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Fire, police and ambulance report steady call volumes; department training underway
Summary
The fire department reported May incident totals and notable fires under investigation; police reported roughly 3,200 calls for service in May and state‑mandated defensive tactics training being delivered locally; Good Fellowship Ambulance reported 855 calls in May and received an American Heart Association gold award.
At the June 9 meeting the Westchester Fire Department, Westchester Police Department and Good Fellowship Ambulance presented their monthly activity reports to the Public Safety Quality of Life Committee.
Fire Chief Mark Scalan reported the department responded to 172 incidents in May (76 within the borough), noted several notable responses including a university building fire that remains a suspicious‑fire investigation with the county fire marshal, and said department members have accumulated substantial training hours in 2026. "We are keeping an eye on and monitoring" an increase in fire‑alarm dispatches, he said.
Police Chief Josh Lee said May saw approximately 3,200 calls for service across criminal and noncriminal categories, participation in the Special Olympics Law Enforcement torch run, and the start or completion of mandated training. He said the department is using council chambers for repeated in‑house defensive‑tactics training to reduce costs and has certified trainers to lower expenses. He also noted targeted patrol increases in the southeast neighborhood to address nuisance crimes and underage drinking.
Justin Rams, director of operations for Good Fellowship Ambulance, said the service responded to 855 calls in May (192 in the borough), supported many special events as warm weather increased community activities, and the agency received an American Heart Association gold award for clinical care in 2025.
Committee members asked follow‑up questions about an ongoing traffic fatality investigation; Chief Lee said the matter remains under investigation with the district attorney and will be publicized on the department’s crime‑watch page when releasable information is available.
