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Fire chief reports fewer structure fires, expanded prevention work and hiring plan for 2025
Summary
Fire Chief Dove told council the department responded to nearly 29,000 calls in 2024, reduced structure‑fire totals and completed thousands of community risk‑reduction contacts; the department plans a 20–25 person academy in May with a months‑long training pipeline.
Fire Chief Dove presented the Fayetteville Fire Department’s 2024 annual summary to the council on Feb. 24, saying the department responded to 28,894 calls for service, a year‑over‑year increase of 796 calls. Medical and rescue calls accounted for about two‑thirds of responses; structure fires made up roughly 4 percent of calls.
Dove reported 1,138 fires in 2024 with 222 structure fires; 63 percent of structure fires were contained to the room of origin and 25 were determined intentionally set. The department recorded one civilian fire fatality, 33 civilian injuries and eight firefighter injuries. Fire investigators documented a dozen documented life‑saves from fires and rescues.
Dove said the department added its first full‑time fire investigator, transitioned two community‑risk‑reduction positions to civilian roles, provided firefighter cancer screenings for the first time and increased public outreach: in 2024 FFD trained 1,679 people in hands‑only CPR, installed more than 19,000 smoke alarms and 336 carbon‑monoxide alarms and fitted 163 child safety seats free of charge.
On staffing, Dove said sworn vacancies fluctuated during the year and that an academy of 20–25 recruits is projected to start in May (new recruits would not be on apparatus until roughly November due to training). He noted retention benefits from mid‑year pay changes and described sustained recruitment and training efforts. Dove also said the fire marshal’s office received an additional inspector to meet mandated inspections.
Council received the fire department report by motion and vote.
