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Monday, August 17, 2015

Why We Need to Take the ‘Fire’ Out of ‘Fire Department’

Firefighters don't actually fight that many fires these days. It's time to re-think how we deliver costly emergency services.

It's arguably the best known, least acknowledged and most inconvenient truth in local government: "Fire departments" -- in the precise meaning of that label -- no longer exist anywhere in America.

Thousands of official entities bear this or a similar moniker. But given what they and their employees actually do, "Emergency Medical, Incident Response and Every-Once-in-a-While-an-Actual-Fire Department" would be far more accurate.

In 1980, according to the National Fire Protection Association, the nation's 30,000 fire departments responded to 10.8 million emergency calls. About 3 million were classified as fires. By 2013, total calls had nearly tripled to 31.6 million, while fire calls had plummeted to 1.24 million, of which just 500,000 of were actual structure fires. For America's 1.14 million career and volunteer firefighters, that works out to an average of just one structure fire every other year.

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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

If u folks change the system, u will see more fires. The system is corrupted.

Jim King said...

What (or who) will be causing the "more fires".

Anonymous said...

How much money can Salisbury Fire Department save if they put Paramedics back on the ambulance, Firefighters back on the engine and allow Drew to be a fire chief again?

Anonymous said...

This is exactly why when Salisbury builds their numbers by running a TRUCK on the EMS calls is a complete waste of time and resources. It's all about the Hoppes show.

Anonymous said...

Drew was worthless. Many times while working, he would leave the firehouse for hours and take care of his personal business. He should have never been an officer, but he was crooked like person he lives with. Glad they both are gone.

Anonymous said...

You will never get Drew to leave the bar. Or he is to busy getting "engaged" to the same girl for the second time. LOL

Anonymous said...

We need an all transgender station.

Anonymous said...

To 3:59. U are right on target! He pulled that crap when Bunky Adams WAS Captain....and he knew about it. Birds of a feather flock together!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
If u folks change the system, u will see more fires. The system is corrupted.

August 17, 2015 at 11:06 AM

WTF are you talking about?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Drew was worthless. Many times while working, he would leave the firehouse for hours and take care of his personal business. He should have never been an officer, but he was crooked like person he lives with. Glad they both are gone.

August 17, 2015 at 3:59 PM

Same person running his mouth again. What about the personal business that Rick Hoppes and John Tull are doing now and always have been.

Anonymous said...

Not saying that others in the office aren't corrupt. Just saying that Drew, his so-called girlfriend and Bunky were just worthless. They did what they wanted, when they wanted. The only reason that Drew's so-called girlfriend is still employed is because she threatens to sue anyone for sexual harassment that she doesn't like. That is a fact. How Bunky is still employed is a mystery.

Anonymous said...

Your right. I would not touch her with a ten foot pole!