Calcutta VFD ran 348 combined calls in 2024, nearly 100 calls more than the previous record year for calls in 2021 with 255 calls.

The department in 2024 responded to 310 fire calls and 38 medical calls.

Fire Chief Dave McCoy said he looks for EMS calls to pick up more now that they have another department member going through training for that. He noted that is can be tough having people available to respond for a volunteer fire department whose members have other jobs. He also said that the department provides mutual aid to other fire departments who have ambulances.

With the addition of Search and Rescue K-9 Solace to the department and the department’s member participating heavily in search and rescue training, Lt. Randy Schneider said that was a noticeable difference between 2023 and 2024 with a spike in specialty calls for search and rescue, K-9, swift water rescue and brush fires.

Calcutta VFD along with multiple other departments participate in a large-scale tanker shuttle training. (Submitted photo)

According to Schneider, the department is staying steady with its average number of members with the addition of four new members in 2024.

McCoy said that he is never satisfied with the amount of staffing his department has because they are still short staffed during the day.

“We are definitely short-handed during daylight times,” McCoy said. “Most people have daylight jobs and that is when we are short. The only way to overcome it is to call mutual aid for help and they are all also having the same problem. We are not satisfied with where we are with staffing in our department and that probably applies to all the departments.”

The department certified three new volunteer firefighters in 2024.

There were several promotions in the department, with Firefighter Jacob Roush being promoted to lieutenant and Shayne Hamilton promoted to assistant chief.

Calcutta VFD firefighters work to combat a brush fire on Avery Circle in Calcutta.

Highlights for the department in 2024 included four commendations presented to department members from state Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel for life saving actions during Hurricane Helene, to which multiple members of the department assisted for search and rescue/recovery. The department also held one of the area’s largest donation drives where community members nearly filled the station in a matter of days with emergency items for Hurricane Helene victims.

“We are always here to help our neighboring communities,” McCoy said. “The big thing we are doing with that is getting our experience and we do learn something every single time. I never would have dreamt you could have gotten involved in a flood up in the mountains, and that is where some people lost their lives,” McCoy said of his time spent in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

The department has hosted multiple search and rescue training courses which were open to all first responders in Columbiana County, including a specialty certification swift water rescue class and large-scale tanker shuttle training.

The department, following training and certification, established its swift water rescue team.

The search and rescue team deployed twice to assist in natural disasters when they went to Florida and North Caroling following Hurricane Helene. Several members from other local departments joined them. The swift water rescue team deployed four times, K-9 Solace was deployed nine times and the brush fire Polaris side-by-side deployed five times.

Calcutta VFD Fire Chief Dave McCoy takes part in search and rescue/recovery efforts in Swannanoa, North Carolina, following Hurricane Helene.

McCoy said it was definitely a full-year commitment of calls and responses.

“Seems like the big thing was brush fires,” McCoy said. “I’m very happy with the way we all train and the way we work together and the unity that we and other departments have. When we join together to respond to these calls, I’m happy with the way we work together, and I suspect that is going to continue.”

K-9 Solace has also continued her training, being certified in tracking, cadaver and area search. McCoy said he is considering possible water search training for her in the future.

The department has received more than $15,000 in grants/reimbursement program fundings and finalized the build out plans for the department’s new 2026 Sutphen engine 32.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com