Call volume down for Oshawa Fire Services

By Courtney Bachar/The Oshawa ExpressLJI Reporter

Oshawa’s fire chief says while there has been a slight increase in certain calls, overall call volume was down for the first quarter.

“We did see an increase from the last quarter in our medical calls, but overall call volume is slightly down,” says Oshawa Fire Chief Derrick Clark.

There were 513 medical assist calls in this year’s first quarter, compared to the last three months of 2019 with only 486 calls.

He notes there has also been a slight increase in “structural” fire calls with 125 fire related calls this quarter compared to just 71 calls at the end of 2019.

“We’re seeing an increase in our fire-related responses, but a lot of them are minor in nature,” he says, adding it can be anything from hot water heaters overheating, furnace and stove issues, to small fires.

Despite the slight increase in certain types of calls, Clark says the overall call volume is trending lower in 2020 with 1,331 responses in the first quarter, compared to 1,536 responses in the last quarter of 2019.

A decrease in vehicle accident calls contributed to the overall drop with just 237 calls in 2020 compared to 323 calls at the end of 2019.

Since fire services is considered an essential service, Clark says they adapted their protocols right from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Oshawa Fire has been very proactive in the health and safety of our members, as has all departments across the region, Canada, and North America,” says Clark.

In terms of safety protocols, Clark notes staff are isolating within the different divisions to keep everyone social distancing as much as possible. Cleaning measures have increased within the facilities as well. In addition, all staff are screened and their temperature taken when they arrive to work. Calls are also screened before staff arrive on scene.

Clark commends Oshawa Fire Services for the work they’re doing in continuing to keep the residents of Oshawa safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our staff are phenomenal,” says Clark. “I’m so proud of the work they’re doing. They’ve really stepped up and they’re doing an amazing job.”

As head of emergency management for the city of Oshawa, Clark adds the city is also doing its part and doing a great job with social distancing.

“[The social distancing] is really contributing to our success in the city,” he says.

Peter Dyson, President of the Oshawa Fire Services Association, echoes the great work Oshawa’s firefighters and the residents of Oshawa have been doing during this time.

“As Oshawa firefighters, we are one of the first lines of defence on the frontlines,” says Dyson, adding his main concern is ensuring the safety of his members.

“We’ve increased our PPE and changed our protocols to ensure the safety of the residents as well as our members, the firefighters of Oshawa Fire Services, to ensure that we minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19 and we minimize the risk of bringing COVID-19 home to our families,” says Dyson.

Dyson notes the importance of residents continuing to practice social distancing and stay home.

“We need the public to do their part, as they are doing, to help us, because we don’t have a choice. We are going to continue to go to work every day and protect the citizens of Oshawa because that’s what we do.”