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Fire department highlights lithium‑ion safety, drones and whole‑blood transport in prevention week briefing
Summary
Fire officials told the committee the department is expanding community risk‑reduction work, tracking rising call volumes and rolling out EMS innovations including an advanced‑EMT pilot and whole‑blood use in ambulances since Oct. 1.
A Horry County fire official briefed the committee on Fire Prevention Week priorities and operational changes, including outreach around lithium‑ion battery safety, smoke‑alarm installs, and expanded community training.
The official said the department has seen call volumes rise recently — "20 23 fire calls, 13,000, 20 24, 15,000. As of 09:30, we're at 14,000 for the year" — and highlighted partnerships with community groups, expanded drone imaging for incident command, and state awards for public‑safety education. "Community risk reduction, what fire used to be called fire prevention all the time is community risk reduction now," the official said, summarizing the department's broader approach to prevention and education.
On EMS, the official described the county's role in piloting an advanced EMT program and reported that the county began carrying whole blood for pre‑hospital transfusions on Oct. 1, adding that crews have already used it in several cases. The briefing emphasized both emergent response capabilities and prevention programs that aim to reduce overall incident volumes and improve outcomes.
The committee did not take formal action on these items; members thanked staff and asked for continued updates to the committee.
