PFD runs have been on the rise

Runs for Portland Fire Department were fairly stable at the close of the last decade.

They went down significantly during the two years most effect by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, they are climbing.

Portland Fire Department had a busy first six months of 2023 in terms of fire runs and is on pace for more than 1,100 total runs this year.

If the increases continue, it could lead to a need to add to the department down the road.

“We’re getting to the point, if we continue to see the increase of runs like we have … more staffing is probably going to be inevitable,” said Portland Fire Chief Mike Weitzel. “When you’re running 12 runs a day like we did (Aug. 28), that puts stress on the guys for sure.”

As he spoke earlier this month, the department was already on its fourth run of the day. It was 9 a.m.

“I think this is across the board too,” he added. “Talking to the other chiefs in the county, everybody’s runs have increased.”

In 2017, ’18 and ’19, Portland Fire Department hovered between 900 and 975 runs. That was already a massive increase since the about 500 runs per year that were typically when Weitzel joined the department 15 years ago. The number dipped into the 700s in 2020 and 2021 during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, but have since jumped again.

Portland Fire Department had 1,098 runs in 2022. Through the first eight months of 2023, the number was already at 750 — on pace for 1,125.

“It’s definitely increased a great deal,” Weitzel said.

The department has seen more fire activity — 17 runs through August puts it on pace for 25, three more than the five-year high — and a greater volume of calls overall. It has already made more smoke/odor investigation and service call runs than it did a year ago. It is on pace to surpass 2022 figures in most categories.

Portland Fire Department is most frequently called out for medical runs, with 531 through the first eight months of the year. (No other category of runs totaled more than 65.) It is on pace for nearly 800 such runs this year, which would surpass 2022’s 773.

“Our fire runs are actually a very low percentage of our calls,” said Weitzel. (Through August, they amounted to just over 2.25% of runs this year.) “Our medic runs are our highest percentage. The last couple of years, they’ve been in the 70% range.”

Following medical runs on the list this year are false calls/fire alarms (63) and motor vehicle accidents (44).

The bulk of the runs are in Portland (69.9%) and Wayne Township (16.9%), with the remainder coming through fire protection agreements with Greene, Pike and Jefferson Townships or mutual aid for other departments as needed.

Though fire runs are a lower percentage of the overall workload, they are among the most preventable. Weitzel said that he has seen an increase in fires that are a result of controlled burns getting out of hand. He noted that controlled burns should not be started in dry, windy conditions, should be kept to less than 10 feet wide and 10 feet high and should not continue after dark. He added that all controlled burns should be called into the fire department in advance.

If a fire does occur, from controlled burns or otherwise …

“The biggest thing, obviously, is life safety,” said Weitzel. “Get yourself and other family members out, and stay out. Call us. That’s what we’re here for.”

Once firefighters arrive on scene, any information — where the fire started, how it started, who or what is still in the home that needs to be saved — will be helpful.

“That gives us a better indication of where to start at,” Weitzel said.