WILMORE, Ky. (LEX 18) — There is no such thing as a slow day at the Wilmore Fire Department. In March, for the second straight month, the department set a new record with 72 calls for service, more than ever before.
"I can't explain it, nobody can explain it, we can't tell when a 911 call is gonna come in," Fire Chief Josh Day said.
When volume began increasing last year, Day had to implement a new system to fill the gaps when volunteer firefighters were not already at the station.
"With the uptick in runs, we actually have started working on duty crews on Wednesdays and Saturdays. We're hoping to get that raised to more duty crews so we have people at the department and staffed trucks ready to go," Day said.
All of those extra runs mean extra training.
"Having these runs come in means members get on the truck and respond. It's experience they're gaining in the fire service to further their career in the fire service," Day said.
In a small community like Wilmore, firefighters cover everything: rescues, crashes, EMS, hazmat, and of course fires. With no local ambulance, they are often first on scene.
"You name it, we go," Day said.
Despite the same recruitment and retention challenges other stations face, Wilmore may also step in to help nearby communities. Most firefighters at the Wilmore Fire Department work or volunteer at other departments in the region.
"We're always here, always ready to go, day or night we're coming," Day said.
