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Encinitas fire chief reports rising call volume, battery-related garage fires and plan to revive CERT program
Summary
Fire Chief Gordon told the City Council that 2025 year-to-date call volume is up, lithium-ion battery fires in garages are an emerging concern, turnout and travel times remain near targets, and the city plans to restart its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) with a new academy.
Chief Gordon, head of the Encinitas Fire Department, told the City Council that the department has seen higher overall call volume so far in 2025 and is seeing several new problem areas, notably fires started by lithium-ion batteries kept or charged in garages.
Gordon said the department logged about 1,401 incidents from January through a few days before the meeting and that 74% of the city’s call volume is medical. The department recorded seven structure fires so far in 2025, compared with 15 last year; he said most of this year’s structure fires have involved lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, scooters and similar devices.
“The public service announcement is simple: keep lithium-ion batteries in protected places, avoid overcharging and stop using devices that have been damaged,” Gordon said.
Gordon presented department performance metrics, saying the average…
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