Amherstburg Fire Department releases most recent stats

The Amherstburg Fire Department has released its stats for the fourth and final quarter for 2025.

Statistics show 454 incidents in 2025, with 131 in the fourth quarter of the year. By comparison, there were 452 incidents in 2024 with 106 in the fourth quarter of that year.

Of the 454 total incidents in 2025, there were 57 fire calls, 13 in the fourth quarter. In 2024, there were 74 fire calls with 21 in the fourth quarter.

False fire alarms totalled 169 in 2025, down from 178 the previous year. A total of 44 false alarms came in during the final quarter of 2025 as compared to 32 the previous year.

There were 38 public hazard calls in 2025, with 47 the year before. There were 16 of such calls in the fourth quarter of 2025 versus 12 in 2024.

Rescue calls were up in 2025, with 105 and there were 84 in 2024. Thirty-six of 2025’s total number were in the fourth quarter with 25 in that same quarter in 2024.

Amherstburg firefighters responded to 52 medical calls in 2025 with 39 being the number in 2024. There were 13 in the fourth quarter of 2025 as compared to 14 in the fourth quarter of 2024.

There were 33 calls classified as “others” in 2025, as opposed to 30 in 2024. Nine of those calls last year were in the fourth quarter versus two the previous year.

“The goal of the Amherstburg Fire Department is to provide fire protection services through a range of programs designed to protect the lives and property of the inhabitants from the adverse effects of fire, sudden medical emergencies or exposure to dangerous conditions created by man or nature,” a report from fire chief Michael Mio states. “To achieve this goal, the Amherstburg Fire Department utilizes fire suppression and rescue activities, fire inspections, fire investigation, public fire safety education and other fire protection programs as defined by the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, R.S.O.1997, and the Town of Amherstburg.”

Mio’s report states the Amherstburg Fire Department implemented the first phase of response and operational changes last September that are required to support the transition to the new fire hall and the two-station model anticipated for the second quarter of this year. 

“The addition of a second on-duty firefighter in September 2025 represented a significant enhancement to the Town’s emergency response capabilities and directly supports the implementation of the two-station response model, consisting of a North Hall and a South Hall,” Mio wrote. “This staffing adjustment has led to immediate improvements in turnout time, run capacity, firefighter safety, and overall operational effectiveness. Under the current model, the Fire Department continues to physically maintain three fire halls; however, operational responses have been strategically consolidated. The

response areas previously served independently by Station 1 and Station 3 have been combined into a single South Hall response area. This consolidation allows for more efficient deployment of personnel and apparatus while maintaining full geographic coverage throughout the community.”

Mio stated that upon completion of the new South Hall, staffing, apparatus, equipment, and resources will be fully relocated and consolidated there. 

“Overall, the combined approach of adding a second firefighter per day, transitioning to a North and South response model, and consolidating operations into two fire halls ensures the Amherstburg Fire Department remains responsive, adaptable, and well-positioned to meet both current and future service demands,” he stated.

Mio also highlighted that Amherstburg firefighters were at eight events last year to engage with the community. The chief was not at the Feb. 9 meeting to speak to his report, but Deputy Chief Dan Monk was and fielded a question from Councillor Peter Courtney on the North and South fire responses.

“How is this happening when we’re still on the three-station model?” asked Courtney. Monk noted the merger of Station 1 and 3 last September.

“Those two halls are functioning as a singular hall when it comes to response, training and staffing,” said Monk. “Every single time when we have a response south of Alma St., those halls are responding together. The response zones in the north were expanded to match what is happening in the south end.”

Courtney noted the plan was to split firefighters with 30 at each station. Monk said they do not have a full complement right now, noting the fire department is hiring, with the complement closer to 25 at each station.

Amherstburg Fire Department releases most recent stats

By Ron Giofu