The Raleigh Fire Department pays close attention to statistics related to the services we provide. Statistics allow us to focus our efforts on geographical areas that may have a specific public safety need, and they help us keep track of resources that are needed to mitigate hazards.
2023’s last quarter looked similar to the third quarter. The number of all fires was almost unchanged – there were 319 fires in the fourth quarter, compared to 312 fires in the previous quarter.
Cooking Fires Increased
Fires related to the leading cause – unattended cooking – increased by 11 percent. There were 62 cooking fires, compared to 55 during the third quarter. Fires associated with inappropriately discarded smoking materials (the second leading cause of fires) decreased slightly; there were 8 smoking material fires in the fourth quarter, compared to 10 during the previous quarter.
During the holiday season, the fire department normally sees an increase in cooking fires, resulting in loss of property and injuries, says Capt. James Pearce. “However, in the spring, the number of fires related to smoking tend to increase,” he said. “The wind picks up during the change in seasons, increasing the reach and intensity of fires outdoors that resulted from carelessly discarded smoking materials. Also, with the start of planting season, you should never use a potted plant to discard smoking materials. Potting soil is organic material, and it will readily burn under a variety of conditions.”
Financial losses that resulted from fires decreased by a third in the last quarter, to $2 million from $3 million. Pearce said that while “it’s always a good sign when financial losses are reduced, these numbers tend to vary due to the nature of the fire event, what type of fires occur (residential or commercial), and even things like geographic locations.”
The number of emergency medical services calls that the Raleigh Fire Department responded to continued to increase. RFD responded to 8,814 EMS calls during the last quarter, compared to 8,769 during the third quarter.
| 2023 Quarter 4 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| All Fires (All fire responses including brush fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, etc., along with residential and commercial property fires) | 319 |
| -Residential Fires | 86 |
| -Commercial Fires | 36 |
| -Cooking Fires | 62 (51 percent of fires in buildings) |
| -Smoking Materials Fires | 8 (7 percent of fires in buildings) |
| Approximate Dollar Loss Due to Fire | $2 million |
| Fires Extinguised by a Sprinkler System | 10 |
| Fire Department EMS Responses | 8,814 (62 percent of all responses) |
