Mohave Today

BULLHEAD CITY — The statistics, while staggering, were not unexpected.

The Bullhead City Fire Department's fire and medical units responded to nearly 12,000 calls for service in 2022, a slight increase from the previous year that was anticipated following the city's continuing growth.

According to department records, BCFD personnel responded to 11,931 calls for service in 2022, an average of more than 32 calls per day.

"We've been busier than we've ever been historically," BCFD Chief Patrick Moore said during a quick review of the numbers at Tuesday's fire district board meeting.

The department is tasked with providing With an estimated population of more than 43,000 residents — and the thousands of visitors who flock to the area for summer recreation, sporting competition and other tourist attractions.

Total call volume was up only 226 from 2021, when the department responded to a then-record 11,705 calls for service.

"I think it's important for the public to know these numbers," Board Chairman David Cummings said. "I think it gives them a better understanding of what this department does every day. They don't just sit around all day."

For at least the second straight year, more than 90% of the calls for service from the five district stations involved medical response, often with an ambulance and an engine crew dispatched to provide additional manpower if needed.

More than 10,000 calls were classified as medical in nature with more than 7,000 categorized as "general" — calls that didn't fit entirely into another category or ones that involved more than one medical issue.

Specific medical responses included 1,250 for falls, 1,071 for breathing issues, 632 for chest pain, 422 for motor-vehicle accidents, 136 for heat-related issues, 111 for drug overdoses (including both accidental and intentional) and 263 for medical alarm notifications.

Medical personnel also responded to 24 childbirth calls and nine drownings.

The fire department's water units responded to 52 calls — 27 watercraft accidents with possible injury and 25 for rescues or assistance.

Fire department personnel responded to 312 alarms, 185 residential and 127 commercial. There were 103 active residential fires during 2022 and 18 commercial fires, according to the statistics. The department also responded to 68 brush/vegetation fires within the district boundaries as well as 24 dumpster fires, 53 vehicle fires, 23 "nonstructure" fires and 133 fire calls classified as "other."

The department investigated two arsons, responded to 34 smoke investigations, seven hazardous material calls and 28 odor investigations.

Thirty-two fire personnel calls were to assist other agencies within the district boundaries. The department also responded to more than 100 mutual aid calls, based on agreements with other area public safety agencies, with 41 medical and 35 engine responses in the Fort Mojave Mesa Fire District, 16 medical and 10 engine responses requested across the river in Clark County, five EMS cals in the Mohave Valley Fire District and five engine calls requested by the National Park Service.

While the department provided mutual aid response dozens of times, it requested reciprocal aid on 15 occasions; the call statistics did not define whether those requests were for fire or medical units nor what agencies responded, though most were believed to have been fire calls with manpower and equipment from the Fort Mojave Mesa and Mohave Valley fire districts.

The call volume details is useful not only in terms of public information but for internal operational analysis.

"Our organization makes every effort to evaluate these numbers to make any necessary changes to our response model, new station locations and fire department staffing,” Lori Viles, public information specialist for the BCFD's Community Risk Division said previously.

"It is imperative to track these numbers and use them to develop the appropriate strategic plan for our organization and the community we serve," Forrest Taylor, assistant chief for preparedness and professional development, previously said of the importance of the call volume statistics.

Original source can be found here.