The Agassiz Fire Department answered more than 400 calls in 2024, according to the final monthly report to District of Kent Council.
According to the final year-to-date report for 2023, there were approximately 330 calls. In 2024, most of the calls to the AFD came from alarms (75 calls), motor vehicle incidents (71 calls) and assistance calls for the B.C. Ambulance Service (113 calls).
Firefighters logged more than 3,600 training hours this past year, up from about 3,200 in 2023. Operational hours rose significantly from 2023 to 2024, from 2,781 to 5,224. Prevention hours doubled from 200 to 445 and volunteer hours took a slight dip from 1,645 in 2023 to 1,505 in 2024.
The AFD responded to two structure fires in December. On Dec. 22, firefighters were dispatched with the Seabird Island Fire Department to a structure fire on Chowat Rd. involving an outbuilding. Less than a week later, the AFD was called to Peregrine Pl. after it appeared a mobile battery charger ignited a fire in a bedroom on the main floor. The fire was contained to only one room of the house due to the door being closed, which deprived the fire from further oxygen and slowed its possible growth.
Also among this year's highlights was the final certification of the new live fire training facility. The AFD hosted seven other fire departments to conduct training exercises.