DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — 2022 was a record year for the Danville Fire Department.
Crews responded to 4,260 calls last year, the most they’ve seen in department history. The fire department mostly responded to arson, cooking, and electrical fires. It’s the fourth consecutive year the Danville Fire Department saw an increase in calls.
Compared to 2021, last year saw a 16.39% rise in calls and a 78.32% increase in total calls since 2015. Chief Aaron Marcott said they’ve seen a consistent trend of fires within older buildings. He said in a lot of cases, those old buildings have a lot of people living in them and they’re using a lot of wires.
“Sometimes it’s harder to make those repairs needed and things like that in your homes,” Marcott said. “So, I think for Danville, it’s just the type of community we are and the way we’re designed, and the age of the housing.”
Not all of the department’s calls involve fires. Danville Fire crews answered more EMS calls than anything else.
Officials said opioid overdoses like heroin and fentanyl accounted for 64% of emergencies. Carle Ambulance said they administered Narcan 90 times last year in Danville, 15 more times than the previous year.
Rosecrance Executive Director Melissa Pappas said many of these overdoses happen because drugs like marijuana or cocaine are laced with something else like fentanyl. She said organizations like hers must continue to be a beacon of light for those fighting addiction.
“There are so many behavioral health organizations out there, including Rosecrance, that are there waiting for people and available to provide people with the treatment and the support that they need,” Pappas said.
Rosecrance offers 30-day residential programs and medication to those in recovery. They said the goal is to expand those services to more people to help them regain their sobriety.