Population Explosion Taxes Firefighters [Audio]

The Lafayette Fire Department's increase in fire calls and calls for help is not because of the cold weather snap.

Fire Chief Robert Benoit tells KPEL news the increased population and more and more people living under one roof are the reason for the increase. 

In fact, Benoit says firefighters have been dealing with the increase for the past three to five years.

Benoit says the department can get fifty-to-sixty calls within a five hour period on a busy day.

About seventy-five percent of those calls are for medical help.  Following medical calls are false alarms.

The cause of fires is blamed on carelessness, according to Benoit and Fire Prevention Chief Travis Morgan.  Morgan says people are not understanding and practicing all the safety precautions.

Adding to the increased number is cold weather and the unexpected thunderstorm.