COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Coldwater Fire Chief Dave Schmaltz said in his annual report to the City Council on Monday night that the department had a slight increase in total calls for service in 2024.
The department responded to 1,359 total calls for service. Fire related responses increased by 15 percent from 2023 and a 27 percent increase from 2022.
Schmaltz said out of the 99 actual suppression calls, 50 of those were for structure, cooking and chimney fires which ties the department’s all time high for those types of responses.
He said the February 2024 fire at Elmwood Apartments has led to additional training.
Firefighters had to use ladders to rescue two people from upper story windows as heavy dark smoke poured out of the building.
City Manager Keith Baker indicated the apartment owners are getting ready to re-build.
In 2024, the Department responded to 656 EMS incidents which was a slight increase from 2023.
As for the future, Schmaltz said he wanted his department to identify local risks, work with Lakeland Elementary to establish a firefighter for a day program and develop tactics to work the Bronson Fire Department into their system since the implementation of the automatic aid agreement.
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