After a record year for call volume in 2024, the first month of 2025 is also a record-setter, according to Great Bend Fire Chief Brent Smith.

January had 279 calls, which turns out to be the busiest start to the year in recent history. February is also expected to be higher with about 20-30 calls above last year’s total.

Looking back to 2024

The year 2024 had 2,864 calls for service, which includes all calls to both the fire department and Great Bend Emergency Medical Service. This surpassed the previous year of 2,583, or an increase of 10%. Rescue and EMS calls continue to be the leading incident type, with 2,500 calls, for 87.26% in 2024 over the 2,220, or 85.95% made in 2023.

The breakdown

A breakdown of the remaining calls in 2024 is as follows:

• Fires ­­— Fires were slightly down in 2024, with 96, for 3.35%. A total 97, or 3.76% of the calls were made in 2023.

• Over-pressure ruptures, explosions, over-heating with no fire — two of the calls were received in 2024, for 0.07%, matching the two, or 0.08% of the calls in 2023.

• Hazardous conditions with no fire — A total 76 were received in 2024, for 3.53%, down from 89, or 3.45% in 2023.

• Service calls —  A total 27 were received in 2024, for 0.94%, up slightly from 22, or 0.85% in 2023.

• Good intent calls — A total 101, for 3.53% were received in 2024. up from 75, 2.9% in 2023.

• False alarms/false calls — A total 61 for 2.13% were received in 2024, down from 75, or 2.9% in 2023.

• Severe weather and natural disasters — One call, for 0.03% was received in 2024 regarding severe weather,  matching the one, for 0.04% in 2023.

• Special incident — One call was ascribed to the special incident category for 2024, down from two, or 0.08% of the calls in 2023.