Grand Rapids fire chief reports 25,415 incidents in 2024; emergency manager to leave city

Chief Brown presented the Grand Rapids Fire Department—s 2024 annual report to the city—s Committee for Public Safety, saying the department responded to 25,415 incidents and nearly 35,000 apparatus responses last year.

Brown said the department recorded $381,000,000 in property and contents saved within the city, and that March 7 was this year—s "breakeven date" — the date the department had saved more property and contents than the city—s annual general-fund budget. "I like to report out on what we saved and kinda flip the script on that," Brown said.

The report also noted civilian harm: "we did experience deaths and injuries in the city, during 2024 due to fires. 6 civilian injuries and 1 death," Brown said, adding these are treated as people, not statistics.

Why it matters: The report is part of the department—s accreditation and public-accountability work. It outlines trends that officials said drive staffing, station siting and community-risk reduction work, from smoke-alarm installs to technical-rescue training.

Key findings and context

- Incident volume and responses: Brown said the department logged 25,415 incidents and nearly 35,000 apparatus responses in 2024. He showed a steady year-over-year increase in calls, with higher call density in the downtown core and in the city—s Third Ward near the Kendall Station development.

- Property saved: Brown reported the department estimated $381 million in property and…