Fire department gets emergency funding for EMT

COLFAX — The City Council committed Monday night to extend up to $10,000 to the Fire Department for an emergency staffing fund to cover another daytime shift to help with an increase in calls due to COVID-19.

“We’re being stretched pretty thin,” said Fire Department Officer-in-Charge Jake Smith. “We’ve made do, but we’re getting our butt kicked.”

Smith reported the department received 115 calls in December.

“That’s a very busy month,” he said. “More than doubled our call volume from November.”

An estimated 80% of department calls are medical.

The increase in December calls were predominantly t...