TFR seeing improvements in monthly call stats

Published 2:28 pm Tuesday, November 2, 2021

THOMASVILLE — Thomasville Fire and Rescue answered a total of 459 service calls during October, which officials say shows small improvements.

While most of the calls reported were medical calls totaling up to 321, Thomasville Fire and Rescue Chief Tim Connell said he’s seeing a decrease in COVID 19-related medical calls.

“COVID calls are slowing down, so we’re grateful for that,” he said. “For the most part, we’re pretty close to medical calls slowing up a little bit just because COVID numbers are slowing up.”

Statistics also showed TFR answered one structure fire call last month that Connell noted was a decrease from September calls, which included three structure fire incidents. 

“You want those calls to stay down,” he said.

The last of the call stats reported included one other fire, 56 fire alarm incidents, 24 car accidents and 56 hazard related service calls. 

Connell confirmed that some of the fire alarm calls were either service errors or cooking-related incidents. 

“When we get fire alarms, majority of them are from commercial buildings,” he added.

There isn’t a distinct month that accumulates an average high call volume, Connell said, but going forward into the winter months, he expects to see more heater-related calls.

“At this time of year, people may fire up their heaters for the first time,” he said. “Majority of the time it’s the heaters burning off the dust that is collected through the summer and we don’t mind coming out and checking it.”