SCHERERVILLE | The 2,848 calls for service that the Schererville Fire Department received in 2012 were the most in the department's history, Fire Chief Joseph Kruzan said.
Nearly 80 percent of the calls were for emergency medical services.
About 15 years ago, the Fire Department received less than 1,000 calls for service, he said.
The rise in call volume isn't a concern for Kruzan.
"It's just a trend," he said.
Increased calls are expected as the town grows and its population gets older, Kruzan said.
Town Council President Rob Guetzloff and Councilman Jerry Tippy said they weren't surprised by the total calls in 2012.
"We anticipated the increased demand a few years ago when we changed the department to a full-time department," Tippy said in an email.
During the transition, several Schererville firefighters attended paramedic school, he said. Most of the town's firefighters are now paramedics, too.
"This change was important because the majority of our calls are for ambulance," Tippy said.
Guetzloff said calls to the Fire Department could continue to rise because of new developments in the town, such as the Residences at Deer Creek senior citizen living community.
The town will examine all of its fire stations to determine if improvements are needed because of the growth in Schererville, he said.
Although calls have increased, the Fire Department continues to provide excellent service, Guetzloff said.
"I can't say enough good things" about Kruzan and the town's other firefighters, he said.
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