Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services responded to 687 calls from July to September, a 20 per cent increase from the same time last year.
Cranbrook Fire and Emergency Services Director Scott Driver says 24 per cent of calls for service were for fire-related incidents.
“Noticeably, the fire service is getting busier and more complex. Community safety has become a very complex issue, changing from season to season,” said Driver.
“Our job, and the broad range of issues that are impacting our citizens continues to evolve on all fronts, and demand for services continues to rise. I am extremely proud of the work our firefighters do throughout the year and I am thankful for their extraordinary efforts this past summer.”
They responded to four significant structure fires in the quarter including the fire at Amy Woodland school.
Members were also kept busy assisting the BC Wildfire Service with prescribed burns and two members served as task force leaders at the Slocan and Argenta wildfires.
Over 500 of the calls this quarter were for pre-hospital care. There were 81 calls for breathing problems and 72 for overdose-related incidents.
Driver says higher call volumes are concentrated in the downtown core and around Ridgeview Road.
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