McHenry Township Has Record Year For Fire, Emergency Calls

MCHENRY, IL -- The McHenry Township Fire Protection District responded to a record number of emergency calls last year, fire officials announced in recent weeks. In 2018, firefighters and paramedics were called to assist at 5,847 emergency situations throughout the district, which covers 56 square miles in McHenry County. The department, operating out of five stations, broke the 2017 record of calls on Dec. 23 when it responded to its 5,723rd call for the year, according to a news release from the fire protection district.

“As the population continues to age, we roll up our sleeves to perform even better every year," McHenry Township Fire Protection District Fire Chief Tony Huemann said in a news release. "With our unique set up as a fire department operating primarily with part-time firefighters, we provide exceptional service to the community utilizing professional personnel cross trained to respond to medical, fire, technical, rope, water, hazmat and other rescues.”

Out of the 5,847 calls, 96 were related to fires and 17 of those were for structure fires. There were 4,583 emergency medical service calls -- 2,242 were for advanced life support and 1,248 were for basic life support, according to the news release.

Firefighters also responded to calls for activated fire alarms, downed power lines, activated carbon monoxide detectors, car accidents, lift assists, odor investigations, water rescues and more.

“As our community continues to grow, the district will be asked to answer more calls,” said
MTFPD Board President Allen Miller. “Our part-time firefighters and department chiefs focus on
training and quick response to the many types of calls that come in and we continue to maintain
the same level of service that our residents have come to expect utilizing part-time firefighters and thereby saving the taxpayers money.”

In the past few years, the types of calls fire officials in the district responded to have changed from fewer structure fires to more medical runs. Huemann credits fire prevention programs, construction improvements, inspection and building codes and the use of smoke detectors for making residential and commercial structures safer for the public, according to the news release.

“Responding to more calls for help than ever before is a challenge for our firefighter paramedics,
but the men and women of the MTFPD rise to the challenge to help our residents in need,”
Huemann said. “In every instance last year, our responders acted with courage and compassion
to provide life-saving emergency care to people who were sick, injured or endangered – and as a
result saved many lives.”

PHOTO VIA SHUTTERSTOCK