Brock Fire Department calls increase slightly in 2023

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

BROCK: Local firefighters were slightly busier in 2023, responding to a total of 20 more calls last year than in 2022, according to a recent report from Fire Chief Rick Harrison.

The report, which outlined the number and nature of the calls the Brock Fire Department responded to was included in the agenda for council’s meeting on the afternoon of Monday, Jan. 29th.

According to Chief Harrison’s report, the overall total number of calls that local firefighters responded to increased to 357 in 2023, rising slightly from 337 calls the prior year. Rescue calls, which include vehicle extrication, building collapse, water rescue, ice rescue, motor vehicle collision/accident, industrial accident, elevator mishap, trench/confined space/high-low angle rescue, saw fire called most often, with a total of 85 calls. This was closely followed by medical, which saw the fire department dispatched a total of 78 times last year.

False fire calls, which include alarm activations caused by malfunction, accidental, malicious, prank, and human-perceived emergencies saw the biggest annual increase, rising from 39 calls in 2022 to 58 last year. However, False carbon monoxide calls, including perceived CO emergencies and equipment malfunction saw the sharpest decline falling from 31 calls in 2022 to nine last year.

The township maintains a presence in all of the major communities in Brock, with fire stations located in Beaverton, Cannington, and Sunderland.