Fire chief: 2025 was busiest year yet with rising EMS calls; new ambulance and fire engine planned

Fire Chief Todd Byrne told the Fremont City Council on March 31 that 2025 was the department's busiest year on record with 4,398 calls — a 7.6% increase over the previous year — and that medical calls account for the majority of the workload.

"The 2025 was our busiest year yet. We had 4,398 calls last year," Byrne said, adding that EMS calls numbered 4,024 and comprised about 91.5% of total calls. He said the department logged 4,102 patient contacts and an average patient age of 61.14 years, noting that falls, medical transports and traffic accidents were the top emergencies.

Byrne described training and operational statistics: 6,269 documented training hours (an increase of roughly 45%), 103 callbacks (a notable decrease from prior years) and ongoing improvements to turnout and travel times. He also reviewed the department's response to the Horizon Biofuel explosion, saying about 30 agencies assisted and that coordination with federal, state and regional partners was essential.

Looking ahead, Byrne said the department expects to receive a new ambulance within weeks and a new engine by May or June. He said architects are preparing final renderings for a proposed second fire station, which the department hopes to present in upcoming meetings.

Council members thanked Byrne and discussed geographic patterns in call volume. Councilman Horner and others asked whether increases were concentrated in nursing‑home and high‑density apartment areas, and Byrne said certain neighborhoods (Reynolds) have seen more calls in recent years, largely related to medical emergencies among older residents.

The council received and filed the report unanimously.