The high volume of emergency runs in the western part of the county is nothing new, but officials with the Buck Creek Township Fire Department are increasingly at wits’ end over how to handle the growing number of calls. They say without immediate financial assistance to hire more help, they’re not sure how emergency coverage will look in the future.
The fire department recently shared run figures showing it had 1,483 for the entire year in 2019, at that time the most ever. As of mid-September, the department had already completed 1,483 runs, Chief Dave Sutherlin said.
Sutherlin attributes the increase to the business growth in the western part of the county — development he said is not paying its way when it comes to public safety. The issue with emergency runs in western Hancock County has been simmering for months.