Philadelphia Firefighters See Sharp Increase In Emergency Calls In 2014
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia fire department's year-end review found a sharp increase in the number of calls and the number of fatalities in 2014.
Fire Chief Clifford Gilliam says 32 people died in fires in 2014 -- 12 of them in just five fires, including the four children who died on Gesner Street in July.
Gilliam says it was a disappointing reversal after 2013's record low of 24 deaths:
"Zero fire fatalities is the ultimate goal so to have an increase is really something that causes us to pause and look at and say, 'what are we doing'?"
Gilliam says the department installed nearly 8,000 smoke alarms last year, which is key to avoiding fatalities.
He says the department answered nearly 300,000 emergency calls, including a ten-percent increase in calls for non-medical emergencies.
"The department is looking into what was the cause of those increases. That helps us understand where to direct our resources."
Gilliam adds the department will continue fire prevention efforts.
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