Fire Department: Record Number of Calls in July

Evanston firefighters handled a record number of calls this July, when temperatures reached record highs as well. 

Some 911 people called the last month, according to a press release from the fire department. Of that number, 565 people requested emergency medical services. 

Fire officials cited July’s record-setting temperatures as a potential factor in the record number of calls. Temperatures on July 4, 5 and 6 were the highest since the city began recording them 117 years ago, at 99, 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. 

“Our firefighters and dispatchers did a tremendous job maintaining professional service delivery to our residents during July’s heat wave,” Fire Chief Greg Klaiber said in the release. “In spite of a new record being set, this did not change the fact that every individual call was as important as the next and resources were dispatched promptly.” 

On alone, the fire department handled 67 calls, 34 for emergency medical services. Evanston firefighters responded to reports of chest pains, shortness of breath, burns from fireworks and heat-related emergencies that day, according to the release. 

To handle the increased demand, firefighters placed two reserve ambulances in service and relied on some assistance from the Wilmette Fire Department, particularly on the Fourth of July. 

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