15-04-2025
Analyzing data in the 2024 Springfield fire report
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Springfield Fire Department (SFD) has released its 2024 annual report, noting the department has strengthened its emergency preparedness and response by enhancing operational capabilities, expanding public safety initiatives, and reinforcing community partnerships.
One significant achievement in 2024 was the completion and opening of the newly reconstructed Fire Station 7. This state-of-the-art facility was made possible by voter-approved funding and was designed with firefighter health and safety in mind, improving efficiency and emergency response times, according to a news release.
The annual report cites several facts from SFD's year in 2024:
40,424 instructional hours were delivered to 634 students
185 leave-behind naloxone kits (which can treat narcotic overdoses in an emergency situation) were distributed by firefighters in 2024
SFD firefighters visited 5,440 homes and installed 1,436 smoke alarms
34 structure fire investigations led to felony charges in 11 fires
Only 153 structure fires and 41 vacant structure fires were reported.
Compared to previous year's data, there was a decrease in yearly opioid incidents. The year of 2024 saw 122 incidents, compared to a peak of 463 incidents recorded in 2021.
However, fire calls were up when compared; 940 in 2024, and 886 in 2023.
'Community Risk Reduction remains a cornerstone of our mission,' said Fire Chief David Pennington in the release. 'Through our Project RED Zone initiative, we engaged thousands of households, installed hundreds of smoke alarms and provided critical fire safety education.'
Pennington said the SFD expanded its outreach efforts with fire and life safety programs, community CPR and AED training, and senior fire safety initiatives, ensuring that residents of all ages have the knowledge and tools to prevent fires and emergencies.
'Our continued naloxone distribution program, with leave-behind kits, played a vital role in public health and harm reduction, increasing bystander intervention and saving lives in opioid overdose incidents,' Pennington said.
Read the full SFD 2024 annual report here.
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