(MITCHELL) – The Mitchell Fire Department responded to 945 calls in 2019.
Most of their runs were to emergency medical calls – a total of 769 runs.
“When I first started on the department we only had 100 runs back in 1987,” stated Mitchell Fire Chief Tyler Duncan.
The need for more volunteer firefighters is growing. Calls continue to increase while the number of volunteers continues to drop.
Training hours, along with the number of calls have many deciding not to volunteer.
The Mitchell Fire Department has started a Junior Firefighter Program to increase interest in becoming a firefighter.
“In order to be a firefighter, it takes four modules of course work and practical exercises and takes between six to eight months to complete,” said Duncan.
Here is a breakdown of calls in 2019:
- 769 – Medical
- 43 – Fire
- 45 – Rescue/Other
- 29 – Motor Vehicle Accidents
- 26 – Mutual Aid
- 33 – Service
Total – 945 runs
