Firefighters always ready to help Maricopa residents in emergency situations

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Maricopa’s firefighters put their lives on the line day in and day out in order to protect residents and their property in the event of fire, hazardous conditions and emergency services, particularly accidents and motor vehicle collisions.

During the last quarter of 2005 Maricopa Fire responded to 268 calls. In 2004, during that very same time period, firefighters responded to 117 calls, less than half the number for this year.

The totals for most types of response calls stayed the same from 2004 to 2005, with the exception of Emergency Medical Service calls. Those particular types of calls increased dramatically from one year to the next:

October 2004 = 26 October 2005 = 56
November 2004 = 17 November 2005 = 48
December 2004 = 29 December 2005 = 92

According to Chief of Operations Dan Ashton, there are a number of reasons for the huge increase in calls for emergency services. “The biggest reason is the increase in population,” explained Ashton. “We also have a lot of construction going on, and there are always potential injuries there, especially falls. Traffic has really increased, particularly on SR 347, so there are more wrecks.”

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Maricopa Fire Department’s Chief of Operations Dan Ashton.

Ashton added, “One of the biggest reasons for the large number of EMS calls is the lack of a local hospital.” According to the Chief, an urgent care facility in Maricopa would help alleviate the problem. “We aren’t doctors, so all we can do with our paramedics is stabilize the individual and then send them to a hospital by ambulance or, in some cases, by helicopter.”

Currently there are two engines companies available per shift. If one is called out, the other has twice as much area to cover. Ashton believes that approximately 20% of all emergency service or 911 calls are not true emergencies.

“We are always ready to assist all residents,” Ashton vowed. “We are here to help and protect them. Knowing that it’s flu season, we realize that some people are very sick.”

However, for the protection of all of us, if you have a headache or a stomach ache that isn’t that painful, if your pain is neither severe nor of any lasting duration and if your problem really isn’t an emergency, call your physician rather than the fire department. You probably don’t want an engine company pulling up in front of your house with lights and sirens running (and all your neighbors watching) unless they really need to be there.

Let’s help Maricopa’s firefighters, who are putting their lives on the line for all of us. They are glad to respond to any call, but be certain that a non-emergency isn’t tying up their resources and keeping them away from a real life-threatening incident.