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Garner Fire Rescue presents 2024 annual report; call volume and accreditation work spotlighted
Summary
Assistant Chief Jason Hathcock told the Garner Town Council that Station 5 (opened May 2024) has increased capacity, training reached nearly 28,000 hours in 2024, EMS made up roughly 63% of calls, and the department recorded strong cardiac‑arrest outcomes and is preparing for a full accreditation review next year.
Assistant Chief Jason Hathcock presented Garner Fire Rescue’s 2024 calendar‑year annual report to the Garner Town Council on July 29, summarizing operations after the department’s recent merger with the town.
Hathcock credited the May 2024 opening of Station 5 with allowing a second battalion chief per shift and the addition of a fully staffed ladder company. He said the station’s call volume has increased steadily since opening. The department reported 7,509 calls for service in 2024 and recorded 4,041 calls through June 30, 2025, a pace Hathcock said could make 2025 the busiest year on record.
Training and accreditation were major themes. Hathcock said staff completed almost 28,000 hours of training in 2024—about 332 hours per staff member on average—and that the department has accomplished more than 90% of the critical tasks in its 2020–2025 strategic plan. He said the department submitted its annual compliance packet for ISO accreditation and is preparing for a full accreditation review early next year.
Hathcock highlighted a records‑management improvement that he said better links patient outcomes to crew performance. He cited a documented outcome from February 2023 in which 30 first responders across eight cardiac‑arrest incidents left the hospital with no neurological deficits.
On incident economics and safety, the report estimated $10,140,000 in property and contents saved in 2024, versus about $1,330,000 in losses. The department reported zero civilian fatalities and zero firefighter fatalities in 2024 and recorded two minor firefighter injuries.
Council members praised the presentation and asked questions about recruitment and volunteers. Hathcock said the applicant pool has grown since the merger and that volunteer firefighter roles transitioned to honorary positions when the department ended its active volunteer program on June 30. He also acknowledged regional competition for recruits and said staff are working on outreach and retention efforts.
The presentation closed with council appreciation for the department’s service and a reminder that some operational challenges—longer travel times in specific corridors—remain under review.
