The Okotoks Fire Department is on track to have one of its busiest years ever.

According to Ken Thevenot, Okotoks Fire Chief, in 2015 they had 1,069 responses, and in 2016 they responded to 995 calls.

He says 2017 has already matched 2015 numbers.

"In 2017 to date we're at 1,069, so we're matching 2015 numbers already with a few days left in our year. I would imagine this will be our highest number of responses coming forward at the end of this year."

Thevenot says there's three top contributors to the amount of responses.

"46 per cent would be our medical responses, our highest number. Alarm system activations would be our next highest response area, and then after that would be vehicle accidents, so those would be our top three calls that we attend to."

During 2017 Thevenot says there were a few structure fires and car accidents that he would consider major events.

"Structure fires are a lower percentage of calls for us, but when they do come they do have a larger impact on us. The number of motor vehicle accidents is still high, unfortunately we have to go to some of those ones and there's a few there that I can say stick out as well."

On average 70 per cent of calls the department responded to were within the Town of Okotoks, with the rural area surrounding town accounting for the other 30 per cent.

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email us at news@okotoksonline.com