Fresno Fire Department responds to July 4 incidents | YourCentralValley.com

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Fourth of July is historically one of the busiest days of the year for firefighters.

The Fresno Fire Department deployed additional resources to ensure the safety of the community throughout the night.

“We are providing two additional fire trucks and wildland bush equipment to respond to incoming calls,” said spokesman Josh Sellers.

Sellers also says fighting the fire on Independence Day presents a major challenge for emergency responders.

“The teams that go out on these missions again and again are still very hot. And our protective clothing protects us well from burns. But if we don’t have a chance to cool down and drink enough, heat-related injuries can occur,” said Sellers.

Brian Price, battalion chief of the Fresno Fire Department, says the department normally operates with four people in a squad car, but now has three extra people to provide extra manpower for the Fourth of July.

“We have a lot of personnel on site and we have also changed our response plan. Because we expect a high volume of calls, we have changed our response methods to be able to dispatch more vehicles faster and to be able to respond more quickly in the event of multiple fires,” Price said.

Most of the fires we respond to are caused by illegal fireworks.

“Fireworks that go off the ground and go boom may look great, but they are great incendiary devices and can start a lot of fires,” Price said.

Authorities are asking residents to stay safe during the festivities and call 911 in case of emergency.