Three of the four ambulances from the Norwich Fire Department arrive at Chenango Memorial Hospital to transport people in need on Monday, and officials said the fourth ambulance was handling a call outside of Norwich’s district. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH – The Norwich Fire Department needed all of its ambulances on Monday after eight 911 calls were received, including a wires down on house call, transport calls, and a call for a lift assist.

According to City of Norwich Fire Department Chief Jan Papelino, between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Norwich handled a total of eight calls, with one of the eight being a mutual aid call not within Norwich’s district.

“All eight calls were handled with crew members, including on duty, off duty, and volunteers; and six of the calls were within 30 minutes of each other,” said Papelino. “To have that many calls in such a short timespan, it’s certainly not the norm.”

“We respond to on average of probably nine to ten calls per day, it’s unusual to have almost that many in half an hour.”

Papelino said the department needed to use all four of its ambulances, and its main engine during that time span. He said it all started off with the wires down call.