Rockford, IL – The Rockford Fire Department’s 911 Center reported answering more than 162,000 calls between January and August of this year, highlighting both the scope of emergency response and the volume of community needs.
According to data released by the department Monday, dispatchers handled 162,357 calls through August, including 70,134 emergency calls and 92,223 non-emergency calls. Officials said the average answer time was 10.8 seconds, with operators handling approximately 32 calls per hour.
The department’s incident overview showed a 16.1% increase in fire calls compared with the same period in 2024. From January through August, firefighters responded to 374 fire calls, up from 322 the year before. Emergency medical service calls fell slightly, from 16,480 in 2024 to 16,138 this year, a 2.1% decrease. Other incident types, including rescue and hazardous conditions, declined 2.7% to 5,749.
In total, Rockford crews responded to 22,261 calls so far this year, a 2% decrease from 22,711 incidents during the same period in 2024.
Performance metrics showed that 80% of 911 calls were answered in less than 10 seconds, slightly below the department’s goal of 90%. Fire crews reported saving 88.8% of property threatened by fire, also just under their 90% target.
On average, the 911 center answered 766 calls per day. Each call taker fielded an average of eight calls per hour, according to the report.
The department said the data helps measure progress and identify areas for continued improvement in emergency services for Rockford residents.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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