January 1, 2004

2003 call volume lower than expected

       Now that 2003 is in the record books, the final numbers can be tallied.  The White River Township Fire Department responded to 1,649 calls for help in 2003 for everything from heart attacks and car accidents to house and building fires.  In between responding to requests for aid, the department actively and aggressively promotes fire prevention on many different levels.  Targeted groups include the district's five elementary schools, two middle schools, school bus drivers, doctor's offices, youth groups, and daycare centers.  The department's Fire Prevention Division significantly overhauled and expanded its program in 2003, which may have ultimately led to a lower than expected call volume for the year.  Following an increase of over 15% in 2002, 2003 pales in comparison at only a little over 2%.  Whatever the reason, the department is positioning itself to better handle the extra demands that a continuing building boom is promising.  The department's district covers 22 square miles and calls are handled out of 3 fire stations with a combination of 12 full and part-time personnel on duty at any given time.  With an expected influx of hundreds of multi-family dwellings alone in the next few years, the department is already playing "catch up" in order to handle the anticipated demand.  The department is currently working on a five year strategic plan addressing these very issues.

Note:  Figures for 2002 were adjusted to compensate for a single-day outlier that was caused by a tornado that generated 63 additional calls within a 24 hour period on September 20th and 21st.

  

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