SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services responded to a record-breaking 11,123 emergency calls in 2025, marking the highest number in the department's history despite the city's stable population.
The 20% increase in calls over the past five years has put significant pressure on the department, with most incidents being EMS-related, particularly falls among residents.
"Whenever somebody calls 911, it's an emergency to them. We may not deem it as emergency, but it's an emergency to them and they want help. So that's what we are tasked to do," Fire Chief Brian Jones said.
The department transported 5,500 patients to hospitals in 2025, with Station No. 4 alone handling between 105 and 115 transports monthly.
"We're working vigorously on ways to find out how to be more efficient and effective, and whether that's more staffing or changing our operational plan, we work on that daily," Jones said.
Despite the increasing demand, Chief Jones praised his team's dedication.
"We are very busy fire department that does excellent work. The women and men that work for this organization are dedicated and committed to providing the best possible care on a daily basis," Jones said.
The department is collaborating with city administration to develop strategies for handling continued growth in emergency calls.
"We are currently working with staff and city administration to effectively be operationally ready. We are always looking at different ways to respond in a more more effective way," Jones said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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