DeKalb Fire Department logs busiest year in 150-year history

DeKALB ­– The DeKalb Fire Department responded to more calls in 2019 than any other year in their 150-year history.

According to an end-of-year report by the department, DeKalb firefighters responded to 6,700 emergency calls for service in 2019, marking a 20% increase over the last three years.

In 2018, the department logged 6,107 calls, and in 2017, 5,586 calls.

Calls for service are steadily increasing over the years as residents continue to use unconventional means to combat the rising cost of health care, DeKalb Fire Chief Jeff McMaster has said.

The department responds to more medical calls than fires. In 2018, 2% of calls for service were for actual fires, while 76% were for EMS calls, the 2018 report shows.