Fire & Rescue leaders briefed the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 6 about their FY26 first‑quarter significant incident report and safety observations.

The combined system responded to 10,281 incidents in the quarter, of which roughly 7,500 were emergency medical service calls and approximately 2,750 were fire related. Fire Marshal and system leadership highlighted several residential structure fires with common causes including improperly discarded smoking materials, lithium‑ion battery failures in e‑bikes, electrical malfunctions and unattended cooking. One Leesburg house fire tied to a recalled e‑bike injured one resident, caused about $10,000 in damage and displaced two residents; the e‑bike partially blocked a home exit, underscoring danger in charging and storage practices.

Responders also extinguished a major commercial fire at a data‑center construction site on Beaumetz Circle with estimated damages in excess of $5 million. Fire crews credited the automatic sprinkler system with keeping the fire in check until full extinguishment. Chief speakers urged care with lithium‑ion battery charging, checking Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls and following safe disposal recommendations for fireworks after a Fourth‑of‑July seizure of more than 2,600 pounds of fireworks.

Fire & Rescue reported successful rescue and cooling for a near‑fatal heat‑stroke patient and noted personnel and leadership development accomplishments: recruit academy graduations, an officer‑development school and peer‑support accreditation. Supervisors thanked crews for their responses to recent local incidents and discussed community outreach and safety meetings for neighborhoods affected by recent tragedies.

Fire & Rescue emphasized the continued importance of home smoke alarms, safe battery charging practices, and sprinklers for commercial and large structures.