At times, the public safety responders run ragged

Long gone are the days when a Walhalla city fire fighter sits around waiting for a fire call.  The fire fighters who man the fire station on N. Broad Street are cross-trained, meaning they often respond to medical emergencies.  In the estimation of their chief, Will Bates, they answered an extraordinary number of calls in 2022 — a total of 1,601.  Most were to help someone with a medical need, according to an accounting from Bates.  In those situations, a fire fighter assists a hospital EMS crew.  The calls can be serious, or as simple as helping to lift a person from a fall.