Okeechobee County Fire Rescue has been busy this month, completing 376 calls since August 7.

Of those calls, 291 were for emergency medical services; 26 involved motor vehicle accidents; nine were fires, and 50 were miscellaneous calls.

The following were some of the most memorable:

• On Aug. 7 at approximately 6:45 p.m., they were dispatched to the 700 block of Southwest 11^th Avenue regarding a building fire. When they arrived, they found a single-family CBS home with smoke showing from the eaves. They were able to trace the fire to the kitchen area and were able to knock the fire down. Once it was extinguished, the ceiling in the kitchen had to be pulled back to check for possible extension of the fire, but none was found. Because smoke was still coming from the eaves, the attic was also checked. The fire was determined to be unintentional.
• On Aug. 9 at approximately 7 a.m., they were dispatched to the 900 block of Northeast 40^th Avenue regarding a vehicle fire. When they arrived, they found a small passenger car with the front end fully involved. The roadway was shut down, and water was on the fire. The fire was extinguished quickly. The owner of the vehicle said he had been having trouble with the car mechanically. As he was driving down the road, the car started running rough, and the vehicle shut off and the brakes failed. He got out of the car and called 911.
• Also on Aug. 9, but this time at approximately 3 p.m., they were dispatched to the 1100 block of Ninth Street regarding a fire in a motor home. 500 gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Mechanical failure and electrical failure are believed to have contributed to the ignition. The mobile home was determined to be a complete loss.
• On Aug. 12, they responded to 800 State Road 70 East at approximately 3:15 p.m. regarding a fire in a freight or transport vehicle. When they arrived, they found a semi-truck trailer with smoke coming of it. There were no visible flames, and the truck was carrying sod. They were able to find a hot spot and cool it down using approximately 300 gallons of water.
• On Aug. 13, at approximately 4:45 p.m., they were dispatched to the 1600 block of Northwest 43^rd Avenue regarding a camper fire. When they arrived, they found a fully engulfed fifth wheel. The fire had already vented out the entire roof of the camper. Three dogs inside the camper were killed by the fire, and animal control came out to take care of the burial. The cause of the fire is undetermined and is under investigation.
• On Aug. 17 at approximately 1:30 p.m., they were dispatched to the 3900 block of Northwest 38^th Avenue regarding a vehicle fire. When they arrived, they found a side-by-side fully engulfed. Because the vehicle was located in a field, across a drainage canal, the crew used a ladder to stretch the hose across and were able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle owner told them he had just filled his gas tank and several cans in the back. They were riding down the dike when they heard a noise in the back. He discovered one of the gas cans had tipped over and was spilling fuel which caught fire. He had fire all down the top of the dike where he had been driving. By the time he realized this, the back of the side-by-side was on fire, and the heat was so bad he could not get close enough to put the fire out. They called 911 and attempted to keep the fire from spreading. The fire was determined to be unintentional but caused by a flammable gas or liquid spill.
• Later, on Aug. 17, at approximately 7:30 p.m., they were dispatched to the 1300 block of Southwest 83^rd Avenue regarding a building fire. When they arrived, they found a small shed surrounded by people using hoses to extinguish the fire. No flames were visible. The homeowner explained he spilled gas earlier and then later flicked a cigarette in that direction. The shed is used for storage. The fire was determined to be unintentional and caused by a flammable liquid spill.

These are just a few of the many calls firefighters/paramedics respond to on a daily basis.