Fire departments throughout Oklahoma have seen record-breaking numbers in 2022 with the variety of calls they’ve responded to.For some departments, that is inflicting a strain on their personnel. KOCO 5 spoke with Guthrie fire officers to see how they’re planning to take care of the rise.The Guthrie Fire Department responded to shut to 4,000 calls in 2022, however they stated this variety of calls is placing a strain on their sources.”Unfortunately, our staff has grown a little bit but not quite enough to keep up with the calls. So, as our call volume keeps going up, we’re going to have to find new ways to fund new staff,” stated Eric Harlow, the fire chief in Guthrie.It’s not simply in Oklahoma. Fire departments throughout the nation are seeing a rise in calls relating to well being points that might not be true emergencies. This is placing a strain on first responders.”Some things a citizen may consider a true emergency may not actually be an emergency and they might be able to take themselves to the doctor and not have to call an ambulance,” Harlow stated.Just in 2022, Guthrie responded to three,969 calls, which is roughly 11 calls per day. The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to over 92,000 calls and rescued 24 folks from construction fires.This is roughly 400 extra calls than the earlier yr. The Edmond Fire Department noticed its highest name quantity in division historical past, with greater than 10,000 calls.Guthrie fire officers stated they’ve an answer to this problem, together with extra EMT coaching.”We’re going to need more folks because we can’t operate an ambulance with less than two people. So, as we get more calls and more need for the ambulance and fire equipment to go out, we just got to have more bodies in those seats and to do that, we’re going to have to increase our funding and revenue somehow,” Harlow stated.Many volunteer departments are pushing their employees to get extra EMT coaching to assist with the staffing scarcity.
Fire departments throughout Oklahoma have seen record-breaking numbers in 2022 with the variety of calls they’ve responded to.
For some departments, that is inflicting a strain on their personnel. KOCO 5 spoke with Guthrie fire officers to see how they’re planning to take care of the rise.
The Guthrie Fire Department responded to shut to 4,000 calls in 2022, however they stated this variety of calls is placing a strain on their sources.
“Unfortunately, our staff has grown a little bit but not quite enough to keep up with the calls. So, as our call volume keeps going up, we’re going to have to find new ways to fund new staff,” stated Eric Harlow, the fire chief in Guthrie.
It’s not simply in Oklahoma. Fire departments throughout the nation are seeing a rise in calls relating to well being points that might not be true emergencies. This is placing a strain on first responders.
“Some things a citizen may consider a true emergency may not actually be an emergency and they might be able to take themselves to the doctor and not have to call an ambulance,” Harlow stated.
Just in 2022, Guthrie responded to three,969 calls, which is roughly 11 calls per day. The Oklahoma City Fire Department responded to over 92,000 calls and rescued 24 folks from construction fires.
This is roughly 400 extra calls than the earlier yr. The Edmond Fire Department noticed its highest name quantity in division historical past, with greater than 10,000 calls.
Guthrie fire officers stated they’ve an answer to this problem, together with extra EMT coaching.
“We’re going to need more folks because we can’t operate an ambulance with less than two people. So, as we get more calls and more need for the ambulance and fire equipment to go out, we just got to have more bodies in those seats and to do that, we’re going to have to increase our funding and revenue somehow,” Harlow stated.
Many volunteer departments are pushing their employees to get extra EMT coaching to assist with the staffing scarcity.
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