Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department reports 227 calls in 2024, seeks continued support for volunteers

Tom Miller, fire chief for the Ingleside Volunteer Fire Department, presented the department’s 2024 activity report to the city council, saying the department recorded 227 total calls last year and currently lists about 40 active volunteers, five of whom are city employees and important to the daytime response.

Miller reviewed the department’s incident mix: roughly 100 fire calls, about 52 EMS calls, 55 mutual‑aid responses, 40 natural‑gas/hazardous‑materials calls (primarily gas leaks), several service calls and a number of false alarms and canceled‑en‑route responses. He told the council the department repaired and refurbished several apparatus items last year, including installing a new engine motor on the brush truck and spending more than $9,000 to return Engine 4 to service.

Miller described facility maintenance and improvements: repainting the station, roof work in phases and plans to replace several air‑conditioning units. He said a new tanker approved by council is nearing completion with an expected March delivery for final inspection and acceptance.

Several council members and residents praised volunteers’ regional mutual‑aid reputation; councilors encouraged the department to present at the city’s awards banquet and noted the department’s training and fire‑prevention school activities in local schools. Council members asked staff to continue coordinating equipment needs and to include the department in planning for any city changes that might affect emergency response to new industrial or energy facilities.

Miller noted the department gives scholarships, participates in memorial and 9/11 ceremonies, and coordinates with neighboring departments on mutual‑aid agreements and cost reimbursement for out‑of‑town runs.