The Prince George Fire Rescue Service responded to a record 9,880 call outs in 2022, and is on track to see that number be even higher this year.
In January and February, the fire department responded to a total of 1,611 calls – equivalent to more than 27 per day, according to data presented to the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George last week. That’s up from 1,460 call outs the department responded to in January and February 2022.
Of the calls in January and February this year, 1,048 were medical calls (86 more than in January and February 2022), 369 were for fires (46 more than 2022), 110 were rescues (21 more than 2022) and 84 were administrative or other (two less than in 2022).
A report presented to city councillors at a committee of the whole meeting in February said the Prince George Fire Rescue Service needs to hire 32 additional firefighters and two support staff over the next four years, along with additional vehicles and a fifth fire hall, to meet the rising demand for calls in the city.
A motion approved by council at the meeting is calling on the provincial government to compensate the city for the cost of firefighters responding to medical calls.
