By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
In a department head meeting this week, Great Bend City Administrator Brandon Anderson was informed the number of incident calls the fire and EMS department responds to was up significantly in January 2024. The Great Bend Fire Department and EMS had nearly a 33% increase in calls in January.
"I think a lot of it is there are a few of those bugs going around that are dehydrating people, and people not doing as well," said Anderson. "Everyone be and get well, but certainly we're here if you need us."
The fire and EMS department usually responds to an average of seven calls per day but were up to 10 or 11 calls per day in January.
Anderson said every five years or so it is wise to do a study with the city’s population to make sure a city has the proper amount of fire and police personnel. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) also provides fire departments scores on how they are doing against its organization’s standards.
"From the fire department standpoint, the big effect is on your insurance bill," said Anderson. "Our ISO rating we get judges how efficient our department is running, managed and the equipment we have directly impacts that ISO. That ultimately affects the citizens in their insurance bill."
After receiving a call from dispatch, Great Bend Fire Department personnel has a goal of being out the door in 40 seconds. Fire Chief Brent Smith reported the Great Bend Fire Department had the fastest response time out of any EMS agency in Kansas in 2023.