For those who take the initial calls for service, WE THANK YOU!!

This report from CTV. reporter Josh Pringle from October 2021 says it all.

Ottawa firefighters responded to fewer calls for service in 2020, as many residents spent more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, a new report says there was a significant increase in the severity of the incidents responded to by firefighters last year, including water and ice rescues.

The Ottawa Fire Service 2020 Annual Report shows firefighters responded to 22,582 incidents last year, down 13.2 per cent from 2019. There were a total of 63,784 vehicle responses in 2020, down 12 per cent from the year before.

"This is the first time since 2014 that Ottawa Fire Services has experienced this level of response volume," said the report for the community and protective services committee.

"This decrease is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic along with the implementation and enforcement of various emergency orders which resulted in the closure of non-essential workplaces and more residents spending more time at home."

Here is a look at the top five response types for Ottawa firefighters in 2020:

False alarm: 8,531
Medical: 3,410
Rescue: 2,932
Miscellaneous: 2,734
Fire related: 2,664
Firefighters responded to 1,086 fires in 2020, up from 1,008 calls in 2019.