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DeKalb Fire Chief presents 2024 report, highlights training, AED program and community paramedicine plans
Summary
Fire Chief Thomas told the council the department logged thousands of EMS responses in 2024, invested heavily in training and volunteers supported AED placements; chief and council discussed starting a community paramedicine program to reduce nonemergency calls.
DeKalb Fire Chief Thomas presented the department’s 2024 annual report to the City Council on May 12, reporting high training hours, heavy EMS demand and plans to launch a community paramedicine program to reduce nonemergent 911 calls.
The report matters because ambulance and engine calls make up the bulk of the department’s work and patterns of recurring nonemergent calls are driving program changes. "We found out that there was a strong trend of non emergent calls," Chief Thomas said, adding the department and partner agencies connected repeat patients with services such as Elder Care, RAMP and the DeKalb County Housing Authority.
Chief Thomas reported roughly 7,400 engine responses and about 6,600 ambulance responses in 2024, and said approximately 81% of the department’s workload was medical. The department logged nearly 30,000 hours of training, and volunteers contributed to a community AED (LifePak) program that has placed 16 devices with cost-sharing grants to local entities.
The chief described two individual patients in 2023 who together generated more than 120 calls — an example organizers used to justify a targeted response model. "As a result of that, that kind of led us down the path that we need to be more active in finding these people that need that extra help," the chief said. City staff noted grant-writing is underway to support a community paramedicine pilot that would give fire/EMS staff a role in connecting frequent callers to social or health services.
Chief Thomas also told the council Station 4 opened recently and the department expects delivery of a new Rosenbauer King Cobra ladder truck "by the end of the month," equipment the chief said should serve the city for 25–30 years. Council members thanked the chief and the department for the report; there was no formal council action tied to the presentation.
The full annual report is available on the city website, the chief said, and council members asked staff to continue updating them as the community paramedicine work advances.
