Hanahan Fire Department reports 3,553 incidents in 2024; EMS comprises 76% of calls

Hanahan Fire Department Chief Norman Ritz presented the department’s 2024 annual report to the City Council on Jan. 14, citing a total of 3,553 incidents—a 16.43% increase over 2023—and key operational statistics and accomplishments.

Ritz said EMS calls accounted for 2,701 incidents (about 76% of total call volume). He reported an average citywide fire response time of 6 minutes, 38 seconds (measured from call receipt to arrival) and an EMS response time averaging 9 minutes, 21 seconds; Ritz noted ambulance mutual-aid responses to neighboring towns affect the EMS average.

Training hours increased substantially: department members completed over 15,000 aggregate training hours in 2024, a roughly 60.6% increase from 2023, reflecting the department’s emphasis on personnel development. The department received multiple recognitions: a Mission: Lifeline EMS bronze award, PEEDS-ready pediatric readiness accreditation, and the South Carolina Fire Safe Award (second consecutive year).

Ritz described prevention and community outreach: since adding a fire inspector in July 2024 the department completed 77 business inspections, 29 food-truck inspections, five public education events at local schools and preschools, and installed 52 smoke alarms at no cost to residents. Training and equipment highlights included NFPA Firefighter II certifications for all firefighters and in-house officer development, hazmat technician classes hosted locally and outreach programs such as the “Just Be” autism training.

Ritz outlined 2025 goals including enhancing bench depth in leadership, pre‑incident surveys, firefighter health and safety initiatives, exploring new technology, and enhanced regional partnerships. He said the written annual report will be posted on the city website under the Fire Department tab within two weeks.

No council action was required; council thanked the fire department for the year’s work.