Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier stands inside the department’s new headquarters, which opened in the fall of 2025. (File Photo)

WHEELING — The year 2025 will be a noteworthy one in the history of the Wheeling Fire Department.

During the year, members welcomed a new rescue truck in the spring, used it when responding to devastating flooding in the summer, and opened its long-awaited new headquarters in the fall.

The department also was called out to a record setting number of rescue, medical and EMS-related incidents in 2025.

Members responded to 5,445 EMS calls during the year — a 7% increase over the 5,086 calls in 2024., according to data provided by the city of Wheeling. There were 5,001 fire calls in 2023; 5,375 in 2022; 5,313 in 2021; and 4,436 in 2020.

“One of the most memorable incidents that happened in 2025 has to be the devastating flash flooding that occurred in June,” Chief Jim Blazier said.

He noted that the increase in the EMS calls for the department is part of a trend that has been happening across the nation for more than a decade, and it “is not particular to Wheeling.”

“We have an older population, and that sparks more EMS calls,” Blazier added.

What has decreased is the number of overdose and drug-related calls the department has received over the past two years.

“We still get the occasional one, but it is not as big a contributor to our call volume,” he said.

Meanwhile, the number of fire calls received was slightly down in 2025. The figures show firefighters responded to 90 fire calls during the year, down from 95 in 2024.

“We average about 100 fires a year,” Blazier said. “It has been trending down, but that could change.”

In total, the Wheeling Fire Department responded to 8,244 incidents in 2025 — up from 7,768 in 2024.

Calls for service are categorized into nine areas: fires; overpressure/overheat (no fire); rescue/medical/EMS calls; hazardous conditions; service calls; good intent calls; false alarm/false calls; severe weather; and special incidents.

In addition to the fire and EMS calls, the number of incidents responded to by firefighters breaks down as follows: service calls, 1,117; false alams/false calls, 863; good intent calls, 521; hazardous condition, 166; overpressure/overheat (no fire), 25; severe weather, 10; and special incidents, seven.

The 8,244 incidents in 2025 responded to by the department is second only to the number in 2022, when members went out on 8,313 calls.

The Wheeling Fire Department has 94 employees, including 84 who work in suppression and another 10 who are in staff positions serving as mechanics, investigators and EMS coordinators.

Three new firefighters are set to start on Monday.

“We’re moving forward… and getting adjusted to the new facility,” Blazier said. “We were definitely anxious to get in here, glad to be here.”

He expects the department to take delivery of a new ambulance by the end of summer.

“I am proud of the men and women of the department for their efforts,” he said. “It has been a busy year. They stepped up to the plate and provided excellent service, and they will continue to do so.”