An Increasing Volume of Fire Department Calls: The Importance of Call Data Analysis in Firefighter Health Investigations

Numerous health concerns and risk factors for firefighters have been identified, allowing for interventions that have led to various health improvements. However, high call volumes, a major health concern reported by firefighters, has not been incorporated into health investigations. In this study, we analyzed call log information that included call type, time of day, and day of week, from two suburban fire departments across a five-year period (2015-2019). Both departments had an overall increase in call volume from 2015-2019, with rescue and emergency medical services being the most frequent call type each year. On average, the highest call volumes occurred during the afternoon and the lowest call volumes occurred during late night/early morning. A call data analysis could be utilized by healthcare professionals, research personnel, and administrative personnel in various forms to further improve departmental operations, along with firefighter health and quality of life.