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Savannah Fire Department cites $86 million in property saved in 2024, seeks training center funding
Summary
Fire Chief Elze Kitchen told council the department responded to nearly 14,000 calls in 2024, saved about $86 million in property through rapid response, reported no fire fatalities, and asked for investment in training facilities and updated PPE.
Chief Elze Kitchen, Savannah Fire Department, presented 2024 performance figures and outlined facility, equipment and training needs to City Council.
"We are finding the honor today to be here to give our story, our performance for the year 2024," Chief Elze Kitchen said, noting accreditation and operational metrics.
Kitchen said Savannah Fire responded to about 13,904 calls for service in 2024, including roughly 4,800 emergency medical calls and 737 fire‑related emergencies. He said the department saved an estimated $86,000,000 in property losses by meeting response targets and that there were no fire fatalities in the year reported.
The department emphasized accreditation and ratings that affect insurance costs: Fire leadership said the department is accredited through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and noted ISO measures tied to water supply and operations. Chief Kitchen said Savannah is among a small share of accredited departments nationally.
Operational details included staffing and fleet: the department described full‑time positions, a mix of first‑out and second‑out engines, marine units, rescues and utility vehicles, and ongoing mutual aid agreements. Kitchen said the department meets NFPA response standards most of the time (the department reported meeting a 4‑minute benchmark about 92% of the time) and that EMS on‑scene arrival within roughly 3 minutes, 23 seconds occurs in about 82% of cases.
Challenges the department flagged included occupational cancer risks linked to PFAS in some turnout gear, aging facilities and the need for a dedicated training center. Kitchen said the department is pursuing a five‑year plan that would include EMT certification for rank and file and requested funding for improved PPE and facilities.
Kitchen also summarized community programs, including Camp Ignite (youth programming), community risk reduction work and public education (more than 13,000 contacts for fire safety training). He noted planned youth camps: Camp Ignite (female program) and a male companion camp, with applications expected online in May and camps running in June for youth ages 14–20.
Council members praised the department’s performance and data‑driven approach; several asked about EMS call growth and regional 9‑1‑1 capacity, and about using a city property on Eisenhower for a training center. The city manager said the site could be large enough, but would require demolition of existing structures.
Ending: Chief Kitchen said the department will publish a strategic plan to align with the city's priorities and will pursue accreditation recertification, administrative staffing for apprenticeships and improvements to scheduling and overtime tracking.
