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Sandy Fire reports record call volume for 2024; new station, equipment due this year
Summary
Sandy Fire told the city council it recorded 9,430 calls in 2024, upgraded staffing and equipment, and expects its new fire station to be topped out and operational later this year. Department leaders highlighted training, hazmat permitting and community outreach.
Fire Chief Ryan McConaughey and his operations and administration deputies presented Sandy Fire’s 2024 annual report to the council on April 1, reporting a department record of 9,430 calls last year and describing equipment, staffing and facility investments planned or completed.
Chief McConaughey told the council the department had added staff and equipment, including two new engines and two new ambulances, and was closing in on a new station that he expects to be completed this fall. “All the steel is on-site,” he said, and invited council members to a top-out ceremony scheduled for the new station the following week.
Deputy Chief Mike Bullock summarized workload and response metrics: 77% of calls were medical responses, the department transported roughly 45% of patients it saw, and 2024 marked the most calls in Sandy Fire’s history. Bullock said crews logged about 29,000 hours of training last year and that the department used call-type breakdowns (for example, falls, “sick person,” and traffic crashes) to shape training and community partnerships.
The fire marshal’s office rolled out a hazmat permitting and inspection program, Bullock said, improving recordkeeping for hazardous materials in city facilities and notifying crews of on-site risks. Fire prevention staff reported outreach and education to more than 7,000 Sandy students and roughly 6,000 community participants in CPR, babysitting and other programs; the department’s prevention accounts have more than 65,000 social-media followers, he added.
Deputy Chief operations briefed the council on specialized teams. The department replaced outdated hazmat monitors and suits, refreshed rope and technical rescue equipment, and purchased self-rescue systems for all members. The department also outfitted multiple stations with modern vehicle extrication tools.
Council members asked for detail on sizable “canceled en route” call counts. Chief McConaughey said many of those cancellations occur when other responding agencies or units arrive first or when incidents are deemed not to require a Sandy response; false alarms are also part of that category. Councilmember Cindy Sharkey asked whether Sandy charges for false alarms; the department said it does not.
The presentation highlighted the department’s emphasis on personnel development and interagency coordination and closed with a schedule for public events and the invitation to the station top-out. The council said it appreciated the department’s training and community outreach work.
