The Chattanooga Fire Department responded to 17,666 calls, including 238 structure fires, 5,234 EMS calls and 1,844 citizen assist calls during 2020. Firefighters also responded to 1,611 motor vehicle accidents.
In addition, crews saved more than $155 million worth of property from fire damage, the department reports.
Fire Chief Phil Hyman says 2021 was one of the most imposing years for the CFD, yet it excelled at every level.
“We made sacrifices with grace and met challenges with perseverance, character and integrity,” he says. “I cannot express how proud I am of our entire department and all our members have done for the community we serve.”
All of the department’s crews adapted during the pandemic, Hyman adds, taking the necessary steps to protect themselves and members of the public with additional safety precautions, wearing personal protective equipment and continually sanitizing fire halls and fire trucks.
In addition, each of the department’s fire stations remained open and in service around the clock.
Hyman says the CFD’s most daunting emergency in 2020 was the Easter tornadoes.
“Our units were on the ground in the hardest-hit areas immediately after the deadly storms struck our area, making daring rescues and coordinating a massive effort to get personnel and resources where they needed to be.
“They worked tirelessly, even as dozens of firefighters had to deal with their own homes being destroyed, or the residences of their loved ones being badly damaged. Lives were saved thanks to their actions.”
The Chattanooga Fire Department will mark its 150th anniversary in 2021. The department is compiling a history book to document its past even as its staff lays the groundwork for the coming years.
“I’m confident our firefighters will keep pushing forward in the years ahead and succeed in whatever the future holds,” Hyman says.
Source: Chattanooga Fire Department