TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The Twin Falls Fire Department responded to more medical emergencies than fires in 2024, according to the department's annual report. Emergency medical service calls accounted for 71% of all responses.
"That's a high number," said Fire Chief Mitchell Brooks.
The department responded to 4,685 calls for emergency medical services last year, while fighting 58 structure fires, 23 car fires, and 74 other types of fires.
"That's a low number for fires, that's something as a community to be happy about," said Interim Deputy Chief Eric Schmitz.
Chief Brooks told me there were firefighters responding to calls that might not be the best use of their abilities.
"You know, anything life-threatening, absolutely, we need to be there and be involved, and a lot of times we can get there fast," Schmitz said. "(But) 71% for a department of our size, there's some of those that we need to look at and reevaluate."
The department has a medical aid vehicle in Station 2, which is smaller and more nimble than the fire engines. Currently, that vehicle is only staffed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"That's why we're trying to increase our staffing so that we have a medical unit 24/7," Brooks said.
In addition to staffing, Brooks said the department is looking at dispatch solutions, using technology to select the most suitable units for different types of calls.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
