Topeka Fire Department publishes 2024 year end report
Context: Video aired Sep. 26, 2024.
TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Topeka Fire Department (TFD) published its 2024 Year End Report on Monday.
The TFD received 543 fewer total calls in 2024 compared to 2023 but responded to 20% more structure fires.
Last year, 27 News reported on the busiest fire engine in Kansas, Topeka's Fire Engine #7. Topeka’s Engine 7 made 3,792 runs alone in 2023, according to Firehouse Magazine.
| 2024 | 2023 | Percent change | |
| Total Calls | 24,891 | 25,434 | -2% |
| EMS Calls | 14,618 | 16,176 | -10% |
| Non-EMS Calls | 9,006 | 8,006 | 12% |
| Working Fire Calls | 1,267 | 1,252 | 1% |
| Total Unit Responses | 37,556 | 37,880 | -1% |
| Injuries | 11 | 10 | 10% |
| Deaths | 1 | 4 | -75% |
| Fire Investigations opened | 107 | 118 | -9% |
| Arson Fires Investigated | 43 | 44 | -2% |
| Smoke alarms installed | 115 | 125 | -8% |
| Burn permits issued | 546 | 595 | -8% |
| Public education events | 78 | 76 | 3% |
| Community engagement events | 116 | 157 | -26% |
Structure Fire Figures
| Type | 2024 | 2023 | Percent Change |
| Residential Private Dwelling | 207 | 226 | -8% |
| Residential Apartments | 57 | 45 | 27% |
| Residential Hotels and Motels | 5 | 4 | 25% |
| Other residential | 5 | 5 | 0% |
| Public assembly | 12 | 6 | 100% |
| Schools and colleges | 0 | 2 | -100% |
| Health Care and Penal Institutions | 2 | 2 | 0% |
| Stores and Offices | 20 | 7 | 186% |
| Industry, Utility, Defense, Lab | 5 | 4 | 25% |
| Storage in structures | 11 | 27 | -59% |
| Other structures | 106 | 51 | 108% |
| Total | 453 | 379 | 20% |
In 2014, the City of Topeka published a report titled ‘Fire Resource Allocation & Wage Comparability’ wherein the city compared its fire department spending to 17 similar cities. The City of Topeka’s report found the fire department spent about $36 more per resident for fire protection than the other 17 benchmark cities. In 2024, Topeka had a per-resident spending of $284, or $34 more per citizen.
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