This past year was a busy one for Chatham-Kent Fire & Rescue (CKFR).
The department responded to 3,545 calls, up from 3,212 in 2024.
The biggest increase was in medical calls. In 2024, there were 497 calls, but that number shot up to 654 last year.
CKFR also responded to more automatic alarms, going from 471 responses in 2024 to 508 in 2025.
The number of fires across Chatham-Kent (CK) rose slightly year-over-year. In total, there were 177 blazes in 2025, compared to 175 in 2024.
There was still a high level of motor vehicle collisions that CKFR responded to, but the total was down from 2024. Over the past 12 months, the department was called to 449 scenes, compared to 465 in 2024.
Though the number of collisions dropped, the amount of times that firefighters had to extract someone from a vehicle rose. There were 28 such instances in 2025, up from 19 in 2024.
"Throughout 2025, our firefighters continued to demonstrate exceptional professionalism, readiness, and compassion in every response," said Fire Chief Chris Case. "We remain committed to advancing our prevention efforts, strengthening community safety, and investing in the training and equipment that support a safer, more resilient community."
In the past 12 months, the department also completed 1,273 inspections and installed 492 smoke alarms and 414 carbon monoxide alarms.
