A hot, dry Monday and a heavy dose of fireworks made for an extra busy day for the Great Bend Fire/EMS Department as locals celebrated Independence Day.

According to GBFD Assistant Chief Brent Smith, the department had to call in off-duty staff to handle a higher than normal call volume, with several fireworks-related calls. According to the department’s social media page, it took much of the staff to handle the extra volume of calls Monday.

Throughout the day, GBFD crews responded to 15 grass, brush, and trash fires within the city limits of Great Bend. Most of those were ignited by home fireworks. In addition, GBFD crews also battled two house fires, both of which started as a result of fireworks.

The first was at 1915 Van Buren, where crews responded shortly before 1:30 p.m. Monday. Although firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, Smith indicated the structure was deemed a total loss. He did not have a dollar estimate on the damage sustained.

A home at 3728 Robin Road sustained minor wood shingle damage as a result of a fireworks-related fire shortly after 7 p.m.

Though the department also responded to seven EMS calls in the city of Great Bend Monday, Smith said none of those calls were related to fireworks use. The department did not report any injuries as a result of fireworks use Monday.

Smith also said the department did not encounter any significant fireworks-related calls in the weekend leading up to Independence Day. The Great Bend Police Department, however, responded to more than 20 fireworks complaints from residents between Friday and Sunday night, prior to the legal fireworks discharge time in the city.

Smith said that although the day was an extra busy one, it could have been worse. “We’re thankful it wasn’t any worse than it was, but it was a busy day.”