The Whitesboro Fire Department (WFD) saw another record-breaking year in its emergency call volume.
The department finished off 2023 with 2,699 runs, breaking the 2022 record of 1,555 runs.
The addition of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division is responsible for most of the increase, and 2023 was the first full year of EMS operations by the department.
The rise in numbers was expected but the total was higher than many were thinking.
“We have a lot of data we look at to prepare ahead and set expectations, so we knew the number would be a lot higher than in the past,” Lieutenant Josh Velten said.
Velten works with compiling and entering monthly run data.
“We knew a number like this was a possibility, but it seemed impossible at the time. As we moved through the year, we realized wHere we were headed.”
The department has made many changes in 2023 to keep up with the increase in numbers, most notably the addition of two paid firefighters during the weekday daytime hours.
In November, Lieutenant Kevin Walton and Firefighter/Paramedic Chase Stanford were brought on as the department’s first career firefighters.
The day crew responds to all fire emergencies and staffs the reserve ambulance as it is needed to cover medical emergencies.
The Whitesboro City Council has also seen the need for keeping up with the growth in numbers and invested in new apparatus and equipment for the fire department.
The two new ambulances were purchased in 2023, and Engine 236, which replaced an older tanker, was also purchased in 2023.
In 2024, the department has a new brush truck on the way to replace a unit placed out of service, and will add a heavy brush/rescue unit to the fleet.
While the biggest jump in call volume came from the addition of the EMS service, the call volume has increased to some degree across the board. This is attributed to general growth of the area.
However, the data also reveals increases in mutual aid calls with neighboring departments and increases in public service calls, such as helping uninjured subjects who have fallen and need assistance.
As the department continues to compile data, better decisions can be made in the future in terms of staffing and areas of departmental growth and improvements.
“The data we compile really gives us a great screen shot of our areas of growth and need.
“So many departments get behind because they really don’t know what direction they need to move, and that’s not the case with our department,” Velten said.
“We know where we need to be and when we need to be there, and with the support of the City Council and the people we have on board in the department, rest assured we will stay on top of it and make sure our community has the best service available.”
