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County fire chiefs report near-record call volume, urge mutual-aid expansion and funding changes
Summary
The Minnehaha County Fire Chiefs Association reported near-record calls, rising equipment and insurance costs, and urged changes to the county burn-ban policy and to mutual-aid arrangements to maintain volunteer fire coverage.
Mike Harstad, president of the Minnehaha County Fire Chiefs Association and Crooks fire chief, told the commission on March 4 that county fire departments came close to a record year and face growing cost and personnel pressures.
Lede: Harstad said county departments handled about 3,893 fire-only calls in 2024 and that, when combined with volunteer ambulance services, membership agencies ran over 6,500 calls — representing roughly a 9% year-over-year increase in county call volume.
Nut graf: The briefing underscored a staffing and funding squeeze for volunteer departments: rising equipment and insurance costs, more training and new…
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