Maysville assistant fire chief says calls rose to 4,665 in 2025 and urges more firefighters and EMTs

Maysville Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth Sarton told the Mayor’s "Minute with the Mayor" program that the department responded to 4,665 calls in 2025, including 762 fire calls and 3,903 medical calls, and that the department now needs more firefighters and emergency medical technicians to maintain service levels.

Sarton said the department posted its annual numbers on Facebook and that the medical-call total includes calls across Mason County because the Maysville Fire Department serves as the ambulance provider for the area. "So for 2025, we had a total of 4,665 calls. 762 of those were fire, and then 3,903 were medical," Sarton said.

The figures represent a significant rise from about 2,575 annual calls in 2016. Sarton noted that in 2016 the department increased staffing from six to eight personnel, which he described as a turning point; he said the current call volume now exceeds what eight personnel routinely handle.

The Mayor, speaking on the program, said the call volume has "doubled" in the intervening years and suggested the city will need to consider additional staffing to sustain response levels. Sarton agreed: "We would certainly hope so, and it would help us provide a better service." When asked whether EMTs were needed, he replied, "Yes, ma'am."

The program did not record any formal staffing request, budget vote, or action during the segment; the Mayor closed by thanking Sarton for joining the broadcast. No additional operational details, timelines for hiring, or funding sources were provided on the program.