Mayor says 2021 was another tough year for New Phila’s safety forces

NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Jan. 13, 2022) – The pandemic and its effects kept New Philadelphia’s police and fire departments busy last year.

Mayor Joel Day says firefighters ended up responding to just over 3,500 calls, or about 450 more than in 2020. 

“People sick with COVID symptoms accounted for some of the calls. Fire Chief Jim Parrish noted that 32-percent of the calls were related to drug abuse and mental illness, and this is concerning for our community.” 

However, Day says it did slow down some for the city’s police officers. They responded to just over 11,400 calls last year, or about a thousand less than in 2020.

“I haven’t received the exact number yet, but I do know that many of the calls in 2021 were related to drug abuse, domestic violence, and homelessness.”

He encourages those struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues to call the local ADAMHS Board (at 330-364-6488) to begin the journey toward recovery. 

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