the last 20years due to construction materials...yet the number of fire fighter have doubled...not to mention they are vastly overpaid and their pensions way out of line...But you can’t go up against firefighters after 9-11

[longfellow]

I heard things about 9/11 and the firefighters from NY police officers. About firefighters looting the gap of jeans and loading them into the firetrucks.
I am not saying this is all of them.

[drjimmy]

Fires have been cut in half the last 20years due to construction materials...yet the number of fire fighter have doubled

The chart you cite is for paid firefighters. What you have left out is that the number of volunteer firefighters has declined during that same time period. Volunteers by far make up the majority of total firefighters in the U.S., and some places have had to begin (or beef up) career firefighter numbers in order to replace the drop in volunteers.