Raleigh Fire Department gathers data to drive strategic decision-making, optimize operations, improve public safety, and justify resource allocation. By using data, RFD can proactively reduce risks and enhance effectiveness.
During the second quarter of this year, the number of fires decreased by 19 percent. There were 285 fires, compared to 352 in the first quarter of 2024. This is typical of the spring season’s numbers compared to the winter, says Capt. James Pearce of the Raleigh Fire Department.
Cooking Fires Down
Fires related to the leading cause – unattended cooking – went down significantly. There were 38 fires compared to the first quarter’s 48 fires (a 20-percent decrease). “As is the case with overall fire numbers decreasing, cooking fires in the home tend to decrease as the weather gets warmer and people do more gilling and cooking outdoors,” says Pearce.
The number of emergency medical services calls that the Raleigh Fire Department responded continued to increase. RFD responded to 9,104 calls, compared to 9,032 EMS calls during the first quarter. Fifty-nine percent of all RFD responses were medical calls.
Financial losses stemming from fires continued to drop significantly – the total was $2.3 million, compared to $3.4 million in the previous quarter. Since the fourth quarter of 2024, financial losses have decreased by 46 percent. But instead of seeing a longer-term trend, Pearce points out that fire losses tend to fluctuate. “I would assume that decreases in the second quarter were largely due to the drop in the overall number of fires,” he says.
| 2025 Quarter 2 | Statistics |
|---|---|
| All Fires (All fire responses including brush fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, etc., along with residential and commercial property fires) | 285 |
| -Building Fires | 85 |
| -Cooking Fires | 38 (45 percent of fires in buildings) |
| Approximate Dollar Loss Due to Fire | $2.3 million |
| Fires Extinguished by a Sprinkler System | 5 |
| Fire Department EMS Responses | 9,104 (59 percent of all responses) |
