2025 busiest year in history, Bluffton Fire District says

by WTOC Staff

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - The Bluffton Township Fire District said they have responded to 11,165 calls for service in 2025. In a recent press release, Bluffton Fire District said this made last year the busiest year in the District’s history, surpassing the 10,799 calls answered in 2024.

The record-setting year reflected continued growth across the Fire District’s nearly 250-square-mile service area, which led to an expanding demand for emergency and community services.

In a recent press release, Bluffton Fire District said this made last year the busiest year in the District’s history, surpassing the 10,799 calls answered in 2024.

In December 2025, the Fire District also completed its transition from the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) to the new National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS), a nationwide reporting platform implemented by the U.S. Fire Administration. The transition modernizes how fire and emergency response data is collected and better reflects the full scope of services provided by today’s fire departments.

Experts said, while most call types remained consistent, NERIS allows certain service-related activity that was not individually tracked under NFIRS to now be accurately accounted for. These incidents are reported under the Public Service category and include citizen assists, non-medical alarms, disaster and weather-related responses, and other community service calls.

Fire District officials emphasized that the reported change does not alter how crews respond in the field but rather improves transparency and accuracy in how activity is documented and shared with the public.

“What has not changed is our commitment to the community,” Fire Chief David Hindman said. “Our firefighters have taken on a record workload and adapted to new reporting requirements while continuing to deliver exceptional service on every call.”

The Fire District credited its firefighters, officers, support staff, and their families for the milestone year, as well as the community for its continued trust and support.

Additional information about the NERIS system and monthly operational reporting is available in the Operations Report section of the Bluffton Township Fire District website.