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Calistoga Fire Chief outlines growth in calls, training and equipment needs in 2024 annual report
Summary
Fire Chief Matcham told the City Council that the department ran 1,273 incidents in 2024, has increased training and ordered a new Type 1 engine, but continues to face staffing, facilities and ladder-truck gaps.
Fire Chief Matcham reported to the Calistoga City Council on Sept. 23 that the fire department ran a total of 1,273 incidents in 2024 and is seeing steady growth in demand for emergency services.
Matcham said the departmentlogged roughly a 5% year-over-year increase in incident volume, an 11% increase compared with 2022 and a 58% increase compared with the prior 10-year period. "We ran a total of 1,273 incidents in 2024," Matcham said. He added that 31% of the time the department had a second simultaneous call and that 57% of calls were for rescue or emergency medical services.
The nut graf: The presentation emphasized investments and shortfalls. Matcham described new equipment purchases, training gains and grant-funded tools that have reduced response times, and he pressed the council on the need for more full-time staff and a ladder truck for taller new buildings in the city.
Matcham told the council the department ordered…
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