MURFREESBORO, TN - The Murfreesboro Fire & Rescue Department (MFRD) was very busy last month, responding to a variety of calls. In August, they responded to 1,950 incidents, including 47 fire calls for homes, vehicles, cooking fires, and grassfires.

One of the fire calls in August unfolded in the 200 block of Haynes Haven Lane, where firefighters found heavy smoke coming out of the windows of a two-story home. Although the house suffered significant damage, there were no reported injuries among residents or firefighters.

Local firefighters also rescued two cats from a burning home in the 900 block of Greenhill Street. The property sustained heavy damage, and the family had to find temporary accommodation while the structure was further evaluated and repaired.

City fire crews were called to 1,073 motor vehicle accidents, water rescues, and searches for lost or missing individuals last month. Apart from car wrecks, fires, and rescues, Murfreesboro firefighters dealt with hazardous conditions that sometimes required the removal of dangerous materials. In total, 21 response calls were for gas leaks, downed power lines that were still live, potential bomb removals, and the extraction of radioactive or chemically dangerous toxins.

There were 547 calls that were ultimately canceled, some of which were for fires that turned out to be controlled burns, wrong location, or where no incident was found upon the arrival of the MFRD.

Service calls, which include calls to inspect structures for fire prevention, assist police, investigate water problems, rescue animals, or investigate reports of smoke odor with no identifiable cause, totaled 129 last month.

Like any public service, those who dedicate their time to helping others and saving lives are sometimes dispatched for the wrong reasons. Such calls are referred to as "False Alarms" or "False Calls," which added up to 133.

Looking back to July, MFRD responded to 1,959 incidents, which added up to 96 more calls than the previous month of June. In June of 2024, there were 1,863 incidents. For the month of May, a total of 1,889 calls required the dispatch of firefighters in the City.