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Ambulance calls make up the bulk of Westborough’s 911 workload, chief says
Summary
Chief Purcell said Westborough’s dispatch center handles about 35,000 phone calls annually, including roughly 8,000 911 calls; he estimates about 85% of 911 calls are for ambulance service and that two ambulances typically operate 24/7.
During the conversation, Fire Chief Patrick Purcell provided several call-volume figures to illustrate demand on local responders. He said the dispatch center handles about 35,000 phone calls a year, of which roughly 8,000 are 911 calls.
“Of the 8,000 911 calls, close to, close to 85% are for the ambulance,” Purcell said, and he added that for the fire department overall about 75% of calls are EMS-related while 25% are fire calls. He noted that two ambulances are usually on the road around the clock and that ambulances “pretty much run around the clock,” underscoring the operational strain and the centrality of EMS work to the department’s daily workload.
The chief’s figures show the local emergency system is predominantly used for medical response rather than fire incidents, a pattern he linked to the department’s staffing and resource allocation decisions.
