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Fire department reports rising call volume, CARES program growth and two new engines financed
Summary
Acting fire leadership said last year saw about 5,800 calls for service, most EMS; the CARES program (a behavioral therapist paired with a paramedic) has expanded demand and the department financed two new engines and is recruiting to fill a firefighter vacancy.
An acting fire-department representative reported the department handled approximately 5,800 calls for service last year and described a steady increase in demand for low-acuity responses. "About 80 to 85% of our call volume is EMS aid calls," he said, and added that the department is training additional personnel to reduce strain on its two primary CARES staff.
The representative described the CARES community-response program as a collaboration funded in part by the fire department and the Olympic Connect organization and said the department financed and ordered two new fire engines, a paramedic unit and a brush truck to replace aging apparatus (the fleet average age is about 20 years). He also noted heavy interest in a posted firefighter opening: "We put out an application request for 1 firefighter position, and we got 78 applications for 1 position," he said.
