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Newton Fire/EMS warns of rising call volume, budget pressure and long equipment lead times
Summary
The Newton Fire/EMS chief told the City Commission the department ran more than 4,300 calls in 2024 (84% EMS), is reaching capacity for simultaneous responses, and projects future shortfalls in the municipal equipment reserve as apparatus costs and delivery times climb.
Newton Fire/EMS Chief Corey told the City Commission that the department ran just over 4,300 calls for service in 2024, about 84% of which were EMS calls, and that sustained increases in call volume are stretching the department's capacity.
"Newn Fire EMS is set up to run 3 EMS calls simultaneously or 1 structure fire at any given time," Chief Corey said. He reported that Station 1 handles roughly 40% of calls, that the department covers 250 square miles of EMS district and just over 100 square miles of fire district, and that in 2024 the department averaged just over 12 calls per day.
The chief said the department recorded 376 "third-out" incidents in 2024 — calls that left the system at or above capacity — and that…
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