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.
From a fire stats perspective, the third quarter of 2023 looked similar to the previous quarter. The number of all fires, for instance, stayed the same, at 312.
Fires related to the leading cause – unattended cooking – increased slightly. There were 55 cooking fires, compared to 51 during the second quarter. Fires associated with inappropriately discarded smoking materials (the other leading cause of fires) remained almost flat; there were 10 smoking material fires in the third quarter, compared to 11 during the previous quarter.
“It’s always good to keep in mind, though, that during the holiday season there are typically more fires resulting in loss of property and injuries,” says Capt. James Pearce. “Please remember holiday safety, heater safety, and cooking safety tips as these are all important topics especially at this time of the year.”
Financial losses that resulted from fires decreased quite a bit, to $3 million from $4 million.
The number of emergency medical services calls that the Raleigh Fire Department responded to continued to tick up. RFD responded to 8,769 EMS calls during the third quarter, which as almost 7 percent higher than in the second quarter (8,211)
| 2023 Quarter 3 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| All Fires (All fire responses including brush fires, vehicle fires, dumpster fires, etc., along with residential and commercial property fires) | 312 |
| -Residential Fires | 84 |
| -Commercial Fires | 20 |
| -Cooking Fires | 55 (53 percent of fires in buildings) |
| -Smoking Materials Fires | 10 (10 percent of fires in buildings) |
| Approximate Dollar Loss Due to Fire | $3 million |
| Fires Extinguised by a Sprinkler System | 14 |
| Fire Department EMS Responses | 8,769 (61% of all responses) |
