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Fire chief reports fewer total calls but rise in structure fires; city gets FEMA approval for hazard‑mitigation plan
Summary
Mount Pleasant Fire Department reported fewer total incidents in 2024 but increases in structure fires; the department described improvements in training and equipment and said a hazard mitigation plan approved by FEMA unlocks roughly $1.2 million in grants for critical infrastructure generators.
The Mount Pleasant Fire Department presented its 2024 annual report to the city council, reporting fewer overall incidents but notable increases in structure fires and outlining equipment, training and hazard‑mitigation work conducted by the department.
The department said combined city‑and‑county incidents were down about 13.6% for the year, while combined structure fires were up about 47%; within the city the chief reported a roughly 32% increase in structure fires and said county structure fires rose about 61%. The fire chief noted that causes range from cooking and electrical faults to escaped controlled burns and some undetermined origins.
The department is continuing migration to a 700 MHz radio system to improve cross‑agency communications and said it is purchasing a second set of structural protective gear for firefighters to reduce cancer risk associated with contaminated bunker gear. The chief also described expanded health and wellness support, including full‑body scans for firefighters.
Training and certifications were highlighted: the department reported roughly 3,000 student training hours in 2024 and multiple new certifications across driver‑operator, investigator and fire inspection categories. The department said it conducted public education reaching about 2,700 schoolchildren and performed several hundred fire inspections as part of a multi‑year inspection rotation.
On mitigation and grants, staff reported completing an in‑house hazard mitigation plan that received final approval from FEMA; staff said about $1.2 million in FEMA grants tied to that plan will be available for projects such as emergency generators at the wastewater and water treatment plants.
Council discussed staffing levels and mutual‑aid limitations in the county, and the chief noted reduced staffing and volunteer availability have affected the department’s ability to place larger response crews on county incidents.
No formal council action was required; council members thanked firefighters and the department for the report.
