Philadelphia Fire Department Dealing With Overload Of Calls Amid Growing Unrest

Kimberly Davis reports.

THE FIRE STARTED AROUND 7 THISMORNING AND REACHED TWO ALARMS.THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF ANYINJURIES AT THAT LOCATION.CREWS HAD TO BATTLE SEVERALFIRES AMID THE GROWING UNREST INTHE CITY.KIMBERLY DAVIS HAS MORE ON THEEXTRA CHALLENGE FIREFIGHTERS AREFACING.ON AVERAGE WE HAVE 7 OR 8WHAT WE CALL WORKING STRUCTUREFIRES EVERY 24 HOURS.THE PAST 24 HOURS WE HAD AROUND24 AND THE PAST 48 WE'VE HADPROBABLY 50 OR 60.Reporter: AN ALREADY BUSYFIRE DEPARTMENT IS DEALING WITHAN OVERLOAD OF FIRE CALLS.THE PHILADELPHIA FIRE DEPARTMENTHAS RESPONDED TO 378 FIRES SINCESATURDAY.AT LEAST 14 HAVE BEEN RULEDARSON.THAT'S A CREDIT TO OURMEMBERS HAVEN'T MISSED A BEAT.WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IN ADDITIONALSTAFF WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT.Reporter: PHILADELPHIAFIREFIGHTERS HAVE RESPONDED TOMULTIPLE VEHICLES, RUBBISH, DEMSTER AND STRUCTURAL FIREINCLUDING THIS 3 ALARM FIRE ONIT'S A TEAM EFFORT, A TEAMSPORT AND WE RECOGNIZE ALL THEPAIN AND THE HURT THAT'S OUTTHERE.OUR ROLE REALLY IS TO SAVE LIVESAND PROTECT PROPERTY.Reporter: COMMISSIONER TEALSAYS HE'S GRATEFUL RESIDENTSHAVE ALLOWED FIREFIGHTERS TOCONTINUE TO DO THEIR JOBS.IN ADDITION TO THE FIRES, CREWSHAVE ALSO RESPONDED TO THOUSANDSOF MEDICAL CALLS.