Heat Wave Keeps the Salisbury Fire Department Busy - WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, FOX 21 -

SALISBURY, Md.- With temperatures over 90 degrees the Salisbury Fire Department said their call volume is through the roof.

With temperatures nearing 95 degrees on days like Friday, EMT and Firefighter Brady Scott said getting a high amount of medical and fire calls isn't unusual.

"Now with the heat being the way it is...people could just be walking down the sidewalk and get dizzy. It could happen anywhere," Scott said.

But, with the influx of calls SFD said they have been lacking manpower.

"I mean we have three ambulances and everybody thinks that's a lot ambulances for a small city like Salisbury. But, a lot of times we'll have to go to a fourth or fifth for an ambulance and we'll have to call in help from like Hebron, Fruitland, Delmar, Parsonsburg...they help us a lot," Scott said.

Assistant Chief Chris O'Barsky agreed and said, " It has exhausted some of our resources in the City of Salisbury. We've had to call in some outside agencies to come in and help us."

On top of responding to fire calls in this heat firefighter Doug Parker said its even hotter when they're wearing their turnout gear.

"You know, you can imagine on a day with a 110, 115 heat index that we're going to experience quite a bit of heat anytime we put our gear on," Parker said.

O'barksy said in this heat, working alongside other fire departments is key.