CHARDON, Ohio — Ohio Fire Department calls for service increased nine percent between 2018 and 2020 according to the Ohio Department of Commerce. In Chardon, 2023 was a record-breaking year with more than 2300 calls. 2024 is on track to be even higher.
Chardon Fire Chief Justin Geiss cites an aging population and a growing population as factors aiding in the increase in call volume his department is experiencing.
"The city of Chardon is seeing more growth than it has in over 20 years," said Geiss. "We've had multiple new housing developments come in. We're estimating 1200 to 1500 new residents in the next three to five years."
Also on the rise is the frequency with which the Chardon Fire Department responds to multiple calls simultaneously. This makes keeping staffing levels up even more important.
"Staffing is incredibly competitive," said Geiss. "We don’t see a line of applicants out the door anymore. We have multiple firefighters that are working full-time jobs, as well as part-time jobs, and trying to maintain a family life, as well, has become difficult."
More runs mean more wear and tear on equipment and vehicles, which have gone up in price dramatically. A new ambulance the department purchased to keep up with the rise in calls was $65,000 higher than the one they purchased five years ago. In addition to levy funds, the department has worked to find additional ways to cover costs.
"Chardon Fire Department alone received over $340,000 in grants over the last three years," said Geiss. "We are going for every available dollar we can and still provide the best possible service to our residents."
Geiss said the number of fire calls has decreased in part due to increased education on fire prevention measures. EMS calls now account for between 80-85% of the department's calls.
"The ambulances are running constantly," said Geiss. "We don't see the fires like we used to, which is a good thing that we've worked very hard for overs years. The EMS calls, though, we are seeing trends of them going up. We're working to try and curb those and try and ensure the public safety and awareness of what is causing this is out there."
To help with this issue, Chardon Fire is thinking outside the box, devoting one firefighter/paramedic to help residences identified during patient encounters in the hopes of reducing frequent ambulance calls to specific residences.
"What we're seeing is that the preventable injuries in homes like falls or injuries has gone up over the last few years," said Geiss. "Our Community Risk Reduction program works to prevent those injuries with in-home safety inspections, as well as, acting as a liaison to these people to make sure they are receiving the programs that are out there for them."
The Community Risk Reduction program has been in place for less than a year, yet the department said it has helped 23 residents to date. Plans are in place to expand the program moving forward, including offering classes on fire, health, and weather safety.
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