By Stephanie Loder
Did you see the flashing red lights of the fire engine in Egg Harbor Township and slow your vehicle to the side of the road?
Or maybe you smelled smoke and dialed 911 to dispatch the fire department.
Perhaps a fire truck visited your child’s elementary school during October, which is Fire Prevention Awareness Month.
In 2022 and 2023, Firefighters in Atlantic County responded to a combined total of more than 20,000 total calls for service, according to data provided by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
And, while the number of fires has decreased nationwide in the last decade, Atlantic County fire officials say in 2024 that some area fire companies may surpass their previous number of calls for service.
The theme of Fire Prevention Month 2024 in October is “Smoke Alarms, Make them Work for You.”
In New Jersey, October of each year is designated by state proclamation as “Fire Prevention Awareness Month.”
The month, the theme and the drought in New Jersey make it a good opportunity to look at how many calls for service Atlantic County fire companies and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service handled in recent years.
The data is compiled by the state’s Division of Fire Safety from reports sent at the end of each year by all fire departments in the state.
Here’s what we know about how many times firefighters responded to calls in Atlantic County:
The Atlantic City Fire Department handled the most calls for service in Atlantic County in 2022 and 2023, according to annual reports.
Atlantic City firefighters responded to 7,685 calls in 2023 – an increase from 7,093 calls in 2022.
The second busiest firefighters were at the Brigantine Fire Department, which according to the DCA handled 2,119 calls in 2022 but decreased to 1,666 calls in 2023.
Pleasantville responded to 1,361 calls in 2022 and 339 calls in 2023, according to information supplied by Lisa Ryan, a spokesperson for the DCA.
In Downbeach: Ventnor responded to 1,323 calls in 2022 compared to 501 calls in 2023. Margate responded to 1,597 calls in 2022 and their numbers increased to 1,936 calls in 2023. Longport firefighters received 167 calls in 2023, compared to just 91 the year before.
Firefighters in Atlantic County communities along Route 9 responded to hundreds of calls each year during 2022 and 2023, according to the DCA statistics.
Linwood responded to 227 calls in 2022 and 204 fire calls in 2023. Northfield responded to 305 calls in 2022 and 208 calls in 2023. Somers Point responded to 214 calls in 2022 and 290 calls in 2023.
Absecon Fire Department responded to 230 calls in 2022 compared to 213 calls in 2023.
In Galloway, the township fire companies responded to hundreds of calls for service in the last two years.
Firefighters in Oceanville responded to 261 in 2022 and 280 calls in 2023. Germania responded to 87 calls in 2022 and 11 calls in 2023. Pomona responded to 258 calls in 2022 and 101 calls in 2023. Bayview responded to 353 calls in 2022 and 398 calls in 2023.
Port Republic had 18 calls for service in 2022 and 16 calls in 2023.
The Airport Fire Department responded to 509 calls in 2023, a decrease in the number calls from the year before which was 658.
In Egg Harbor Township, firefighters from all five fire companies responded to a combined total of over a thousand calls during the last two years.
The Bargaintown Fire Company responded to 482 fire calls in 2023 compared to 472 calls in 2022.
As of September 30, Bargaintown firefighters have handled 436 calls, according to Fire Chief Gene Sharp.
The Cardiff Fire Company responded to 548 calls in 2022 compared to 588 calls in 2023. Cardiff reports so far in 2024, firefighters have responded to more than 438 calls as of September.
Atlantic County Fire Marshal David Buzby said October’s designation of Fire Prevention Month helps bring awareness of fire safety. Some schools participate in special events to teach students about fire safety.
October is a good time to remember to change the batteries in smoke detectors, Buzby said.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported 154 wildfires in Atlantic County in 2022 which burned 78 acres. There were 109 wildfires in Atlantic County in 2023 which burned 56 acres. So far this year, 92 wildfires have burned 30.25 acres in Atlantic County, according to Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also reports a total of 89 on-duty U.S. firefighter fatalities in 2023, representing an 8%t decline over the 97 fatal injuries in 2022.
Of these deaths, 50 were volunteer firefighters and 30 were career firefighters; the nine non-municipal firefighter fatalities included five full-time state forestry rangers or technicians, one state forestry contractor, one full-time federal forest service firefighter, and two military firefighters.
The 89 firefighter fatalities reported in 2023 are higher than the totals in recent years; it’s also the second-highest number since 2013 when 98 on-duty fatal injuries were reported, according to NFPA.
The increase over the past two years reflects the inclusion of cardiac deaths and strokes or aneurysms occurring within 24 hours of duty. These deaths were previously not counted unless there was a specific physical complaint while the firefighter was on duty, NFPA reported.
Stephanie is a freelance writer with 40 years experience covering NJ news for The Asbury Park Press, The Courier Post, The Catholic Star Herald and The Press of AC. Email her at stephanieloder59@hotmail.com
