For many residents, summer brings vacations, pool days and time to unwind. For first responders, however, it marks one of the busiest seasons of the year.
The Texas summer sun dries out yards and fields, increasing the risk of fires. Rising temperatures send more people to lakes and swimming pools, where water-related emergencies become more common. Add in increased travel and holiday celebrations, and traffic accidents also tend to rise.
That workload intensifies around the Fourth of July.
From July 1-5, the Whitesboro Fire Department (WFD) responded to 81 calls for service while also providing emergency medical and fire protection coverage
during all three nights of the Whitesboro July 4 Rodeo.
Those calls included two hazardous condition responses, 52 medical emergencies, 13 public service assistance calls, three non-emergency service requests and 11 fire-related incidents.
Among them was a grass fire on July 3 near Highway 56 and Collins Road, where WFD firefighters worked alongside the Southmayd and Sadler fire departments.
Just two days later, a few minutes before 3 a.m. on July 5, a passerby spotted flames coming from a home on Old Town Road and called 911. Whitesboro Police Officer Adam Willis arrived first, found the home’s sunroom on fire, jumped a fence and alerted the family inside. As the Whitesboro and Collinsville fire departments arrived, the family was evacuating the home. Everyone—including the family dog—escaped safely.
“That was an incredible case of excellent teamwork,” Whitesboro Fire Chief Jeff Patterson said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
“The holiday period is traditionally one of our busiest times of the year, and our firefighters, EMS personnel, police officers, dispatchers and volunteer members worked together to ensure our community remained safe while also supporting one of Whitesboro’s premier annual events,” Patterson said.
Water emergencies have also kept crews busy this summer.
Earlier this season, WFD responded to a call involving a 3-year-old boy who was found unconscious and unresponsive in a residential swimming pool. While dispatchers remained on the phone, the child’s mother performed CPR. En route to the scene, responders learned the boy had begun crying.
“That’s always great news,” Patterson said. “But then there’s a concern about secondary drowning.”
The child was found to have water in his lungs and stomach and was flown by CareFlight 5 from Gainesville to Children’s Medical Center Dallas. After spending two nights in the hospital, he was released to return home.
The department has also responded to several serious traffic accidents.
Just before 1 a.m. on June 27, WFD responded to a crash on Highway 82 near Miller Road. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the driver of an 18-wheeler was attempting a U-turn to travel eastbound when he failed to yield to oncoming traffic and collided with a passenger vehicle driven by a 19-year-old Gainesville man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
On July 1, firefighters responded to another fatal crash at Highway 82 and Nolan Road after a vehicle struck a motorcycle. The motorcyclist, a 20-year-old man from Ardmore, Oklahoma, died in the collision.
More recently, on July 10, WFD responded to a major crash on Highway 377 south of Gunter Road. Preliminary information indicates an SUV attempted to pass an 18-wheeler and collided head-on with another vehicle. The occupants of the SUV, both 17 years old, were injured but are expected to recover.
Despite the increase in emergency calls, the department has continued serving the community through education and outreach.
In June, WFD hosted another successful Babysitter Academy, where local youth spent the day learning skills to help keep the children in their care safe.
On June 17, firefighters partnered with the Whitesboro Parks and Recreation Department to provide a two-hour safety in-service for community lifeguards, helping prepare pool staff to respond in the event of an emergency.
Three days later, the department participated in the Veterans Association of Whitesboro’s inaugural military festival downtown, inviting visitors to meet firefighters and explore one of the department’s apparatuses.
On July 6, WFD’s safety clowns took part in the Whitesboro Public Library’s Summer Reading Bash, where families enjoyed Kona Ice, bubbles, a waterslide, outdoor games and other activities.
“The summer is a busy time for first responders,” Patterson said. “We like to remind everyone to be careful during this time of year. Please remember to wear your life jackets when you’re boating or swimming and to celebrate responsibly.”
